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.
Rav Moshe Feinstein in Darash Moshe says that there is no contradiction here. When Bilam saw the beautifully set up homes, he believed that the homes are so wonderful that we do not need Yeshivos. The upbringing we receive at home is sufficient. While that is true says Rav Moshe, it is still only half the equation. The other side of Chinuch must come from the Yeshiva, the Rebbe’im, and good friends.
This bracha of Mah Tovu would have ultimately proven to be a curse. Therefore Hashem turned around the “curse” by having Bilam give a bracha that no matter how wonderful our home are, the Yeshivos and Shuls should always exist for a complete chinuch.
