It is true that it says, “Elohim came to Balaam in the night”, but we have explained this to refer to the Chieftain appointed over them. It was on this account that Balaam said to the princes of Balak, “Tarry here this night”.
Balaam went to his she-ass and performed his rites and uttered his spells, and the ass then told him and he did the requisite act for that spirit to rest upon him. Then someone came and told him things through the agency of the ass.
It may be asked, if he told him in one night, “Thou shalt not go with them”, why did he try a second time? The fact is that these powers are subject to a higher control, and we have learnt, “In the way in which a man desires to go he is led”. At first he was told, “Thou shalt not go with them”. When God saw that he was bent on going, He said to him, “Arise, go with them, only the thing that I tell thee”, etc. ‘All that night, therefore, Balaam was pondering and saying in his mind: What honour is it for me if I am tied to someone else? He cast about all that night and found no side in which he should be his own master save that of his ass.
R. Jose said that those of the right are all merged in one called “ass”, and that is the ass of which it is written, “thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22, 10), and that is also the ass which the King Messiah shall control, as we have explained.
There are ten on the right and ten on the left which are included in kesem (divination), and ten others on the right and ten others on the left which are included in nahash (enchantment), and therefore it is written, “For there is no enchantment with Jacob and no divination with Israel” (Num. 23, 23); why? Because “the Lord his God is with him”. Balaam, therefore, finding no way out save through his ass,
straightway ROSE UP IN THE MORNING AND SADDLED HIS ASS to attain his own ends and the ends of Balak through it. And therefore “the anger of God was kindled because he went”, as much as to say, because he was following his own bent and breaking loose from the one who said to him, “only the thing which I shall tell thee”, etc.
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: Sinner, thou makest ready thy weapon to escape from my control; I will show thee that thou and thy ass are in my power. Straightway THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PLACED HIMSELF IN THE WAY. Said R. Abba: He left his own function to take up the function of another, for this was an angel of mercy, and this bears out what R. Simeon said, that sinners turn mercy into judgement.
R. Eleazar, however, said: ‘The angel did not change, nor did he leave his own function, but because he was from the side of mercy and stood in his way he nullified his wisdom and frustrated his intention. Thus he was “an adversary to him”, but to others he was not an adversary.’
We have learnt’, R. Simeon said, ‘how clever was Balaam with his enchantments above all others, because when he sought to escape from the control of the Holy One, blessed be He, he found no means save the ass, and therefore “he loaded his ass” with all the enchantments and divinations that he knew of in order to curse Israel. Straightway, “the anger of God was kindled because he was going”. What did God do? He sent an angel of mercy to meet him and to nullify his enchantments.
Note that here for the first time in this passage the name “Lord” is mentioned, showing that this was an angel of mercy sent to frustrate his wisdom and to turn his ass aside from the way, namely, that way on which he was bent on going.
Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Sinner, thou hast loaded thy ass with thy enchantments to bring down all kinds of punishments on my sons; I will turn thy load into something else; and straightway He sent the angel of mercy to stand in his way.’
וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם לַיְלָה. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, וְאוֹקִימְנָא הַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּמְמָנָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְהוּא הֲוָה אָתֵי לָקֳבְלֵיהּ. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא (בראשית ל״א:כ״ד) וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִי וְגוֹ'. וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה. בְּגִין דָּא אִיהוּ אָמַר לְרַבְרְבֵי בָּלָק לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה.
It is true that it says, “Elohim came to Balaam in the night”, but we have explained this to refer to the Chieftain appointed over them. It was on this account that Balaam said to the princes of Balak, “Tarry here this night”.
כֵּיוָן דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי הַהוּא מְמָנָא, בִּלְעָם הֲוָה אָתֵי לְגַבֵּי אֲתָנֵיהּ, וַעֲבַד עוֹבַדֵיהּ, וְאָמַר מִלֵּי, וּכְדֵין אַתְנָא אוֹדָעָא לֵיהּ. וְאִיהוּ אַחְזֵי עוֹבָדָא לְמִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי הַהוּא רוּחָא. וּמַאי אַחְזֵי. הוּא הֲוָה יָדַע דַּחֲמָרֵי שָטָאן וְשָׁרָאן בְּקַדְמִיתָא דְּלֵילְיָא, כְּדֵין אַחְזֵי עוֹבָדָא, וְקָאִים לַאֲתָנֵיהּ בַּאֲתָר מְתַתְקָּן, וְעָבִיד עוֹבָדוֹי וְסִדֵּר מִלּוֹי. וּכְדֵין הֲוָה אָתֵי מַאן דְּאָתֵי, וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ עַל יְדָא דְּהַהִיא אָתוֹן.
