Assalam everyone and welcome to our study of Parashad Balak. In this parsha, we are going to read about one of the most famous biblical figures, Balak and Bilam. Balak was the king of Moab of Moab at that time where the Jewish people were journeying in the desert towards the land of Israel. And Bilam was the magician who was hired to curse the Jewish people by Balak. Balak was terrified. He was petrified that the Jewish people, Amisrael, the nation of Israel, is going to take over his land. And he also realized that the nation of Israel somehow are involved with miracles and that there is a God that protects them. So therefore, he decided he will try to use in an unconventional way to try to defeat the nation of Israel. So he hired Bilam the magician to try to curse the Jewish people. He sends messengers to Bilam asking him to come. At the beginning, God told him you cannot go with them, and Bilam conveyed the message. Second time around, Balak sends another delegation, promised Bilam plenty of gold and silver and money, and then God says to Bilam, You can go, but you will need to follow my directions. I am going in a way to instill words in your mouth, and you shall speak exactly what I told you. So Bilam got permission from God to go, and he goes. However, we all know the story. On the way, when Bilam is on his way to meet Balak, an angel comes in the middle of the way three times and tried to kill Bilam. And the question that we're going to ask is the following. A, why is it that God was so upset with Bilam going to curse the Jewish people after he himself, God himself, gave him permission? And the second question that we would ask and we will try to address will be: why is it that Bilam, whenever we mention his name and whenever we talk about Bilam, we talk about him with such disgrace and with such a demeaning way. He was a prophet, not like Moses, but he was a prophet. God talked to him. Why do we view him in such a negative way? So let's start with the question of the Barbanel, Rabitzhak Don Abarbanel, in the 15th century. And he says the following. He asks many questions, but the eighth question is, if he himself, if God himself gave permission to Bilam to go and to curse the Jewish people, and God told Bilam, Imli Krolecha Bawaanashim Kumlechitam, if they came to ask you to come with them, go with them. How come that after Bilam left and went with that delegation, with Balak's delegation, to go and to curse, God forbid, the nation of Israel? So the Abarbanel is asking a very good question. I'm perplexed, says the Abarbanel. On one hand, God says to Bilam, you can go. On the other hand, he sends an angel to try to stop him and almost to kill him, so he will not go and curse the Jewish people. So make a decision. If you gave him permission, let him go. If you don't want him to go, tell him don't go. So how do we explain such a perplexed condition? So in Bamidbao, in our Pasha, the Torah says the following Balak says to Bilam, Ve attah na ara liaze kiatsuum humimeni, please Bilam, come here and curse this nation for me, because they are too mighty for me. Ulay Uchan nakebo va agarz. Kia datati tashteva rech mevorach ve ashelta o you are. Balak sends a message to Bilam. He says, I would like you to come and to curse the Jewish people because I know whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse, you curse, is being cursed. And therefore, I'm asking you, I'm hiring you to curse the Jewish people. Bilam, after he received the permission that God gave him permission to go, take a look at this verse. Bilam woke up, rose up early in the morning, he himself prepared his own donkey. This verse reminds us another verse from a different book, from Sefer Bereshit, from the book of Genesis. If you remember, in the book of Genesis, we have one of the most famous stories in the Torah, the Parasha of the Akeda, the binding of Isaac. When God told Avram, Take your son, your only son, your beloved son, and take him with you and brought him as an elevation offering. It says the following. Rashi, in the 11th century in France, immediately picked on it. And he says the following. Says Rashi. He was thrilled that he can go and curse the Jewish people. He couldn't wait. He woke up early in the morning, didn't wait for his servants to prepare this donkey. He himself prepared his donkey so he can go and quickly meet Balak and curse the Jewish people. That's called dedication, but obviously for a very negative cause. Says Rashi, Amarak Adosh Baruch. Hashem says to Bilam, you are wicked. You think that your dedication and commitment to your mission will change my mind and I will allow you to curse the Jewish people? No. Avram Kvar Kadamach, their father, this nation of Israel's father, Avraham, our patriarch, he himself already did it. You think that by rising up and waking up early in the morning, you think that you show commitment and love to me? No, no. Avram already did it. What's the point here? The point here is that we see that even though when we start answering the Abarbanel's question, how come that God was upset with Bilam? Look at Bilam. Bilam is anxious, he is thrilled, he can go and curse the Jewish people, thinking that God would allow him to really curse the Jewish people. There is one way that you can go because you got the permission, you're not that excited. But Bilam is excited. He wants to confront Am Israel, the nation of Israel, and to show that they have no uniqueness. Says God, no, you are