Daf 210b (דַּף ר״י ע״ב)

Rabbi El‘azar said: “Vayikar—happened”—Bil‘am thought that through that gift he could harm Yisrael (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וַיִּקָּר בִּלְעָם חָשִׁיב דִּבְהַהוּא דּוֹרוֹן יֵיעוּל לְאַבְאָשָׁא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), but Kudsha Berikh Hu uprooted that gift from before Him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַעְקָר לֵיהּ מִקַּמֵּיהּ לְהַהוּא דּוֹרוֹן). And He uprooted Bil‘am from what he had reckoned (וְאַעְקַר לֵיהּ לְבִלְעָם מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה חָשִׁיב). And He uprooted him, Some say: from that level (וְאַעְקַר ס״א לֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא). This is what is written: “Vayikar” (לְהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּקָּר), as it is said: “The ravens of the valley shall pick it out” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר יִקְּרוּהָ עוֹרְבֵי נַחַל) (Proverbs 36). He said to him: Wicked one, you are not worthy to be bound with Me or to enter before Me (אָמַר לֵיהּ רָשָׁע לֵית אַנְּתְּ כְּדַאי לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בַּהֲדָאי וּלְמֵיעַל קַמָּאי). Your gift has been delivered to the dogs (דּוֹרוֹנָךְ לְכַלְבֵּי אִתְמְסַר).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: Come and see—this wicked one was the dross of all (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן תָּא חֲזֵי הַאי רָשָׁע גַּעֲלָא דְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה). For nowhere in this whole section do you find “And Hashem said to Bil‘am” or “And Hashem spoke” (דְּלָא תִּשְׁכַּח בְּכָל פָּרַשְׁתָּא דָּא וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל בִּלְעָם אוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). What is written? “And Hashem put a word in the mouth of Bil‘am” (מַה כְּתִיב וַיָּשֶׂם יְיָ דָּבָר בְּפִי בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 23). Like one who places a bit in the mouth of a donkey so that it cannot turn here or there, so too: “And Hashem put a word in his mouth” (כְּמַאן דְּשַׁוִּי חִסְמָא בְּפוּם חֲמָרָא דְּלָא יִסְטֵי הָכָא אוֹ הָכָא כַּךְ וַיָּשֶׂם יְיָ דָּבָר בְּפִי וְגוֹ׳).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: Wicked one, you think that through you blessing will come to My children, or the opposite? (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָשָׁע אַתְּ חָשִׁיב דְּעַל יְדָךְ יְהֵא וְיִתְקַיֵּים בְּרָכָה בְּבָנַי אוֹ אִפְּכָא). They have no need of you, as they say to the hornet and so forth (לָא צְרִיכִין אִינּוּן לָךְ כְּמָה דְּאַמְרִין לַצִּרְעָה וְכוּ׳). Rather, you shall return to Balak, and when you open your mouth, it shall not be in your control (אֶלָּא אַתְּ שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק וְכַד תִּפְתַּח פּוּמָךְ לָא יְהֵא בִּרְשׁוּתָךְ). And the speech will not depend upon your mouth, but “Thus shall you speak” (וְלָא בְּפוּמָךְ תַּלְיָיא מִלּוּלָא אֶלָּא וְכֹה תְּדַבֵּר). Behold “Thus” (כֹּה), which is destined for blessing them (הֲרֵי כֹּה דִּזְמִינָא לְבָרְכָא לוֹן). “Thus” shall you utter blessing upon My children, for when you open your mouth, it shall utter words that shall stand upon My children, for I will not leave the words to you (כֹּה תְּמַלֵּל בְּרָכָה דִּבְנַי דְּכַד תִּפְתַּח פּוּמָךְ הִיא תְּמַלֵּל מִלִּין לְאִתְקַיְּימָא עַל בְּנַי דְּלָא אֶשְׁבּוֹק מִלִּין לָךְ).

