במדבר רבה כ׳Bamidbar Rabbah 20

Section 1א׳

וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר (במדבר כב, ב), זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים לב, ד): הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט, לֹא הִנִּיחַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא לוֹמַר שֶׁאַתָּה רִחַקְתָּנוּ, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֶעֱמִיד מְלָכִים וַחֲכָמִים וּנְבִיאִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּךְ הֶעֱמִיד לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים. הֶעֱמִיד שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ, וְכֵן עָשָׂה לִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, זֶה בָּנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְאָמַר כַּמָּה רְנָנוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים, וְזֶה הֶחֱרִיבוֹ וְחֵרֵף וְגִדֵּף, וְאָמַר (ישעיה יד, יד): אֶעֱלֶה עַל בָּמֳתֵי עָב. נָתַן לְדָוִד עשֶׁר וְלָקַח הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמוֹ, וְנָתַן לְהָמָן עשֶׁר וְלָקַח אֻמָּה שְׁלֵמָה לְטָבְחָהּ. כָּל גְּדֻלָּה שֶׁנָּטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתְּ מוֹצֵא שֶׁנָּטְלוּ הָאֻמּוֹת כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ, הֶעֱמִיד משֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבִלְעָם לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים. רְאֵה מַה בֵּין נְבִיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִנְבִיאֵי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, נְבִיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַזְהִירִין אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לג, ז): וְאַתָּה בֶן אָדָם צֹפֶה נְתַתִּיךָ וגו', וְנָבִיא שֶׁעָמַד מִן הַגּוֹיִם הֶעֱמִיד פִּרְצָה לְאַבֵּד אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל הַנְּבִיאִים הָיוּ בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁכֵּן יִרְמְיָה אוֹמֵר (ירמיה מח, לו): לִבִּי לְמוֹאָב כַּחֲלִלִים יֶהֱמֶה, וְכֵן יְחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל כז, ב): בֶן אָדָם שָׂא עַל צֹר קִינָה, וְזֶה אַכְזָרִי עָמַד לַעֲקֹר אֻמָּה שְׁלֵמָה חִנָּם עַל לֹא דָּבָר. לְכָךְ נִכְתְּבָה פָּרָשַׁת בִּלְעָם לְהוֹדִיעַ לָמָּה סִלֵּק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מֵעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁזֶּה עָמַד מֵהֶם וּרְאֵה מֶה עָשָׂה.

“Balak son of Tzipor saw all that Israel had done to the Emorites” (Numbers 22:2). “Balak son of Tzipor saw” – this is what the verse said: “The Rock, His actions are perfect, as all His ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4). The Holy One blessed be He did not leave the nations of the world recourse in the future to say: ‘You distanced us.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? Just as He established kings, sages, and prophets for Israel, so He established for the idolaters. He established Solomon king over Israel and over all the earth, the same He did for Nebuchadnezzar. This one built a Temple and recited several songs and paeans; that one destroyed it, cursed, blasphemed, and said: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, [I will be comparable to the Most High]” (Isaiah 14:14). He gave David wealth and he purchased a Temple to His name, and he gave wealth to Haman and he purchased an entire nation, to slaughter it. Every prominence that Israel took, you find that the nations took a corresponding prominence. He established Moses for Israel and Bilam for the idolaters. Look at what distinguishes between the prophets of Israel and prophets of idolaters: The prophets of Israel cautioned Israel to refrain from transgressions, as it is stated: “You, Son of man, I have appointed you as a sentinel [for the house of Israel. You shall hear a matter from My mouth and you shall warn them from Me]” (Ezekiel 33:7). But a prophet that stood from the gentiles established a breach in order to eliminate people from the world. Moreover, all the [Jewish] prophets were with the attribute of mercy toward Israel and toward the idolaters, as Jeremiah says: “Therefore, my heart will sigh like flutes for Moav” (Jeremiah 48:36). And likewise Ezekiel: “You, son of man, raise a lament for Tyre” (Ezekiel 27:2). But that one [Bilam] was cruel; he stood to uproot an entire nation gratuitously. That is why the portion of Bilam was written; to inform why the Holy One blessed be He removed the Divine Spirit from the idolaters, as this one stood from them, and look at what he did.

Section 2ב׳

וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר, מָה רָאָה, רָאָה בַּפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁעֲתִידָה לָבוֹא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּל שׂוֹנְאָיו, שֶׁכֻּלָּם הָיוּ בָּאִים בְּמִלְחָמוֹת וּבְשִׁעְבּוּד שֶׁהֵן יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶן, וְזֶה כְּאָדָם שֶׁמּוֹצִיא דָּבָר וְעוֹקֵר אֻמָּה שְׁלֵמָה. וַיַּרְא בָּלָק, נוֹחַ לָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סוּמִין, שֶׁעֵינֵיהֶם מְבִיאִין רָעָה לָעוֹלָם, בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל כְּתִיב (בראשית ו, ב): וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, וּכְתִיב (בראשית ט, כב): וַיַּרְא חָם אֲבִי כְנַעַן, וּכְתִיב (בראשית יב, טו): וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, וְכָאן וַיַּרְא בָּלָק. וַיַּרְא בָּלָק מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהוֹשִׁיב שׁוֹמְרִים לְשָׁמְרוֹ מִן הַגַּיִּס, וְהָיָה בָּטוּחַ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהָיוּ גִּבּוֹרִים, עָבַר הַגַּיִּס וַהֲרָגָן, וְהָיָה מְרַתֵּת עַל עַצְמוֹ. וְכֵן בָּלָק רָאָה מֶה עָשׂוּ בְּסִיחוֹן וְעוֹג שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶן שָׂכָר לְשָׁמְרוֹ, וְנִתְיָרֵא מֵעַצְמוֹ. וְעוֹד שֶׁרָאָה נִסִּים שֶׁל נַחֲלֵי אַרְנוֹן.

