In reply he cited to them the verse: “What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him?” (Ps. 8, 5). ‘The exposition of this verse’, he said, ‘is that it was uttered by those in charge of the world at the time when God expressed His intention of creating man. He called together various companies of heavenly angels and stationed them before Him. He said to them: I desire to create man. They exclaimed, “Man abideth not in honour”, etc. (Ps. 49, 13). God thereupon put forth His finger and burnt them. He then set other groups before Him, and said: I desire to create man. They exclaimed,”What is man that thou shouldst remember him?” What is the character of this man, they asked. He replied: Man will be in our image, and his wisdom will be superior to yours.
When He had created man and he sinned and obtained a pardon, Uzza and Azael approached Him and said: We can plead justification against Thee, since the man whom Thou hast made has sinned against Thee. He said to them: Had you been with them you would have sinned equally, and He cast them down from their high estate in heaven.
Now to come to your question. How are we to explain Balaam’s saying of himself, “Falling and with eyes open”? For if this was merely an empty boast, how comes a false statement in the Torah? And if it is true, how could that sinner attain to a degree higher than that of all the true prophets, especially as the holiness from above rests only on a spot qualified to receive it?
The fact is, however, that after God cast Uzza and Azael down from their holy place, they went astray after the womenfolk and seduced the world also. It may seem strange that being angels they were able to abide upon the earth. The truth is, however, that when they were cast down the celestial light which used to sustain them left them and they were changed to another grade through the influence of the air of this world.
Similarly the manna which came down for the Israelites in the wilderness originated in the celestial dew from the most recondite spot, and at first its light would radiate to all worlds and the “field of apples”, and the heavenly angels drew sustenance from it, but when it approached the earth it became materialized through the influence of the air of this world and lost its brightness, becoming only like “coriander seed,’.
Now when God saw that these fallen angels were seducing the world, He bound them in chains of iron to a mountain of darkness. Uzza He bound at the bottom of the mountain and covered his face with darkness because he struggled and resisted, but Azael, who did not resist, He set by the side of the mountain where a little light penetrated.
Men who know where they are located seek them out, and they teach them enchantments and sorceries and divinations. These mountains of darkness are called the “mountains of the East”, and therefore Balaam said: “From Aram hath Balak brought me, from the mountains of the East”, because they both learnt their sorceries there.
Now Uzza and Azael used to tell those men who came to them some of the notable things which they knew in former times when they were on high, and to speak about the holy world in which they used to be. Hence Balaam said of himself: “He saith, which heareth the words of God”-not the voice of God, but those things which he was told by those who had been in the assembly of the Holy King. He went on: “And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High”, meaning that he knew the hour when punishment impended over the world and could determine it with his enchantments.
“Which seeth the vision of the Almighty”: this vision consisted of the “fallen and the open of eyes”, that is Uzza, who is called “fallen” because he was placed in the darkest depth, since after falling from heaven he fell a second time, and Azael, who is called “open of eye” because he was not enveloped in complete darkness. Balaam called both of them “the vision of the Almighty”.
Said R. Simeon: ‘How often have I repeated this, and yet the Companions do not pay attention, that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not let His divine presence rest save in a place which is meet that it should rest therein. Happy is the portion of Israel in that God has sanctified them that He may abide among them, as it is written, “For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp”, etc. (Deut. 23, 14). Happy, too, is the portion of the true prophets who are holy and are permitted to make use of the celestial holiness.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים ח׳:ה׳) מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וְגוֹ', הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּמְמָנָן דְּעָלְמָא אֲמְרוּהָּ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּסָלִיק בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִבְרֵי אֱנָשָׁא. קְרָא לְכִתּוֹת כִּתּוֹת דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאָה, וְאוֹתִיב לוֹן קַמֵּיהּ. אָמַר לוֹן, בָּעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי אָדָם. אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ, (תהילים מ״ט:י״ג) וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל יָלִין וְגוֹ'. אוֹשִׁיט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶצְבְּעָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְאוֹקִיד לוֹן. אוֹתִיב כִּתּוֹת אַחֲרָנִין קַמֵּיהּ, אָמַר לוֹן בָּעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי אָדָם. אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ, מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ. מַה טִיבוּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ דָּא. אָמַר לוֹן, בַּר נָשׁ דִּיְהֵא בְּצַלְמָא דִּידָן, דִּיְהֵא חָכְמְתָא דִּילֵיהּ, עִלָּאָה מֵחָכְמָתְכוֹן.
In reply he cited to them the verse: “What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him?” (Ps. 8, 5). ‘The exposition of this verse’, he said, ‘is that it was uttered by those in charge of the world at the time when God expressed His intention of creating man. He called together various companies of heavenly angels and stationed them before Him. He said to them: I desire to create man. They exclaimed, “Man abideth not in honour”, etc. (Ps. 49, 13). God thereupon put forth His finger and burnt them. He then set other groups before Him, and said: I desire to create man. They exclaimed,”What is man that thou shouldst remember him?” What is the character of this man, they asked. He replied: Man will be in our image, and his wisdom will be superior to yours.
כֵּיוָן דְּבָרָא אָדָם, וְחָטָא, וְנָפִק בְּדִימוּס קַמֵּיהּ, אָתוּ עֲזָ"א וַעֲזָּ"אֵל, אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ, פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה אִית לָן גַּבָּךְ, הָא בַּר נָשׁ דְּעַבְדַּת חָטֵי קַמָּךְ. אָמַר לְהוּ, אִלְמָלֵי תֶּהֱווֹן שְׁכִיחֵי גַּבַּיְיהוּ וְכוּ'. מַה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אָפִּיל לוֹן מִדַּרְגָּא קַדִישָׁא דִּלְהוֹן מִן שְׁמַיָא.
When He had created man and he sinned and obtained a pardon, Uzza and Azael approached Him and said: We can plead justification against Thee, since the man whom Thou hast made has sinned against Thee. He said to them: Had you been with them you would have sinned equally, and He cast them down from their high estate in heaven.
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הַשְׁתָּא אַהֲדַרְנָא לְתִיּוּבְתַיְיכוּ. דְּבִלְעָם אָמַר נוֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם, אִי נֵימָא דְּלָא הֲוָה הָכִי, וְשַׁבּוּחֵי קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ, הֵיךְ יִכְתּוֹב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִלָּה כְּדִיבָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְאִי מִלָּה דִּקְשׁוֹט הִיא, הֵיךְ יִשְׁתַּבַּח הַהוּא רָשָׁע בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה עַל כָּל נְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא. וְעוֹד, דְּהָא לָא שַׁרְיָא קְדוּשָּׁה דִּלְעֵילָּא, אֶלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ.
Now to come to your question. How are we to explain Balaam’s saying of himself, “Falling and with eyes open”? For if this was merely an empty boast, how comes a false statement in the Torah? And if it is true, how could that sinner attain to a degree higher than that of all the true prophets, especially as the holiness from above rests only on a spot qualified to receive it?
הַשְׁתָּא אַהֲדַרְנָא לְמִלָּה קַדְמָאָה. בָּתַר דְּאָפִיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מֵאֲתָר קַדִישָׁא דִּלְהוֹן. טָעוּ בָּתַר נְשֵׁי עָלְמָא, וְאַטְעוּ עָלְמָא. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, וְהָא כְּתִיב (תהילים ק״ד:ד׳) עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת וְגוֹ'. וְהָא אִלֵּין מַלְאֲכִין הֲווֹ, אֵיךְ יָכִילוּ לְאִתְקַיְּימָא בְּאַרְעָא. אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל אִינּוּן (מלכים) דִּלְעֵילָּא, לָא קַיְימִין, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם, בַּר בִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּנָהִיר לוֹן, וְקַיִּים לוֹן. וְאִי פָּסִיק מִנַּיְיהוּ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִלֵּין דְּאָפִיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּפָסַק מִנַּיְיהוּ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, דְּאִשְׁתָּנֵי זִיוַויְיהוּ. וְכַךְ נַחְתּוּ וְשָׁלִיט בְּהוּ אֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא, אִשְׁתָּנּוּ בְּדַרְגָּא אַחֲרָא.
The fact is, however, that after God cast Uzza and Azael down from their holy place, they went astray after the womenfolk and seduced the world also. It may seem strange that being angels they were able to abide upon the earth. The truth is, however, that when they were cast down the celestial light which used to sustain them left them and they were changed to another grade through the influence of the air of this world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַנָא דְּהֲוָה נָחִית לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא, הַהוּא מַנָא הֲוָה, מִטַּלָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא, דְּהֲוָה נָחִית מֵעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין. וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית, הֲוָה נְהוֹרֵיהּ נָהִיר בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, וּמִנֵּיהּ אִתְזָן חֲקַל דְּתַפּוּחִין, וּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי. וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית לְתַתָּא, וְשָׁלִיט בֵּיהּ אֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא, אִגְלִיד, וְאִשְׁתָּנֵי זִיוִיהּ, וְלָא הֲוָה זִיוִיהּ אֶלָּא כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (במדבר י״א:ז׳) וְהַמָּן כִּזְרַע גַּד הוּא וְגו', וְלָא יַתִיר. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מַלְאֲכִין, כֵּיוָן דְּנַחְתּוּ וְשָׁלִיט בְּהוּ אֲוִירָא, אִשְׁתָּנּוּ מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה דַּהֲווֹ.
Similarly the manna which came down for the Israelites in the wilderness originated in the celestial dew from the most recondite spot, and at first its light would radiate to all worlds and the “field of apples”, and the heavenly angels drew sustenance from it, but when it approached the earth it became materialized through the influence of the air of this world and lost its brightness, becoming only like “coriander seed,’.
מָה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. חָמָא דְּאַטְעֲיָין עָלְמָא, קָשַׁר לוֹן בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאֵי דְּפַרְזְלָא בְּטוּרָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא, בְּאָן אֲתָר יַתְבֵי. בְּעֲמִיקָא דְּטוּרֵי. אוֹתִיב לֵיהּ לַעֲזָ"א, וּרְמֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּאַנְפִּין. בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּקָשַׁר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִתְתָּקַּף וְאַרְגִּיז כְּלַפֵּי מַעֲלָה, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָפִּיל לֵיהּ בְּעוּמְקָא עַד קְדָלֵיהּ, וְזָרִיק חֲשׁוֹכָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי. עֲזָאֵ"ל דְּלָא אִתְתָקַּף, אוֹתְבֵיהּ גַּבֵיהּ, וְנָהִיר לֵיהּ חֲשׁוֹכָא.
Now when God saw that these fallen angels were seducing the world, He bound them in chains of iron to a mountain of darkness. Uzza He bound at the bottom of the mountain and covered his face with darkness because he struggled and resisted, but Azael, who did not resist, He set by the side of the mountain where a little light penetrated.
וּבְנֵי עָלְמָא דְּיַדְעִין אַתְרַיְיהוּ, אַתְיָין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, וְאוֹלְפִין לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא חַרְשִׁין וּנְחָשִׁין וּקְסָמִין. וְאִינּוּן טוּרֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא, אִקְרוּן הַרַרֵי קֶדֶם. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא אַקְדִּים לִנְהוֹרָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, טוּרֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא, הַרַרֵי קֶדֶם אִקְרוּן. לָבָן וּבִלְעָם מִנַּיְיהוּ אוֹלְפֵי חַרְשִׁין. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר בִּלְעָם, מִן אֲרָם יַנְחֵנִי בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב מֵהַרְרֵי קֶדֶם וְגוֹ'.
Men who know where they are located seek them out, and they teach them enchantments and sorceries and divinations. These mountains of darkness are called the “mountains of the East”, and therefore Balaam said: “From Aram hath Balak brought me, from the mountains of the East”, because they both learnt their sorceries there.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בִּלְעָם הֲוָה קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַאי אֲתָר, וְאָמַר נְאֻם שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל וְגוֹ'. בְּגִין דַּעֲזָ"א וְעַזָּאֵ"ל, אַמְרֵי לְאִינּוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, מֵאִילֵּין מִלִּין עִלָּאִין, דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְעֵילָּא. וּמִשְׁתָּעֵי מֵעָלְמָא קַדִישָׁא דַּהֲווֹ בֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל. שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל אֵל, לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא אִמְרֵי אֵל, אִינּוּן אֲמִירָן דְּאַמְרֵי מִנֵּיהּ. מַאן דְּאָתֵי מִפִּרְקָא, וְשָׁאֲלִין לֵיהּ מֵאָן אַתְּ אָתֵי. אָמַר, מִלְּמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. כַּךְ נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל. וְיוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן, דְּהֲוָה יָדַע שַׁעֲתָא דְּתַלְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא, וּמְכַוִּין שַׁעֲתָא בְּחַרְשׁוֹי.
Now Uzza and Azael used to tell those men who came to them some of the notable things which they knew in former times when they were on high, and to speak about the holy world in which they used to be. Hence Balaam said of himself: “He saith, which heareth the words of God”-not the voice of God, but those things which he was told by those who had been in the assembly of the Holy King. He went on: “And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High”, meaning that he knew the hour when punishment impended over the world and could determine it with his enchantments.
אֲשֶׁר מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחזֶה, מַאן מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי. אִלֵּין אִינּוּן נֹפֵל וּגְּלוּי עֵינָיִם. וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן (לך לך פ"ח ע"ב, לקמן רי"ב ע"א, פנחס רל"ב ע"א) עֲזָ"א וְעַזָאֵ"ל. נֹפֵל: דָּא עֲזָ"א, דְּאָעְמִיק לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוּמְקָא חֲשׁוֹכָא, וְיָתִיב בְּעוּמְקָא עַד קְדָלֵיהּ כִּדְקָאַמְרָן, וַחֲשׁוֹכָא אִזְדְּרַק בְּאַנְפּוֹי. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי נוֹפֵל. נָפַל זִמְנָא חֲדָא מִן שְׁמַיָא, וְנָפַל זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא, לְבָתַר, בְּעוּמְקָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא. עֲזָאֵ"ל: הוּא גְּלוּי עֵינַיִם, דְּהָא לָא אִזְדְּרַק חַשׁוֹכָא עָלֵיהּ, דְּלָא אִתְתָּקַּף, וְלָא אַרְגִּיז כְּהַהוּא דִּלְעֵילָּא. וּבִלְעָם קָרֵי לוֹן מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי, דְּאִינּוּן נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם.
“Which seeth the vision of the Almighty”: this vision consisted of the “fallen and the open of eyes”, that is Uzza, who is called “fallen” because he was placed in the darkest depth, since after falling from heaven he fell a second time, and Azael, who is called “open of eye” because he was not enveloped in complete darkness. Balaam called both of them “the vision of the Almighty”.
וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא, לָא אִשְׁתְּאַר בְּעָלְמָא, דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח גַּבַּיְיהוּ, בַּר אִיהוּ. וּבְכָל יוֹמָא, הֲוָה אַסְתִּים בְּאִינּוּן טוּרֵי עִמְּהוֹן. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, יַנְחֵנִי בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב מֵהַרַרֵי קֶדֶם. מֵהַרַרֵי קֶדֶם וַדַּאי, וְלָא מֵאֶרֶץ בְּנֵי קֶדֶם.
At that time he was the only man left in the world who associated with them, and every day he used to be shut up in those mountains with them.’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כַּמָה זִמְנִין אֲמֵינָא מִלָּה דָּא, וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי חַבְרַיָּיא, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שַׁרְיָא שְׁכִינְתָּא, אֶלָּא בַּאֲתָר קַדִישָׁא, בַּאֲתָר דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי. וְכֵן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַכְרִיז וְאָמַר, (דברים י״ח:י׳) לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וְגוֹ'. וְהוּא דְּאָתֵי (ס"א אתי) לְאִתְעָרְבָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ. אֶלָּא זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קַדִּישׁ לוֹן לְשַׁרְיָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים כ״ג:ט״ו) כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶיךָ וְגוֹ'. וּבְגִין דְּהוּא מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶּרֶב מַחֲנֶיךָ, כְּתִיב וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב (ויקרא כ׳:ז׳) וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב (ויקרא י״ח:כ״ד) אַל תִּטַּמְּאוּ בְּכָל אֵלֶּה וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב (ויקרא כ׳:כ״ג) וָאָקֻץ בָּם וְגוֹ'. דְּלָא יָכִילְנָא לְקָרְבָא גַּבַּיְיהוּ, וְשָׁרוּ לִי לְבַר. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דִּנְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי קַדִישֵׁי, דְּאִינּוּן קַדִישִׁין, וְאִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה.
Said R. Simeon: ‘How often have I repeated this, and yet the Companions do not pay attention, that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not let His divine presence rest save in a place which is meet that it should rest therein. Happy is the portion of Israel in that God has sanctified them that He may abide among them, as it is written, “For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp”, etc. (Deut. 23, 14). Happy, too, is the portion of the true prophets who are holy and are permitted to make use of the celestial holiness.