Come and see that so it is (תָּא חֲזֵי דְּכַךְ הוּא). Once he came to Balak, and Balak heard all those words, he thought that they came from the mouth of Bil‘am (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא לְבָלָק וּבָלָק שָׁמַע כָּל אִינּוּן מִלִּין הֲוָה חָשִׁיב דְּהָא מִפּוּמֵיהּ דְּבִלְעָם נָפְקִין). He said: “To curse my enemies I have brought you” (אָמַר לָקוֹב אוֹיְבַי לְקַחְתִּיךָ). Bil‘am said: Take these sorceries into your hands, to hold back here this “Thus.” And if you are able to hold it back, (Some say: to uproot it) (אָמַר בִּלְעָם סַב אִלֵּין חַרְשִׁין בִּידָךְ בְּגִין לְאַעְכָּבָא הָכָא לְהַאי כֹּה וְאִי אַתְּ תֵּיכוּל לְאַעְכְּבָא (ס״א לְאַעְקְרָא) לָהּ בְּהַאי חַרְשִׁין), then I shall uproot it from those words that it speaks (אֲנָא אַעְקָר לָהּ מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּהִיא אָמְרָה). What is written: “Stand thus by your burnt-offering” (מַה כְּתִיב הִתְיַצֵּב כֹּה עַל עוֹלָתֶךָ), with this, and with these sorceries, restrain it (בְּהַאי וּבְאִלֵּין חַרְשִׁין תְּעַכֵּב לָהּ), and I will be called “Thus,” meaning, I will uproot it from these words (וְאָנֹכִי אִקָּרֶה כֹּ״ה כְּלוֹמַר אַעְקָר לָהּ מֵאִלֵּין מִלִּין). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: Wicked one, I shall uproot you (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָשָׁע אֲנָא אַעְקָר לָךְ). What is written afterwards: “And Elohim happened upon Bil‘am” (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם). And that word lifted its voice in the speech of “Thus” (וְהַהוּא דָּבָר אָרִים קָלָא בְּמִלוּלֵי דְּכֹ״ה). “And He said: Return to Balak and thus shall you speak” (וַיֹּאמֶר שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק וְכֹה תְּדַבֵּר), “Thus shall you speak” indeed (כֹּ״ה תְּדַבֵּר וַדַּאי).

Come and see: At first it is not written “Stand thus by your burnt-offering,” but “Stand by your burnt-offering, and I will go; perhaps Hashem will happen to come toward me” (תָּא חֲזֵי בְּקַדְמִיתָא לָא כְּתִיב הִתְיַצֵּב כֹּה עַל עוֹלָתֶךָ אֶלָּא הִתְיַצֵּב עַל עוֹלָתֶךָ וְאֵלְכָה אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה יְיָ לִקְרָאתִי). Once he saw that “Thus” brought blessings, then he said: “Stand thus by your burnt-offering, and I will be called Thus” (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּכֹ״ה אָמַר אִינּוּן בִּרְכָאן כְּדֵין אָמַר הִתְיַצֵּב כֹּ״ה עַל עוֹלָתֶךָ וְאָנֹכִי אִקָּרֶה כֹּ״ה).

“Come curse me Ya'akov” (לְכָה אָרָה לִּי יַעֲקֹב), meaning to uproot (כְּלוֹמַר לְקוֹט). Rabbi Yose said: Cast them down from that level on which they stand, as it is said: “I will shoot to the side” (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר אַשְׁדֵּי לוֹן מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּאִינּוּן קַיְימֵי כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר צִדָּהּ אוֹרֶה) (I Samuel 20). He said: If you are able to cast them down, Some say: from that level (אָמַר אִי תֵּיכוּל לְמִשְׁדֵּי ס״א לוֹן מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא) to that level of theirs, then behold all would be uprooted from the world (לְהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דִּלְהוֹן הָא כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְעֲקָרוּ מֵעָלְמָא). “And come curse Yisrael” (וּלְכָה זוֹעֲמָה יִשְׂרָאֵל), Yisrael above, in whom wrath is found before Him (יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח רוּגְזָא קַמֵּיהּ), as it is said: “And God is angry every day” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם) (Psalms 7). “For from the top of the rocks I see him…” (כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 23). Rabbi Yitzchak said: “From the top of the rocks”—these are the Patriarchs (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים אִלֵּין אִינּוּן אֲבָהָתָא), as it is written: “Look to the rock from which you were hewn” (דִּכְתִיב הַבִּיטוּ אֶל צוּר חוּצַּבְתֶּם) (Isaiah 51). “And from the hills I behold him”—these are the Matriarchs (וּמִגְּבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרֶנוּ אִלֵּין אִמָּהָן). From this side and from that side, they cannot be cursed (בֵּין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא וּבֵין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא לָא יַכְלִין לְאִתְלַטְּיָיא).