wrong, according to Rashi. Avram already established, he already founded one of the greatest merits for the Jewish people, the Aqedah, the binding of Isaac. And he did it despite the difficulties and the challenges of the binding of Isaac, he rose early in the morning to fulfill my will. So the nation of Israel is already protected. And then Rashi says, Im Saremoav, Bilam went with the Moabite delegation, Libokeli Bam Shave. This is a very short Rashi, but with tremendous insight. I can understand, says Rashi, that Balak, the king of Moab, the nation of Moab, and the Moabite nation are terrified. But Bilam had nothing to do with that. Bilam dwelled in a different place. He had nothing to do with the nation of Israel. He had nothing to do with the Moabite nation. But his heart was exactly filled with hate like the Moabites. This is pure anti-Semitism. Pure evil. Bilam has nothing to do with the nation of Israel, but when he is called to curse them, to try to look at them in a very negative way, he and the Moabite nation are the same. Even though Bilam has nothing to do with the nation of Israel. So if we ask why God is upset with Bilam, Bilam really showed his true colors. Blimam is not interested only in money, silver, gold, and self-glorification and praise. He is interested in the annihilation of the nation of Israel. Rapshim Raphael Hirsch in Germany gives a different insight into Bilam's thought process. And he says the following. After that night vision that Bilam had talking to God, in the morning he rose up and he doesn't say anything to this delegation that came to escort him to see Balak, to see the king of Moab. They think that God gave him full permission to do whatever he wants. So basically, he misled them. They think that Bilam is coming and they are going to want to now see the victory over the nation of Israel because Bilam is with them. But Bilam did not share with them that he is not an independent person. He is a person that basically owes everything to God and he will do whatever God tells him to do. Which means Bilam thought that his prophecy and that his ability to curse or to bless is only because of himself. In a way, he put God aside and says, Okay, God told me that I will do whatever he says. Okay, I heard you. Now I'm going to do whatever I want. This is the arrogance of Bilam. Bilam is so pompous, Pilam is so arrogant, he thinks he controls everything he does without understanding that it's really God who controls him. On one hand, he is Semite prophet, he communicates with God, but he thinks he can convey, convince God to change his mind. He thinks that he can deviate from God's words. He thinks that he can in a way break away from God and do whatever he would wish to do. And this is where our sages were so disappointed from Bilam. Because if we digress for a second, let's just try to understand everything that we read. Bilam is a prophet. God talks to him. So when we think about when we think about prophets, we think about righteous, pious people. People who can walk on their attributes, they purify themselves, they basically become really righteous people. So our expectations from them are very high. And then you have Bilam, who reached that level of prophecy. But at the same time, he thinks that he can manipulate God for his own benefits, which is so much of an idol worshipper perspective. I can dictate to God whatever I want instead of God dictating to me what I should do. That's where Bila makes a tremendous mistake. Unlike any other prophet who does exactly what God told him to do. Moshe Rabinu, when he sees that the nation of Israel, God forbid, are going to be punished, he goes to Hashem and he tried to convince him to change his mind, but he doesn't try to do it on his own. He goes straight to God and he says, God, please don't punish them because the other nations will say bad things about you. It will be the desecration of the name of God, or you promise to the forefathers. But he never tries to manipulate God. Bilam thinks that he can manipulate God. And this is something that obviously is unacceptable. The Barbanel, who asked the first question that we asked, how come that God is upset with Bilam? If he gave him permission to go, says the following. After the first time, the first delegation that came to Balak, that came to Bilam to ask him to go to Balak, Hashem says to Bilam the first time, not the second time. The second time he gave him permission to go, but he needs to do exactly what God told him. The first time God told him, you cannot go. Which means this nation is blessed. Therefore, you can't curse them. When Bilam conveyed the message to the first delegation, he just said what? Which means what? He didn't tell them that God says, My curse will not help because this nation is blessed. He just told them, I can go with you. Which seems so, which sounds like what? With you I can go, but I can go with someone else. Which means again, what Bilaam did not convey was what? The truth. The truth is that the nation of Israel is blessed. And therefore, and why they are blessed? Because it already started with Avraham. When Avraham started his journey, God told Avraham, I will bless the people who bless you, and I will curse the people who curse you, and all the nation of the world will be blessed by you. Avraham was blessed, Itzak was blessed, Jacob was blessed, Am Israel, the nation of Israel, is blessed, and therefore you can curse them. What Bilaam failed to do is to