The gemarra (Brachos 7a) writes that Bilam knew the exact minute fraction of a second that HaShem gets angry each day. It was at this point that Bilam would utter his curse, which would normally thus ‘work’ to pour damage upon the subject of his curse. However, when it came to cursing Klal Yisrael, HaShem performed a special kindness for us and closed up this window of anger. Tosafos on the above gemarra asks the question; what on earth could Bilam have said in a fraction of a second? Tosafos gives two answers. Either Bilam could have simply said kal’em (destroy them), or alternatively, once Bilam began his curse within that fraction of a second then anything he said subsequently would also be effective.
The first time that Bilam attempts to curse Bnei Yisrael and instead blesses them, he asks ‘may my soul die the death of righteous (yesharim) people’ (23:10). As the Sforno explains, Bilam was asking to die a death which would allow him to receive reward in the Next World. It seems that Bilam was asking to die making a Kiddush HaShem (sanctification of God’s Name), which carries with it much reward. As the mashgichim point out, Bilam was asking that he should die a Kiddush HaShem, but he was picking the easy way out. For it is much harder to live a life of Kiddush HaShem than to die a death of Kiddush HaShem. To make sure that one’s goals and actions in the world are constantly in keeping with sanctifying HaShem’s Name is really something to aim for.
Parashas Balak – Escape Routes :
Majority of this week's sedra concentrates on the evil plot of Balak (and his perverted sidekick Bilaam), who was the temporary leader of Moav... well what remained of it following the battles which were described at the end of last week's sedra. Rashi informs us that Balak was not even a Moavite himself and was a foreign noble who was appointed by the Moavites to lead them against the Jewish nation as they sat fearfully awaiting their attack. Ramban comments that the Torah does not mention Balak's title here as king and merely refers to him as “Balak son of Zippor...” [22:2] which teaches us that Balak was not a king at first, but the Moavites elevated his status because they “became very frightened of the people, because it was numerous, and Moav was disgusted in the face of the Children of Israel” [22:3]. So why Balak?
How Beautiful Are Your Tents Yakov! :
The military general was under pressure he needed to attack soon. When would be the best time to attack? It must be when their defences are down. A time when their Big Brother is not watching.
This Kavyachol was the intention of Bilam Harasha. He knew the exact time in the day that G-d focuses His anger on the world, and he wished to funnel that anger towards Am Yisrael.
He waited for the opportune time, but he also needed to make sure that Hashem was not around. Of course, this is impossible, but if only he could find a way that the Shechina – Hashem’s presence, was not felt amongst Am Yisrael, then Bilam's curses would hit the target.
To his detriment and our merit
Parshas Balak; Behind our Backs :
The basic outline of the main part of our sedra is that Balak hires a prophet/ professional ‘curser’ called Bilam, to curse the Bnei Yisrael. However, after several failed attempts at cursing, Bnei Yisrael are blessed by Bilam, and the danger is averted. Indeed, there was a real danger involved had Bilam been successful; the gemarra reveals that Bilam knew the certain moment in the day when HaShem ‘is angry’ and accepts curses, and to prevent Bilam being successful, HaShem closed this window of opportunity.[1] Moreover, Bilam’s wisdom in orchestrating death amongst Klal Yisrael is evident in the latter part of our sedra; his arranging for the Bnei Yisrael to sin with the Bnos Midyan.[2] What stuck me in recent years is the following observation, which gave me an added appreciation of this entire event.
If one thinks about the events objectively, there should be no natural way for Bnei Yisrael to have known of Bilam’s attempted curses. How would they? There were two people on faraway mountains gazing at the Bnei Yisrael and trying to utter curses. In fact, the Chassam Sofer
Shteit the posuk: "Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov"
Regarding this Posuk, Two gemaros offer contradictory explanations about what the brocha refers to. The gemara in Bava Basra (60a) says that this refers to the wonderful homes of Bnei Yisroel whose doors do not directly face each other and are the epitome of Tznius, modesty and refinement, which Bilam saw and marveled at.
Another Gemora in Sanhedrin (105b) implies that this bracha is referring to the Yeshivos and Batei Knesses that will never cease to exist. The gemara says that we see from Bilam's bracha what his intentions were. In this case he wanted to curse us that there should be no Yeshivos and Shuls
The Psukim state that Bilam's Donkey went off track three times. The Daas Zekeinim says that Rashi says that these ventures were a Siman of the Avos, and he explains these enigmatic words as follows.
The first time when the Malach blocked the donkey's path it veered off to the "Sadeh" a field. This represents Avrohom who besides for Yitzchok, he had two other sets of children, Yishmael and the Bnei Ketura. The message to Bilam was, if you want to curse Avrohom's children then go to the right or left to either of these other children, but do not stay on the middle road, which represents Yitzchok.