Balaam went to his she-ass and performed his rites and uttered his spells, and the ass then told him and he did the requisite act for that spirit to rest upon him. Then someone came and told him things through the agency of the ass.
כֵּיוָן דְּלֵילְיָא חַד אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם, מַאי טַעְמָא תָּב תִּנְיָינוּת לְהַאי. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן בִּרְשׁוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא קַיְימֵי, וְהָא תָּנֵינָן, בַּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לָלֶכֶת בָּהּ מוֹלִיכִין וְכוּ'. בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב, לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּרְעוּתָא הוּא לְמֵיהַךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ'. מָה עֲבַד בִּלְעָם כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא הֲוָה מְהַרְהֵר וְאָמַר וּמָה אָן הוּא יְקָרָא דִּילִי, אִי בְּקִטוּרָא אַחֲרָא אִתְקָטַּרְנָא. אַשְׁגַח כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא בְּחַרְשׁוֹי, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח סִטְרָא, דִּיְהֵא הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ, אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דַּאֲתָנֵיהּ.
It may be asked, if he told him in one night, “Thou shalt not go with them”, why did he try a second time? The fact is that these powers are subject to a higher control, and we have learnt, “In the way in which a man desires to go he is led”. At first he was told, “Thou shalt not go with them”. When God saw that he was bent on going, He said to him, “Arise, go with them, only the thing that I tell thee”, etc. ‘All that night, therefore, Balaam was pondering and saying in his mind: What honour is it for me if I am tied to someone else? He cast about all that night and found no side in which he should be his own master save that of his ass.
וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, בְּאִלֵּין כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין אִית יְמִינָא וְאִית שְׂמָאלָא. מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא חֲמָרֵי, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלֵי אֲתָנֵי וְתָאנָא, עַשְׂרָה אִינּוּן לִימִינָא, וְעַשְׂרָה לִשְׂמָאלָא. וְדָא הוּא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, יוֹסֵף כַּד אִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵאֲבוֹי, יָדַע בְּחָכְמְתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בְּרָזָא דְּכִתְרִין קַדִישִׁין עִלָּאִין. כֵּיוָן דְּהֲוָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, אוֹלִיף בְּהַהִיא חָכְמְתָא דִּלְהוֹן, בְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין, הֵיךְ אֲחִידָן אִינּוּן דִּימִינָא, וְאִינּוּן דִּשְׂמָאלָא. עַשְׂרָה דִּימִינָא וַעַשְׂרָה דִּשְׂמָאלָא חֲמָרֵי וַאֲתָנֵי. וּבְגִין כַּךְ רָמַז לַאֲבוֹי מִמָּה דְּאוֹלִיף תַּמָּן, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מ״ה:כ״ג) וּלְאָבִיו שָׁלַח כְּזֹאת עֲשָׂרָה חֲמוֹרִים וְגוֹ'.
R. Isaac has told us in the name of R. Judah, that among those lower crowns there is a right and a left, on the left side being she-asses.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִינּוּן דִּימִינָא כְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחַד, דְּאִקְרֵי חֲמוֹ"ר. וְהַאי הוּא הַהוּא חֲמוֹר, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים כ״ב:י׳) לֹא תַחֲרוֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹ"ר יַחְדָּיו. וְהַאי הוּא חֲמוֹר, דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְמִשְׁלַט עָלֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וְאִינּוּן דִּשְׂמָאלָא, כְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחַד דְּאִקְרֵי אָתוֹן, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָהָא נָפִיק עִירֹה, קִטְרוּגָא דְּדַרְדְּקֵי, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, (זכריה ט׳:ט׳) עָנִי וְרוֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר וְעַל עַיִר בֶּן אֲתוֹנוֹת, אֲתָנַת חָסֵר, עַשְׂרָה דִּכְלִילָן כְּחַד.