convey the uniqueness of the nation of Israel to Balak. Just imagine. If Balaam would tell Balak, look, I can't curse them, they are blessed. Maybe you should find a way to be in peace with them somehow. Maybe the history will be a little different. But Bilam, who was so self-motivated and what all was all about self-glorification and praise, couldn't share that news with the first delegation, and therefore Balak sent another delegation. And when God saw that Bilam really wants to go, he said to himself, Hmm, I'm going to teach him a lesson. I'm going to tell him you can go with them, but you will do exactly what I ask you to do. You will say exactly what I will imbue in your mouth, knowing that Bilam is going to try to deviate again. So God is going to force Bilam to do exactly what God wants, and Bilam will be embarrassed, as we will see later on. The Barbanel continues on and he tries to understand how exactly that curse can really work, and how come that Bilam can say few words and God forbid something will happen to the nation of Israel. So let's see what the Barbanel has to say about it. He knew astrology. And based on different hours, he knew, based on this star or the other star, when is a bad time to pray and when is a good time to pray, and what to say in a very specific time to God forbid to bring evil from the upper worlds. Meaning in astrology, there are sometimes times that, for example, one of the stars, let's say Mars or others, have a little bit of a control over that hour. And Bilaam knew how to concentrate and to designate his prayer to the attribute of judgment that comes from a specific star and to try to apply it on the reality in front of him. And therefore, says a kdusha vi rushata bilam, kid she na beat varima atim, the colzeim, or vimet Israel, Vishnu Pifhe Bilam, Shabigizrat Irin Pitgama, Vebemarka Dishin Sheilta, She Israel Yir Shuaaretz, Veshe Hashem Yaatzum Yaferu Vazir Gesuvihalum Ipnehem. This is an incredible insight that the Barbanel shares with us. The Barbanel asks a hidden question, says, Why do we need the story of Bila? Why do we need it? To show that he was a false prophet, to show that he was a magician, to show that if God tells you to do something you need to do. This is all correct. However, the Barbanel adds a tremendous idea here. The Barbanel says like that. Says, you know why God chose Bilam? Because he wanted Bilam, who was not Jewish, to prophesize a few things. A Am Israel, the nation of Israel, is going to conquer the land of Israel. When it comes from someone who is not Jewish, but is being held as a in a status of a prophet, the other nations will believe him. Because he has no agenda. So if he says that the nation of Israel are about to conquer the land of Israel, the Canaanite nations, the people who now dwell in the land of Israel, will be terrified. It's coming. They are going back to their home that was promised to their forefathers. So that's goal number one. The second goal is that in Bilam's prophecy, Bilam prophesies for the future. He talks about the fact that the nation of Israel will come back from exiles, from the exile. He prophesies that Am Israel will have Mashiach, will have the Messiah to lead them to the full redemption. Basically, when it comes from someone who is not Jewish, it's a message for all the other nations. It's reinforcement for us, for sure, for the Jews, for Am Israel, but it's also for the other nations to know what lies in the future for the nation of Israel and for the entire world. And this is why Bilam was chosen. Everyone knew that Bilam is a magician and he knows the future. And therefore, when he says the nation of Israel is going to reach higher levels, and they're going to have Messiah and they're going to have the full redemption, everyone will take it to heart. So, in a way, the Abarbanel portrayed Bilam in a very interesting light. On one hand, we don't understand why we need him. On the other hand, it's essential for us to have a Bilam, not for us, for the other nations. That they would know the uniqueness of Amisrael of the nation of Israel. And they will know that the future that lies ahead for the nation of Israel will also influence the entire world. Because the nation of Israel is going to not only lead themselves but lead all of the nations together to a better future. And that's why Bilam was chosen. Because Bilam was known to be someone that whoever he's blessed, he's being blessed, and whoever he cursed is being cursed. Which means everyone at that time, in the ancient times, everyone, if you say Bilam, everyone would know who is Bilam. And I guess that Bilam had a track record. He blessed people and they were blessed. He cursed people and they were cursed. So now, if this is my view on Bilam, and I'm a Canaanite, I'm a Moabite, I'm an Ammonite, one of those nations that existed in the ancient times. If I hear that Bilam blessed the Jewish people, oh, I surely believe that the nation of Israel is blessed forever. That creates respect to the nation of Israel, but also fear. Fear that they are blessed and you cannot attack them. Balak himself, the king of Mo'av, when he sent a delegation to hire Bilam, he says to him, I know I'm the king of Moab, and all my nation knows that you are famous in blessing people and cursing people. Because now everyone knows for sure that the nation of Israel is unique and they are about to conquer the land of Israel and they are about to change the world. They are going to create