English translation — בלק ב

A.

In the last prophecy of Balaam in our parshah,

where it speaks mainly about the time after the coming of Moshiach,

"in the end of days"¹

— and in the language of the Ramban²

: "and this prophecy is for the days of Moshiach"³,

which is the content of "a star shall go forth from Jacob and a scepter shall arise from Israel"⁴,

namely King Moshiach⁵

— the verse elaborates "and he shall smite the corners of Moab and break down all the sons of Seth".

In the plain meaning of "and break down all the sons of Seth" one finds generally two interpretations: a)

Targum Onkelos translates: and he shall rule over all the sons of man⁶.

b)

The Ibn Ezra explains: "like breaking down a wall⁷

and the meaning is <b>destroying</b>",

i.

e.

a matter of destruction and ruin⁸.

And so it is also implied from Targum Yonatan and

Targum Yerushalmi,

which in the Targumim⁹

is emphasized the nullification and killing of the nations¹⁰.

At first glance it is understood,

that the two interpretations differ in this,

whether the nations of the world will remain in the future to come.

It is perplexing: how is it possible to say that in the end of days there will be a destruction and ruin of "all the children of Shet",

an annihilation of all the nations — while there are explicit prophecies in several places about nations and gentiles in the future¹¹,

beginning from the beginning of Isaiah¹²

"And it shall be <b>in the end of days</b> that the mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established etc. and all the nations shall stream to it, and many peoples shall go and say, 'Come, let us go up etc.' and He shall judge among the nations and rebuke many peoples etc.",

until¹³

the prophecy at the end of Isaiah¹⁴

"to gather all the nations and tongues, and they shall come and see My glory etc. and they shall declare My glory among the nations and bring etc.".

And likewise the prophecy¹⁵

"Then I will turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord".

And so in many places in the Prophets¹⁶.

2.

In Zechariah¹⁷

there is a prophecy: "And it shall be in all the land, says the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and perish*¹⁷

and the third shall be left in it".

Says about this the Midrash¹⁸

that the third part

("the third")

that will remain — "these are Israel".

It comes out,

that in the future the nations will "be cut off and perish".

And according to this, the explanation of Ibn Ezra in "and He will shatter all the children of Seth" is according to the aforementioned prophecy in Zechariah.

But this only postpones the aforementioned question

(section a)

On the prophecy: how does the prophecy in Zechariah accord with the multitude of aforementioned prophecies that in the future there will be nations and gentiles?

In the Gemara¹⁹

There is a dispute between Reish Lakish and R. Yochanan regarding the interpretation of "והשלישית בה יותר": R. Lakish says "the third of Shem."

R. Yochanan said to him: it is not pleasing to their Master

That you said to them thus, but even the third of Noach.

There is an interpretation in the early authorities²⁰,

That the dispute between Reish Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan is — whether also the nations of the world are included in the "third more luminous",

And according to Rabbi Yochanan "the nations of the world also object"

(That they should not all be cut off)²¹.

But it remains difficult

(and so it is implied from Rashi's commentary²³)

their dispute is only regarding Jews²⁴

— whether also Jews are included in the "two-thirds shall be cut off",

and that which R. Yosef says "it is not pleasing to their Master" refers only to <b>Jews</b>²⁵

According to Reish Lakish,

— is]

is

(<b>according to everyone</b>)

all the nations of the world will be cut off²⁶,

"they shall perish"²⁷.

3.

The concept

(Whether there will be nations of the world in the future)

Is not just a dispute in interpretation

of the verses,

But it is also a matter in <b>halacha</b>:

The Rambam rules in the book Yad

(his book of laws)

in the Laws of Kings²⁸

and their Wars²⁹,

that one of the actions of Mashiach will be³⁰

— "And he will rectify³¹

the entire world to serve the Lord together

as it is said¹⁵

For then I will turn to the peoples a clear language to call all of them in the name of the Lord and to serve Him³²

with one accord".

And in the chapter after this³³

the Rambam explains the prophecy of Isaiah³⁴

"And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb" — "that Israel will dwell securely with the wicked of the world³⁵..

and they will all return to the true religion and they will not rob nor destroy but will eat the permitted thing peacefully with Israel"³⁶.

The Book of the Hand is not its purpose to describe events that will happen in the future,

or even to simply tell what Mashiach will do,

but — "laws laws"³⁷

except the events are relevant to halacha³⁸

(in practice).

