Daf 210a (דַּף ר״י ע״א)

Rabbi Abba said: Indeed, from these words we learn the mind of Bil‘am (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא וַדַּאי בְּאִלֵּין מִלִּין אוֹלִיפְנָא דַּעְתָּא דְּבִלְעָם), that he was not worthy for the The Holy Spirit to rest upon him (דְּלָאו כְּדַאי הוּא לְמִשְׁרֵי עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא). And we also learn that his she-ass was not able to harm or to benefit (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּהָא לֵית יָכִילוּ בְּאַתְנֵיהּ לְאַבְּאָשָׁא אוֹ לְאוֹטָבָא). And we learn from this she-ass, that there is no power in beasts for a complete mind to rest upon them (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵהַאי אָתוֹן דְּהָא לֵית חֵילָא בִּבְעִירֵי לְאַשְׁרָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ דַּעְתָּא שְׁלִים). Come and see: Bil‘am, even with the words of his she-ass and with that foolish mind, could not endure (תָּא חֲזֵי בִּלְעָם בְּהַהִיא מִלָּה דַּאֲתָנֵיהּ וּבְהַהוּא דַּעְתָּא טִפְּשָׁא לָא יָכִיל לְמֵיקָם). All the more so with supernal mind (בְּדַעְתָּא עִלָּאָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). As it is written: “And she said to Bil‘am, What have I done to you?” (כְּדִכְתִּיב וַתֹּאמֶר לְבִלְעָם מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ) (Numbers 22). Was it in my power to do good or evil? No (וְכִי בִּרְשׁוּתִי הֲוָה לְמֶעְבַּד טַב וּבִישׁ לָאו). For beasts do not conduct themselves except according to how they are conducted (דְּהָא בְּעִירֵי לָא מִתְנַהֲגָן אֶלָּא בְּמָה דְּנַהֲגוּ לוֹן). And even though that she-ass was in greater depth, Some say: in pressing (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהַהִיא אֲתָנָא בְּעֲמִיקְתָּא ס״א: בַּעֲקוּתָא), still it was not in her own domain (יַתִּיר לָאו בִּרְשׁוּתָהּ הִיא), for he had loaded her with his sorcery and she stood in his domain (דְּהָא הוּא אַטְעִין לָהּ בְּחַרְשׁוֹי וּבִרְשׁוּתֵיהּ קַיְּימָא).

“And Bil‘am said to the she-ass: Because you have mocked me” (וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם לָאָתוֹן כִּי הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ בִּי). He should have laughed from her, but instead he gave back the foolishness of her words (הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְחַיֵּיכָא מִנָּהּ וְהוּא אָתִיב לָקָבְלָא טִפְּשׁוּתָא דְּמִלָּהָא). Then they laughed at him, and he was degraded in their eyes, and they knew that he was a fool (כְּדֵין חַיְּיכוּ מִנֵּיהּ וְאִתְקְלִיל בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ וְיָדְעוּ דְּאִיהוּ שַׁטְיָא). And what did he say? “Because you have mocked me; if only there were a sword in my hand…” (וּמָה אָמַר כִּי הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ בִּי לוּ יֵשׁ חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי). They said: This fool—he can destroy nations with his mouth, and he cannot destroy his she-ass without a sword? (אָמְרוּ שַׁטְיָא דָּא אִיהוּ יָכִיל לְשֵׁיצָאָה עַמִּין בְּפוּמֵיהּ הֵיךְ לָא יָכִיל לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְאַתְנֵיהּ וְהוּא בָּעֵי חַרְבָּא). And we learn from this, that beasts have no power for another spirit to rest upon them (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּלֵית חֵילָא בִּבְעִירֵי לְאַשְׁרָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחָא אַחֲרָא). For if people were to say: if beasts speak, how much perfect knowledge would come forth into the world (דְּאִי יֵימְרוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִי יְמַלְּלוּן בְּעִירֵי כַּמָּה דַעְתָּא שְׁלִים יִפְּקוּן לְעָלְמָא). Go forth and learn from this she-ass, for Kudsha Berikh Hu opened her mouth (פּוּק וְאוֹלִיף מֵהַאי אֲתָנָא דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַפְתַּח פּוּמָהּ), see her words (חָמֵי מִלּוֹי).

“And it was in the morning, and Balak took Bil‘am…” (וַיְהִי בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח בָּלָק אֶת בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ׳). Rabbi Yitzchak said: Balak was wise in sorceries, more than Bil‘am (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר בָּלָק חַכִּים הֲוָה בְּחַרְשִׁין יַתִּיר מִבִּלְעָם), except that he did not know how to calculate the precise moment for enchantments (בַּר דְּלָא הֲוָה מְכַוֵּין שַׁעֲתָא לְלַטְיָיא). A parable and so forth (מָשָׁל וְכוּ׳). Therefore it is written: “And Balak took Bil‘am…” (בְּגִין כָּךְ וַיִּקַּח בָּלָק אֶת בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ׳). He was the one who prepared him and held him for everything (הוּא הֲוָה אַתְקִין לֵיהּ וְאָחִיד לֵיהּ לְכֹלָּא).