a better future for the entire world. And if you want a proof to it, take a look what the Barbanel says. How did she know? How did she know? So she said also that we our hearts melted when we heard about the splitting of the sea, Kriyat Yamsuf. Okay, so they heard about that miracle. So they can be fearful of the Jewish people, but how did she know that they are about to conquer the land of Israel? says the Abarbanel. It's because of Bilam's prophecy. Meaning Bilam's prophecy that the Jewish people are going to conquer the land of Israel and that Amisrael is going to lead the entire world towards redemption, became a known prophecy. So Bilam, who wanted to deviate from God's will, he wanted to do things on his own, basically was a little pawn on the chessboard that God used in order to advance the nation of Israel. And to advance the entire world. According to Abarbanel, we fully understand the I would call it the complexity and the issue that we have with Bilam. Because on one hand, again, he's a prophet, on the other hand, he's a very vicious, evil person who really had no dog in the fight. He had nothing against the nation of Israel. But because he was filled with hate, filled with self-glorification and self-esteem to the extent that he was pompous, he basically was used as a tool to bless the Jewish people. In Joshua, sorry, in Perik of Bet in chapter 22, verse 8, the Torah states, this is the Pasuk from our Pasha that Balak sends messengers, emissaries to Bil Am ben Beor, and now pay attention to the word that describes his city's name, Petorah. Where is Petorah? It's a city that sits basically on the river. So Bilam came from where? From Ptorah, which wherever it was, that sits on the river. Okay, take a look at Joshua. In Joshua chapter 24, verse 2, it says, Joshua gathered the entire nation of Israel before he died, and he says, This is what God says. Avram himself, when he grew up, he was an idol worshiper until he what? Until he changed his path and created some kind of a monotheistic movement that believed in one God, that believed in kindness, that believed in judgment, that believed in justice, that believed in charity, that believe in good attributes. And then Vaiketa Vichhemeth Abraham Everanaa, and I took your father Avraham from that side of the river, and then I led him to where? To the land of Knan. Now, if you look again in the verse, in the fifth verse, chapter 22nd, 22 in Bamidbao, it says Asherala Nahar. And then in Joshua it says, okay, again, beveranhar. It seems to be that the Tanakh itself, that the Bible itself tried to bring Avraham and Bilam to be in the same area geographically and also perhaps in the same condition and scenarios. And what do I mean by that? Take a look at this midrash, Bereshit Rabbah. It's an ancient midrash around the 6th century in Erat Israel, in the land of Israel. If you remember with the binding of Isaac, Avram woke up early in the morning and he prepared his donkey. When someone loves someone, he can do things that are extraordinary. And also hate can push and stimulate and encourage people to do things that are extraordinary, negatively extraordinary. Early in the morning to take Isaac with him, he prepared his own danki. What Avram does not have servants to do it for him. Because Avram loved God so much and he wanted to fulfill God's mission and God's will. He woke up early in the morning, did everything by himself, and took Isaac with him. And hate also stimulate, encourage a person who is filled with hate to also do extraordinary things. How do we know that? Same thing from Bilam. Bilam woke up early in the morning and he himself prepared his donkey. What he couldn't ask his servants to do it? He could. He didn't want to because he felt that it will delay his arrival to Balak. And then, until now we remembered it from Rashi, but now Rabishimon Ben Yochai adds one more. And he says, When Jacob comes down to Egypt, when Yosef heard that his father is coming, he himself prepared his wagon, his chariot, and he goes in the chariot and he drives to see his father Jacob. He's so excited, he's so thrilled to see his father after 20 plus years, he's doing that by himself. He can't wait. That's again when you are motivated with love, with longings, so you do it by yourself. When Pharaoh realized that the Jewish people left Egypt, that's at the end of Parashat Bo, and then in Parashat Beshalach, he gets the troops by himself. He does not use any servants, any slaves, he is doing that by himself. Why? Because he's filled with hate, hate, and anger and wrath, and he wants to what? To chase the Jewish people. So what do we see from here? We see that Bilam and Pharaoh are on one hand. They are people filled with hate, with thinking that they can deviate from what God wants. They think that they can do whatever they want and hurt the Jewish people. On the other hand, you have Avraham who was filled with love and commitment to God. And Yosef, who had love and longings to his father, and they both do extraordinary things. So you can see how excitement, commitment can lead to love and doing God's will or deviation. Trying to mislead people to do things that are evil and vicious. He himself prepared his donkey for the journey. And with Bilam it says the same thing. Avraham's in his actions, in his love to God, basically created enough merit to protect the nation of Israel from Blam's action. Here you have the split. God talks to Avram. God talks to Bilam. Avram is