“Balak son of Tzipor saw” – what did he see? He saw the calamity that is destined to befall Israel from all its enemies, as all of them would come with wars and enslavement that they were able to endure. But this [one] is like a person who expresses a matter and uproots an entire nation. “Balak saw” – it is preferable for the wicked to be blind, as their eyes bring evil to the world. Regarding the generation of the Flood, it is written: “The sons of the great saw” (Genesis 6:2) and it is written: “Ḥam father of Canaan saw” (Genesis 9:22). And it is written: “Pharaoh’s officials saw her” (Genesis 12:15), and likewise all of them. And here, “Balak saw.” “Balak saw” – this is analogous to a king who deployed guards to protect him from an enemy army. He was certain in their regard that they were mighty. The enemy army passed and killed them, and he was full of trepidation in his regard. Likewise, Balak saw what they did to Siḥon and Og, to whom he was paying a wage to protect him, and he was fearful in his regard. Furthermore, he saw the miracles in the Arnon ravine.

Section 3ג׳

כְּתִיב (במדבר כב, ג): וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב, מַהוּ וַיָּגָר כְּשֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִרְאִין לָעַמּוֹנִים נִרְאִין עֲטוּפִים לְשָׁלוֹם, וְלַמּוֹאָבִים נִרְאִין מְזֻיָּנִין לְמִלְחָמָה, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (דברים ב, יט): וְקָרַבְתָּ מוּל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אַל תְּצֻרֵם, כָּל מִין צָרָה אַל תָּצַר לָהֶם, (דברים ב, יט): וְאַל תִּתְגָר בָּם, כָּל מִין גֵּרוּי. וּלְמוֹאָב אָמַר (דברים ב, ט): אַל תָּצַר וְאַל תִּתְגָּר בָּם מִלְחָמָה, מִלְחָמָה אִי אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה יָכוֹל לַחְטֹף מֵהֶן חֲטֹף. וּלְכָךְ נִרְאִין מְזֻיָּנִין לְמוֹאָב וְהֵן נֶאֱגָרִין לְעָרֵיהֶם, שֶׁאֵין וַיָּגָר אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן אֲסִיפָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי י, ה): אֹגֵר בַּקַּיִץ בֵּן מַשְׂכִּיל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיָּגָר, לְשׁוֹן גֵּר, שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹאִין לְעַצְמָן גֵּרִים בָּעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ יָרְדוּ לְמִצְרַיִם לָגוּר וְאָחֲזוּ אוֹתָהּ, וּמַשְׂכִּירִין הָיוּ לָהֶם בָּתִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, כב): וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיָּגָר, לְשׁוֹן יִרְאָה, שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְיָרְאִין, שֶׁרָאוּ כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁבָּא סִיחוֹן וְנָטַל אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב, (במדבר כא, כו): וְהוּא נִלְחַם בְּמֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְעוֹג נָטַל כָּל אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ג, יא): כִּי רַק עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן וגו', בָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטָלוּהָ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ עוֹלָה. וְהָיוּ אֵלּוּ רוֹאִין אֶת אַרְצָם בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לֹא אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (דברים ב, ט): כִּי לֹא אֶתֵּן לְךָ מֵאַרְצוֹ יְרֻשָּׁה, הֲרֵי אַרְצֵנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם, לְכָךְ הָיוּ מִתְיָרְאִין. (במדבר כב, ג): וַיָּקָץ מוֹאָב, שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹאִין אֶת עַצְמָן כְּקוֹצִין בִּפְנֵיהֶם.

“Moav was very alarmed by the nation because they were numerous, and Moav was dreaded by the children of Israel” (Numbers 22:3). “Moav was…alarmed [vayagor]” – what is vayagor? When Israel appeared to the Amonites, they appeared garbed for peace, but to the Moavites, they appeared armed for war, as it is written: “You will approach opposite the children of Amon; do not besiege them [tetzurem] [and do not provoke [titgar] them]” (Deuteronomy 2:19). “Do not tetzurem” – do not cause them [tatzar] any kind of trouble [tzara]; “and do not titgar them” – any kind of provocation [girui]. But regarding Moav, He said: “Do not besiege Moav, and do not provoke war with them” (Deuteronomy 2:9). War you may not wage, but whatever you can seize from them, seize. That is why they appeared armed to Moav, so they [the Moavites] gathered in their cities, as vayagor is nothing other than an expression of gathering, as it is stated: “One who gathers [oger] during the summer is a wise son” (Proverbs 10:5). Another matter, vayagor is an expression meaning stranger [ger]; they considered themselves strangers in the world. They said: ‘They descended to Egypt to sojourn there, but they seized it and would rent houses to them, as it is stated: “Each woman will borrow…from her neighbor and from the resident of her house”’ (Exodus 3:22). Another matter, vayagor, an expression of fear, as they were afraid because they saw all the nations in the possession of Israel, as Siḥon came and took the land of Moav: “And he battled against the first king of Moav, [and took all his land from his possession]” (Numbers 21:26), and Og took all the land of the children of Amon, as it is stated: “As only Og, king of the Bashan [was left…in Raba of the children of Amon]” (Deuteronomy 3:11). Israel came and took it from both of them, and there is no injustice. These would see their land in Israel’s possession and would say: ‘Did the Holy One blessed be He not say to them: “As I will not give you of its land as an inheritance”? (Deuteronomy 2:9). But our land is before them.’ That is why they were afraid. “Moav was dreaded [vayakotz]” – they saw themselves as thorns [kotzim] before them.