Rabbi Abba said: “For from the top of the rocks”—who can prevail over Yisrael? (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים מַאן יָכִיל לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). For he holds from the Head from which all the rocks go forth (דְּהָא הוּא אָחִיד מֵרֵישָׁא דְּכָל צוּרִים נָפְקִין) (Exodus 64). And who are the rocks? The powers of Gevurah (וּמַאן אִינּוּן צוּרִים גְּבוּרָן). For all the judgments of the world go forth from those Gevurot, and they are unified in them (דְּהָא כָּל דִּינִין דְּעָלְמָא מֵאִינּוּן גְּבוּרָן נָפְקֵי וְאִינּוּן אִתְאַחֲדָן בְּהוּ). “And from the hills I behold him”—these are the rest of the camps, Some say: the crowns, that are unified in them (וּמִגְּבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרֶנוּ אִלֵּין שְׁאַר מַשִׁרְיָין ס״א כְּתָרִין דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן בְּהוּ). “Behold, a people that dwells alone…” (הֶן עָם לְבָדָד וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 23), as it is said: “Hashem alone shall lead him” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר ה׳ בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ) (Deuteronomy 32).

“Who has counted the dust of Ya'akov…” (מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳), this has already been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But Rabbi Yose said: there are two levels, Ya'akov and Yisrael (אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל). At first, Ya'akov, and afterwards, Yisrael (בְּקַדְמִיתָא יַעֲקֹב וּלְבָתַר יִשְׂרָאֵל). And even though they are one, they are two levels, for the supernal level is Yisrael (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא חַד תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן דְּהָא דַּרְגָא עִלָּאָה יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא).

“Who has counted the dust of Ya'akov…” (מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳). Below, what is dust? (לְתַתָּא מַאן הוּא עָפָר). Rabbi Shim‘on said: this is what is written: “He gave his sword as dust…” (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר הַאי דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ יִתֵּן כֶּעָפָר חַרְבּוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 41). And what is his sword? It is known, as it is written: “The sword of Hashem is filled with blood” (מַאן חַרְבּוֹ הָא יְדִיעָא דִּכְתִיב חֶרֶב לַיְיָ מָלְאָה דָם) (Isaiah 34). Dust is the place from which Adam HaRishon was created (עָפָר הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִתְבְּרֵי מִנֵּיהּ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), as it is written: “And Hashem Elohim formed the man of dust…” (דִּכְתִיב וַיִּיצֶר יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר וְגוֹ׳) (Bereshit 2). And from that dust how many hosts and how many camps came forth (וּמֵהַהוּא עָפָר כַּמָּה חַיָּילִין וְכַמָּה מַשִׁרְיָין נָפְקוּ), how many legions, how many ranks of warriors, how many arrows, how many catapults, how many spears and swords and weapons were found from that dust (כַּמָּה טַפְסִין כַּמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי נִמוּסִין כַּמָּה גִּירִין כַּמָּה בַּלִיסְטְרָאוֹת כַּמָּה רוּמְחִין וְסַיְיפִין וְזַיְינִין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מֵהַהוּא עָפָר). “Who has counted”—as it is said: “Is there any number to His hosts?” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו) (Job 25).

“And the number of the fourth of Yisrael” (וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רוֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל). “The fourth of Yisrael” is the letter Heh, and it is one word (רוֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא הֵ״א וְחַד מִלָּה הִיא). “The fourth of Yisrael,” as it is said: “Crouching under its burden” (רוֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר רוֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ) (Exodus 23). “The fourth”—this is what is written: “The bed of Shlomo” (רְבִיעַ הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה) (Song of Songs 3). Another matter: “the fourth” means like a fourth part of Yisrael below (דָּבָר אַחֵר רֹבַע כְּמוֹ רְבִיעִית מִיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא). “The fourth” is so called according to the crowns, meaning David, who is the fourth leg of the Throne (רוֹבַע אִתְקְרֵי לְפוּם כִּתְרִין מַשְׁמַע דָּוִד דְּאִיהוּ רַגְלָא רְבִיעָאָה דְּכוּרְסְיָיא).