doing an extraordinary thing. Blam is doing an extraordinary thing. But the split the gap is tremendous. Avram creates merit, good deeds. Bilam creates destruction and deviation. At the end, God changed it to something that is beneficial for Amisel. But Bilam himself is the terrible example for someone who can reach a very high spiritual level, communicating with God directly, and still try to control himself and his deeds, ignoring and being oblivious to God's will. Take a look how the midrash in a very cynical way describes Bilam. So Bilam says in such a pious way, look, if it's too bad in your eyes, I'll go back. Take a look at the midrash. Now you are just the angel. You tell me to go back. Basically says, you know what? He talks to the angel, says, Ah, God told me that I can go, but now he sends an emissary to tell me not to go. Ah, God is known to do those things. God told Abraham to sacrifice Itzhak, and then when he was about to sacrifice Itzhak, an angel came to him and said, Don't touch him. Take the ram instead of him. Which means, says Blam, God is really does not make any decisions. He says one thing, then he changes mind, or he sends an emissary to nullify his words. So you know what? I'm not walking with a God like that. I'm going to do whatever you want. If you don't like me to go, I will not go. Look on Bilam's perspective. He does not see that the angel is God's emissary. He thinks that there are different entities here and he can play with God the way he wants. That's called idol worshiping. Thinking that you can dictate to God what you want to do. Judaism is exactly the opposite. We hear God's commandments and then we try to follow. But we don't try to dictate to God what to do. Bilam is a terrible example of a person who reached very high spiritual levels. But it never changed him as a person. And the Mishnah in Avot specifying it. So he can be considered as a student of Avraham. And if you have other three things, you can be considered as a student of Bilam, the evil Bilam. What are the three things? If you have a good eye, you look at things positively. Not being naive, but looking at situations with a good eye, with a good perspective. You know who you are, but you understand that you are God's servant. You are considered a student of Avram Avinu. Ain Rah, if you have a bad eye and negative eye, you look at things only on deficiencies, you only look at things that you can hurt and damage. You are considered as Bilam student, the evil Bilam. Ma'bin talmidavshavinul talmidafshir bilamarasha. What's the major difference between Avraham's students and Students, besides those three things. Avram students enjoy this world and also they have the world to come. But Bilam students, they might enjoy this world, but in the next world to come, they're not going to have a fun time in the next world. So, what's the point of this Mishnah, of this Tanayic source, the Mishnah in a vod? What characterizes Bilam is Ain Ra'a always trying to look at deficiencies. Does not see himself that he needs to submit himself to God. The Nefesh al Khavah always wants more. It's never enough. Whenever you have plenty, you want more. This is Bilam. So now let's go back. Our first question was: how come that God told him you can go and then he was upset with him? The answer is, God told him you can go and do what I say. Bilam did not convey that message. Bilam just heard the first sentence, you can go. And then he was totally oblivious, or he tried to ignore God's second sentence, you will do whatever I say. B, he was thrilled to go. He wanted to go, he was excited to go, he was anxious to go to curse a nation that he had nothing to do with them. A, B, he heard from God that this is a blessed nation. You think you can go against God? So we answer the first question. The second question that we ask is why is it that our sages looked at Bilaam in such a negative way? And I think that the answer is the following. Our sages could not bear the idea that you can have someone who can raise himself to a prophetic status. He's a prophet, he talks to God, and it does not change his attributes, he does not change the way he behaves, even for one ioda. Our sages always advocate if you reach a higher level spiritually, your attributes, your behavior, you need to be a mensch. You can't have an evil eye being arrogant and pompous and always wants more. Meaning, as you go up, as you raise yourself up, as you elevate yourself up spiritually, talking to God, communicating with God, our expectations of you as a person are much higher. There is an unfulfilled potential with Bilam. He had all the tools in his hands to become a pious, righteous prophet and help the other nations to better themselves and maybe to join Amisel and bring, bring redemption. Instead, he took himself down and everyone else down. When you have a potential and you don't use it, when you have an unfulfilled potential and then you use your powers to do bad and negative things, our sages had no any other choice but to portray as Bilam Harashah, as the evil, wicked bilam. But if you want to be Avraham's student, if you want to be considered as Avraham's people, we have a roadmap, aintova, to look at things with a positive perspective. Again, not being naive, but to look at things, how can we correct things? To be satisfied with what you have, not being motivated or ambitious, but to know why we do what we do, then we will enjoy this world and the world to come. Thank you.