R. Jose said that those of the right are all merged in one called “ass”, and that is the ass of which it is written, “thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22, 10), and that is also the ass which the King Messiah shall control, as we have explained.
וְדָא הוּא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית מ״ט:י״א) אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה. אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן, זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקַשְּׁרָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִקְרוּן גֶּפֶן. עִירֹה. דְּאִיהוּ קַטֵּיגוֹרָא דִּילְהוֹן, וּבְגִין דְּאִקְרוּן שׂוֹרֵק, דִּכְתִּיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק. בְּנִי אֲתֹנוֹ, הַהוּא דְּנָפִיק מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַאי אָתוֹן.
וְהָנֵי י' מִימִינָא, וְי' מִשְּׂמָאלָא, וְאִתְכְּלִילָן בְּהָנֵי תְּרֵי, כֹּלָּא אִינּוּן מִשְׁתַּכְחֵי בְּקֶסֶ"ם. וְאִית עַשְׂרָה אַחֲרָנִין דִּימִינָא וְעַשְׂרָה דִּשְׂמָאלָא, דְּמִשְׁתַּכְחֵי בְּנַחַ"שׁ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ. מִסִּטְרָא דְּנָחָ"שׁ, נָפַק שׁוֹ"ר, מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֶסֶ"ם, נָפַק חֲמוֹ"ר. וְדָא הוּא שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר, וְעַל דָּא בִּלְעָם, כֵּיוָן דְּיָדַע דְּאִתְקְשַׁר בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ אַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ', אַבְאִישׁ לֵיהּ, וְאָמַר, וּמַה אָן הִיא יְקָרָא דִּילִי. מִיָּד אִסְתָּכַּל בְּחַרְשׁוֹי, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח דִּיְהֵא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ, אֶלָּא הַאי אָתוֹן.
There are ten on the right and ten on the left which are included in kesem (divination), and ten others on the right and ten others on the left which are included in nahash (enchantment), and therefore it is written, “For there is no enchantment with Jacob and no divination with Israel” (Num. 23, 23); why? Because “the Lord his God is with him”. Balaam, therefore, finding no way out save through his ass,
מִיַד (במדבר כ״ב:כ״א) וַיָּקָם בִּלְעָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַחֲבוֹש אֶת אֲתוֹנוֹ לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ בָּהּ, וּרְעוּתָא דְּבָלָק. וְעַל דָּא וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלֹהִים כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הוּא. הוּא דַּיְיקָא, דְּאַפִּיק גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵרְשׁוּתֵיהּ, מִמַּה דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ'. תָּא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא, דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא יָהַב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא, וְאָמַר קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם, הַשְׁתָּא דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל, אֲמַאי וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלֹהִים. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּהוֹלֵךְ הוּא, הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ דִּילֵיהּ, לְנָפְקָא מֵהַהוּא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר.
straightway ROSE UP IN THE MORNING AND SADDLED HIS ASS to attain his own ends and the ends of Balak through it. And therefore “the anger of God was kindled because he went”, as much as to say, because he was following his own bent and breaking loose from the one who said to him, “only the thing which I shall tell thee”, etc.
אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רָשָׁע, אַתְּ מְתַקֵּן וּמְזַרֵז זַיְינָךְ לְנָפְקָא מִן רְשׁוּתִי, חַיֶּיךָ אַנְתְּ וַאֲתָנָךְ בִּרְשׁוּתִי תֶּהֶווֹן. מִיַּד וַיִּתְיַצֵּב מַלְאַךְ יְיָ. מַאי וַיִּתְיַצֵּב. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, נָפַק וְקָאִים בְּאוּמְנוּתָא אַחֲרָא, מֵאוּמָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, דְּהַאי מַלְאָכָא דְּרַחֲמֵי הֲוָה. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, חַיָּיבַיָּא מְהַפְּכֵי רַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא. לְשָׂטָן לוֹ, דְּהָא לָא אוּמָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ הֲוָה.
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: Sinner, thou makest ready thy weapon to escape from my control; I will show thee that thou and thy ass are in my power. Straightway THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PLACED HIMSELF IN THE WAY. Said R. Abba: He left his own function to take up the function of another, for this was an angel of mercy, and this bears out what R. Simeon said, that sinners turn mercy into judgement.
אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, לָא שָׁנֵּי מַלְאָכָא, וְלָא נָפַק מֵאוּמָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה הַאי מַלְאָכָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי, וְקָאִים לַקֳבְלֵיהּ, סָתִיר חָכְמְתָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְקִלְקֵל רְעוּתֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לְשָׂטָן לוֹ. לוֹ הֲוָה שָׂטָן, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח שָׂטָן, אֲבָל לְאַחֲרָא לָא הֲוָה שָׂטָן.
R. Eleazar, however, said: ‘The angel did not change, nor did he leave his own function, but because he was from the side of mercy and stood in his way he nullified his wisdom and frustrated his intention. Thus he was “an adversary to him”, but to others he was not an adversary.’
תָּאנָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כַּמָה חַכִּים הֲוָה בִּלְעָם בְּחַרְשׁוֹי, עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַשְׁגַּח, לְאַשְׁכְּחָא עֵיטָא לְנָפְקָא מֵרְשׁוּתֵיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מֵהַהִיא מִלָּה דִּכְתִיב, וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ'. אִסְתָּכַּל בְּחַרְשׁוֹי, וְלָא אַשְׁכַח בַּר הַהִיא אָתוֹן, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיַחֲבוֹש אֶת אֲתוֹנוֹ, אַטְעִין לָהּ בְּכָל חַרְשִׁין, וּבְכָל קְסָמִין דְּהֲוָה יָדַע, וְאָעִיל בָּהּ, וְאַכְלִיל לָהּ מִכֻּלְּהוּ, בְּגִין לְמֵילָט לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. מִיָּד וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלֹהִים כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הוּא. הוּא דַּיְיקָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר. מָה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַקְדִים לְמַלְאָכָא דְּרַחֲמֵי. לְקַיְּימָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וְיַסְתִּיר חֲרָשׁוֹי וְקִסְמוֹי.
We have learnt’, R. Simeon said, ‘how clever was Balaam with his enchantments above all others, because when he sought to escape from the control of the Holy One, blessed be He, he found no means save the ass, and therefore “he loaded his ass” with all the enchantments and divinations that he knew of in order to curse Israel. Straightway, “the anger of God was kindled because he was going”. What did God do? He sent an angel of mercy to meet him and to nullify his enchantments.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, דְּעַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא כְּתִיב יְיָ וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי בְּקִסְמוֹי וְחַרְשׁוֹי. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וְהַשְׁתָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאַתְקִין אֲתָנֵיהּ, וְזֵרְזָה בְּתִקּוּנֵי חֲרָשׁוֹי, בְּסִטְרָא דְּדִינָא לְמֵילָט לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אַקְדִּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמַלְאָכָא דְּרַחֲמֵי לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וּבִשְׁמָא דְּרַחֲמֵי, בְּגִין לִסְתּוֹר חָכְמְתָא דִּילֵיהּ, וּלְאַסְטָאָה לַאֲתָנֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא אָרְחָא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, וַתֵּט הָאָתוֹן מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ. מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ דַּיְיקָא. וְעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב וַיִּתְיַצֵּב מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים, וַיַּעֲמוֹד מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים, אֶלָּא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ דְּרַחֲמֵי.
Note that here for the first time in this passage the name “Lord” is mentioned, showing that this was an angel of mercy sent to frustrate his wisdom and to turn his ass aside from the way, namely, that way on which he was bent on going.
אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רָשָׁע, אַתְּ אַטְעָנַת לַאֲתָנָךְ בְּחַרְשָׁךְ, בְּכַמָּה סִטְרֵי דְּדִינֵי לָקֳבֵל בָּנַי. אֲנָא אַעְבָּר טְעוּנָךְ, וְיֵהָפֵךְ מֵאָרְחָא דָּא, מִיָּד אַקְדִּים מַלְאָכָא דְּרַחֲמֵי לְשָׂטָן לוֹ. לוֹ דַּיְיקָא. כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר.
Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Sinner, thou hast loaded thy ass with thy enchantments to bring down all kinds of punishments on my sons; I will turn thy load into something else; and straightway He sent the angel of mercy to stand in his way.’