“And he brought him up to the high places of Ba‘al” (וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ בָּמוֹת בָּעַל). What is the meaning of “to the high places of Ba‘al”? (מַאי וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ בָּמוֹת בָּעַל). Rather, he looked in his sorceries by which side he might be bound with them (אֶלָּא אַשְׁגַּח בְּחַרְשׁוֹי בְּמַאי סִטְרָא יִתְאַחִיד בְּהוּ), and he found that Yisrael were destined to make high places and to serve Ba‘al (וְאַשְׁכַּח דִּזְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֶעְבַּד בָּמוֹת וּלְמִפְלַח לַבָּעַל), as it is written: “And they went after the Ba‘alim” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבַּעַל). “And he saw from there the edge of the people” (וַיַּרְא מִשָּׁם קְצֵה הָעָם). He saw the nobles of the people and their king who worshiped him (חֲמָא רַבְרְבֵי דְּעַמָּא וּמַלְכָּא דִּלְהוֹן דְּפָלְחִין לֵיהּ), as it is written: “And they called on the name of Ba‘al” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל) (I Kings 18), and it is written: “If Hashem is the God…” (וּכְתִיב אִם יְיָ הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ׳) (I Kings 18). Once Bil‘am saw that Yisrael were destined for this, immediately: “And Bil‘am said to Balak, Build for me here seven altars” (כֵּיוָן דְּחֲמָא בִּלְעָם דִּזְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַאי מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל בָּלָק בְּנֵה לִי בָּזֶה שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחוֹת). (Here the writing is missing) (חֲסֵר כְּתִיב).

Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Yehudah: one said that it was corresponding to the earlier altars he offered those seven altars (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה חַד אָמַר לָקֳבְלֵי מַדְבְּחָן דְּקַדְמָאֵי אַקְרִיב אִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה מַדְבְּחָן). And one said: In wisdom he did all this (וְחַד אָמַר בְּחָכְמְתָא עָבֵד כֹּלָּא), and found that the portions of Yisrael are bound in seven levels (וְאַשְׁכַּח דְּחוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשִׁבְעָה דַּרְגִּין אִתְקַשְּׁרוּ). Therefore he arranged seven altars (בְּגִין כַּךְ אַסְדַּר שִׁבְעָה מַדְבְּחָן).

Like a man who had one beloved, whom his father left to him (לְבַר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ רְחִימָא חַד דְּשָׁבַק לֵיהּ אֲבוֹי). And people came to quarrel with him on account of that beloved (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מִסְתָּפוּ לְקַטְּטָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּגִין הַהוּא רְחִימָא). After some days, another man came and sought to provoke strife with him (לְיוֹמִין אָתָא בַּר נָשׁ חַד וּבָעָא לְאַתְעָרָא קְטָטוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ). He said: What shall I do? If I provoke strife with him, behold that beloved who is bound with him, and I cannot (אָמַר מַה אַעְבֵּיד אִי אַתְעַר בֵּיהּ קְטָטָא הָא הַהוּא רְחִימָא דְּאִתְקְשַׁר בַּהֲדֵיהּ וְלָא יָכִילְנָא). He said: What shall I do? I will send a gift to that beloved (אָמַר מָה עֲבַד שָׁדַר לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹן לְהַהוּא רְחִימָא). That beloved said: What has this man with me? I know that it is because of my beloved one (אָמַר הַהוּא רְחִימָא וְכִי מָה אִית לֵיהּ לְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ גַּבָּאי יְדַעְנָא דִּבְגִין הַהוּא בַּר רְחִימָאי הוּא). He said: This gift shall not enter before me; summon the dogs and let them eat it (אָמַר הַאי דּוֹרוֹן לָא יֵיעוּל קַמָּאי זְמִינוּ לֵיהּ לְכַלְבֵּי וְיֵכְלוּנֵיהּ).

So it was with Bil‘am: he came to provoke strife against Yisrael (כַּךְ בִּלְעָם אָתָא לְאַתְעָרָא קְטָטוּ בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and he saw that he could not because of that supernal beloved of theirs (וְחָמָא דְּלָא יָכִיל בְּגִין הַהוּא רְחִימָא עִלָּאָה דִּלְהוֹן), as it is said: “Your friend and the friend of your father do not forsake” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר רֵעֲךָ וְרֵעַ אָבִיךָ אַל תַּעֲזֹב) (Proverbs 27). He began to prepare before Him a gift (שָׁארֵי לְתַקְּנָא קַמֵּיהּ דּוֹרוֹן). Kudsha Berikh Hu said: Wicked one, what have you with Me? (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָשָׁע וּמַה אִית לָךְ גַּבָּאי). You seek to join with My children? Behold, your gift is prepared for the dogs (אַתְּ בָּעֵי לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בְּבְנַי הֲרֵי דּוֹרוֹנָךְ זַמִּין לְכַלְבֵּי). Come and see what is written: “And Elohim happened upon Bil‘am” (תָּא חֲזֵי מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם). And Rabbi Shim‘on said: It is a term of accident and defilement (וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לָשׁוֹן קֶרִי וְטוּמְאָה). Your gift was delivered to these, and it shall not enter before Me (דּוֹרוֹנָךְ לְאִלֵּין אִתְמְסַר וְלָא יֵיעוּל קַמָּאי).

Rabbi Abba said: “Vayikar—happened”—as it is said: “Who can stand before His cold?” (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא וַיִּקָּר כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר לִפְנֵי קָרָתוֹ מִי יַעֲמוֹד) (Psalms 147). He thought that with that gift he could prevail against Yisrael (הוּא הֲוָה זַמִּין דִּבְהַהוּא דּוֹרוֹן יָכִיל בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). What is written? “And Elohim happened upon Bil‘am” (מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים). He chilled himself from that which he had reckoned (קָרִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ מִן דָּא דְּהֲוָה חָשִׁיב). “And Elohim happened upon Bil‘am,” as it is said: that it was aroused upon him from the side of defilement (וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר דְּאִתְעַר עָלֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבוּתָא).