Who was Balak? Balak was one of Yitro’s grandchildren who did not convert with the rest of Yitro’s family who made Teshuvah and joined Bnei-Yisrael. The word “יתרו” Yitro in hebrew while rearranging the letters will spell “ויתר” “Viter”, meaning gave up; referring to his religion and converted to judaism. Balak did not give up on his religion and kept his evil ways. Our first verse alludes to his character and his true feeling towards Bnei-Yisrael. The first word is “Yayare” (“וַיַּרְא”), meaning he was fearful as he saw what happened to his two neighboring kings, Og and Sichon (the giants), the Moavites and the Amorites who were killed by Bnei-Yisrael. The Torah writes that he was also the son of a “bird”, alluding to his magical powers and speaking ill of Bnei-Yisrael, who were heading toward him. Balak was a powerful Midianaite warrior who possessed the knowledge of magic. We learn that he was to be only a “temporary king” from the words “And Balak, the son of Tzipor was king of Moav at that time (only)” (“וּבָלָק בֶּן-צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב, בָּעֵת הַהִוא”). This verse comes to teach us that Balak did not ascended from a kingship family and linage. We learn from here that even the Moavite and the Midianaite were enemies, but they shifted their hatred toward another “common” enemy, Bnei-Yisrael. The Zohar says that Balak the “son of bird” actually alludes to his sorcery, witchcraft, and wizardry. He used the bird to provide him with visions from afar (drone-like) in order to make magic and win battles.
It is important to know that out of all the events that occurred throughout the five books of the Torah, this event with Balak and Bilam was the only one Bnei-Yisrael (including Moshe) didn’t know about and didn’t personally witnessed. All the other events, plagues, miracles, wars, etc. listed in the Torah, Bnei-Yisrael were privileged to witness. Our Sages suggested that this entire Parasha should be integrated into our daily prayers and should be recited daily in the reading of Shema. While Bilam, Balak and HaShem’s Angels were discussing the “cursing” of Bnei-Yisrael while being on top of the mountain, no one, including Moshe, knew of such proceedings.
In our daily prayers we say the words “Beshichvecha U’Vekomech” (while you are asleep and while you are awake) alluding to the miracle mentioned in verse 24:9 of this Parasha, “כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ; מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ, וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר” as it was part of Bilam’s blessings. This portion speaks of the constant protection HaShem provides us, while we are awake and while we are asleep, when we are aware of it or when we have no clue. With his Divine love to Bnei-Yisrael HaShem saves us from many disasters and ill plans against us, as we only sometimes hear about a “foiled attempts” of harming Bnei-Yisrael. There are too many times HaShem prevented a huge catastrophes, calamities, and tragedies designed to destroy Bnei-Yisrael, His beloved nation.
Even though he was a king, the Torah did no describe Balak as such. He was terrified and didn’t want to share the same fate of his neighboring kings. Balak described Bnei-Yisrael as mighty, both in numbers and power. He used the metaphor of (כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר) “an ox in the field eats up all vegetation”. In reality, Balak was speaking of the prophecy of the days of Mashiach. As we know when Yakov returned to the Land of Israel after leaving Lavan’s house, he sent messengers to his brother Eisav saying (Beresheet. 31:6), “I have an ox and a donkey”. By telling Eisav about the ox and donkey Yaakov was alluding to the days of Mashiach. According to the Midrash (Bresheet Rabbah 75), Yakov was not speaking about the material possessions he had amassed, but about something of far greater significance. The ox refers to Mashiach ben Yosef, the pre-cursive Messianic leader, a descended of Yosef. The ox is a symbol of the tribe of Yosef; both Yakov and Moshe used the imagery of an ox when blessing Yosef (Gen. 49:6; Deut. 33:17).
Balak was referring to seeing the days of Mashiach, as it is written “וַיַּרְא בָּלָק” of such days, as the metaphor in Isaiah 11:7 and 65:25, “the wolf will dwell with the sheep and the leopard will lie down with the kid”. It means that Bnei-Yisrael shall dwell securely alongside the wicked heathens and enemies who are likened to wolves and leopards, as it is said “a wolf from the plains ravages, a leopard lies in wait over their cities.” in the days of Mashiach all will return to the true religion and will neither steal nor destroy, but consume that which is permitted, in repose alongside Israel, as it is said, “the lion will eat straw like the ox.” All other such expressions are also allegories, and in the era of the Mashiach everyone will come to know about HaShem’s glory once again.
The Zohar says that Balak saw the greatness of Bnei-Yisrael who were close to both the upper and the lower worlds. Balak understood that Bnei-Yisrael were fully engulfed in the Torah and HaShem was with them, protecting them. He feared that the time has come for all the other nations to be eliminated and for Bnei-Yisrael to rule. The Zohar says that “he looked out the window” meaning that Balak saw a vision through the “window of wisdom” and he feared. He used the bird in sorcery and asked it for all that is coming along with Bnei-Yisrael, and the bird reveled everything to him through this “window”. Three (non-jewish) people used the same “window” powers in our Torah, Balak, Avimelech and Sisra’s mother. Rashi on Beresheet 26:8 “וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן” indicates that Avimelech saw Yitzhak sleeping with his wife via the same “window”. The Midrash explains that this “window” was a mirror who all three had in their possession and saw the visions through it. Sierra’s mother in Judges 5:28 used the same window “בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן נִשְׁקְפָה וַתְּיַבֵּב אֵם סִיסְרָא” “Through the window peered Sisera’s mother; behind the lattice she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?”.
Balak’s real father wasn’t called Tzipor (bird). This name was given to him when he used his magical abilities to create a live bird out of few items. According to the Midrash, Balak would construct a bird out of gold, copper, silver and other items. He would then place the bird on a windowsill and let the sun and the moon shine upon it for seven days, after such time he will insert a real tongue of a bird and his bird will come to life. Balak controlled the forces of evil and he could create a live bird that could provide him with prophecies. In Biblical times magic was real and not merely a sleight-of-hand and Balak was an expert at a particular magic that consisted of constructing an artificial bird, hence the name “son of bird”. Eventually, this bird could talk, and through it Balak would discover secrets no one else knew.
Balak understood why Bnei-Yisrael were so successful in winning all the wars and why they were redeemed from Egypt. He knew that thanks to their prayer to HaShem and having Moshe as their leader, they were able to overcome all the difficulties and to merit the Promised Land. He sent a message to the wise men of Midian saying that Moshe, who was “raised” by the family of Yitro, and married a Midian woman, is now coming to destroy them all. The Midian elderly agreed with Balak and added that after leaving Midian Moshe went and destroyed Egypt as well. Balak and the Midainaites understood such a divine knowledge as they feared Bnei-Yisrael, even though they were expert in war and had a large and mighty military. Bnei-Yisrael were traveling for 39 years in the desert with no weapons nor real military to fight, but they had HaShem on their side as the prayed too.
They all agreed that the power of Bnei-Yisrael came from their mouth as they prayed to HaShem and He listen to their prayers. They advised Balak to summon Bilam who also had the same powers of speech as he too spoke directly to HaShem. Bilam was the grandson of Lavan, and he was asked by Lavan to destroy Bnei-Yisrael, since he himself failed to do so with Yakov. Bilam fame and reputation was known among the entire world’s nations as a philosopher, prophet, dream-interpreter and successful magician who could win wars.
Bilam was hired for a large some of money by many kings in order to win and defeat their enemies. Furthermore, Bilam prophesied that Balak will become a king in the future, as he did with Moav. Balak sent messengers to Bilam. These messengers were magicians from Midian and Moav. They went to Bilam and offered him a large some of money, to come and help Balak win the war against Bnei-Yisrael. According to the Midrash, these messengers held “Kesamim” (“קסמים” – magics – verse 22:7) in their hands alluding to a hint of asking for a curse for Bnei-Yisrael. The word “Kesamim” in gematria is 250, alluding to the number of years Bnei-Yisrael were out of the land of Israel, 210 in Egypt and 40 in the desert.
Balak’s messengers asked Bilam to return with them to Balak and to curse Bnei-Yisrael. Bilam was an extremely smart businessman and he asked the messengers to spend the night in order for him to “ask” HaShem for permission to join them and if such task was allowed. HaShem spoke to Bilam only at nighttime, unlike with Jewish prophets. By asking them to stay the night Bilam also hoped to set the tone for his next move, of asking for more money for his services. HaShem did not allow Bilam to join Balak’s messengers, asking him “who are these men”. HaShem warned Bilam not to curse Bnei-Yisrael even if he is not going with the messengers. Bilam was the only non-Jew prophet that HaShem spoke to directly just as he did with Moshe. The Talmud says that HaShem brought equal powers of purity and impurity in order to have a balance in the world, teaching us that we shall always “tip” the scale in purity and Torah. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, the author of the Kuzari, said that “Tumah (impurity) is created by the absent of Kedusha (purity)”.
The following morning Bilam sent the messengers back to Balak empty-handed, stating that “HaShem did not allow him to join them”. Bilam understood that Balak, who was extremely rich, will offer him a lot more money in order to have him curse Bnei-Yisrael, and help defeating them. Bilam also knew his own greatness and the imminent threat Balak was facing, when Bnei-Yisrael approached him. Bilam was a sophisticated and shrewd business-man, and he appreciated the “dilemma” Balak was in, and took advantage of the situation. We can learn from this a profound lesson of not to negotiate, while in times of weakness, only while in times of strength.
Balak, who was under tremendous pressure, sent another convoy, more impressive and important with even more money to Bilam, asking to help him by cursing Bnei-Yisrael. The Torah writes that they were “ministers” alluding to the amount of importance Balak gave to such challenging times, as he feared Bnei-Yisrael traveling at his borders. Bilam understood that his price will be very high but it was still a lot less than the cost of waging war on Bnei-Yisrael. With his cunnings ways, Bilam told the new convoy that “even if you filled my home with money and gold, I will not be able to join you”, using the excuse of not transgressing HaShem’s will. Bilam was basically hinting to Balak that in order for him to join him, he must then fill up his house with money and gold. Bilam once again asked Balak’s messengers to stay the night as he must counsel with HaShem and ask for permission to curse Bnei-Yisrael. The name “Bilam” ( “בילעם”) means “Bli” (“בלי” -without) and “Am” (“עם” – nation), alluding to his constant wondering among other nations.
When Bilam beat the donkey with a stick three times on the third time, the donkey spoke back to him asking Bilam why he was hitting her three “Regalim” (“רגלים” – the tree pilgrimages) and not times. First, we must note that Bilam didn’t even notices that the donkey is speaking to him as humans do. Second, he kept on beating the donkey regardless of her refusal to get up and walk. By using the word “Regalim”, the donkey wanted to tell Bilam that his curses will fail as Bnei-Yisrael will be going up to Jerusalem three times a year.
The female donkey challenged Bilam by asking him “Am I not your donkey since day one?” (“רָכַבְתָּ עָלַי מֵעוֹדְךָ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה”) The donkey was alluding to the inhuman sexual relationship Bilam had with her. “Do I normally speak to you?” asked the female donkey, alluding to the miracle by HaShem of her ability to speak. The donkey said to Bilam, “You are going to try and kill Bnei-Yisrael with words and me with a stick. Bilam was blind with his obsession to curse Bnei-Yisrael, foolishly responded to the donkey, saying “since you embarrassed me if I had a sword, I would kill you”.
The Zohar says that Bilam lost his sword when the donkey pressed him against the wall, and when he reached to grab his sword he realized that the holster was empty. The Torah writes (verse 21:32) “And Bilam saw the angel of HaShem standing in the way, with “his” (bilam’s sword) sword drawn in his hand (“וַיַּרְא אֶת-מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה נִצָּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלֻפָה בְּיָדוֹ”). It teaches us that HaShem will repay Bilam measure for measure, and he will die by his own sword. The Midrash says that Bilam did not have an answer to the donkey and the two men asked him why he was riding a donkey, as it meant only to carry belongings, alluding to the sexual relationship he had with the donkey. “Why aren’t you riding a horse?” they asked Bilam, who lied and said that he borrowed the donkey.