One must say,

that not only the matters in the beginning of the halacha,

where the Rambam describes the manner <b>and order </b>of the revelation of Mashiach and his signs

and will fight the wars of the Lord, behold this one is presumed to be the Mashiach; if he did and succeeded, and built the Temple in its place, and gathered the dispersed of Israel, behold this one is certainly the Mashiach”],

are relevant to halachah — to know according to the signs etc. that he is “certainly the Mashiach”³⁹

— but also the conclusion of the halachah

(that which he will do <b>after</b> we already know,

that he is “certainly the Mashiach”)

is connected with halachos in relation to the knowledge and recognition of “certainly the Mashiach”:

To know that Moshiach will build "the Temple in its place and gather the dispersed of Israel" and will bring the redemption of all of Israel,

and consequently there will be the completeness of the laws and commandments of the Torah,

as he details at the beginning of chapter 11 there

(as discussed at length elsewhere)⁴⁰,

and there must also be the faith and knowledge that he will effect the redemption in the entire world: "and he will perfect the entire world to serve the Lord together."

And one could say further,

that this matter pertains not only to the faith and knowledge of Jews in Moshiach,

but also to the conduct of Bnei Yisrael <b>in this time</b>: the Rambam rules⁴¹

"Moshe Rabbeinu commanded from the mouth of the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments that were commanded to the children of Noach."

And since Moshiach will accomplish the "and he will perfect the entire world to serve the Lord ...

I will transform the peoples etc.",

it follows,

that the matter of the action upon the nations "to compel <b>all the inhabitants of the world</b> to accept the commandments that were commanded to the children of Noach" is a semblance and a preparation⁴²

for the coming and action of

Moshiach Tzidkeinu in this⁴³.

(and likewise the other laws regarding Bnei Noach⁴⁴

( the Rambam inserted into Hilchos Melachim,

right before the laws and halachos of Melech HaMoshiach]⁴⁵.

4.

Will one understand this with the introduction of the explanation in the prophecy "two-thirds thereof shall be cut off and perish" — which at first glance is most perplexing:

How can it be,

that in the future all the nations will be cut off?

It is after all "The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over &lt;b&gt;all His works&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;.

And although that one finds several events,

beginning from the generation of the flood,

that "And He blotted out all existence"⁴⁷

; "The end of all flesh has come before Me"⁴⁸

— one says regarding it the reason because "the earth was filled with violence from before them"⁴⁸,

"all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth"⁴⁹,

From the language of prophecies the aforementioned is however

It follows,

that here it is not speaking

(as in other prophecies)

about the punishment upon the wicked of the nations of the world because of their corruption etc.,

but rather the

(karker)

destruction of "all the sons of Shet" — the entire humanity,

which includes also the righteous gentiles⁵⁰

that "and the third part more therein" — "these are Israel",

only Jews].

This

(that only "&lt;b&gt;the third part &lt;/b&gt;more therein")

also has no connection to,

to distinguish,

and not arise twice trouble G-d forbid — the decrees and destructions upon Jews G-d forbid at the time of the destruction,

and likewise all the duration of the exile,

until the most severe of them which was in the generation before us — because all this is in the time of &lt;b&gt;exile&lt;/b&gt;,

and since it is a time of darkness and concealment and hiding,

the matter of "and His mercies are upon all His works",

even regarding Israel His close nation,

is not in a revealed manner

(until the question arises "the Judge of all the earth shall He not do justice"⁵¹,

"why have You done evil to this people"⁵²

and so forth⁵³)

But not so regarding the time of the future-to-come,

that then will be fulfilled the promise of to repair the world under the kingdom of Shaddai — and as it is said further in the prophecy of Zechariah⁵⁴

itself "And Hashem will be King over all the earth; on that day will Hashem be one and His name one",

"And your Teacher will no longer be hidden etc."⁵⁵,

there will be <b>revelation </b>of G-dliness⁵⁶

— arises the question: how can there then be a destruction and annihilation of all the nations?

5.

Simply one could say,

that the explanation of "two thirds shall be cut off and perish"

(and likewise the verse "and he will shatter all the sons of Sheth")

is — not that the nations will be obliterated through an action of

(opposite of mercy)

destruction and annihilation,

but that they will have no continuation of generations

(children),

It will not be the effect of the power of reproduction,

will in the course of time &lt;b&gt;consequently &lt;/b&gt;

(in a natural manner)

be "they will be cut off and perish"&lt;sup&gt;57&lt;/sup&gt;

And one cannot ask: this itself

(the negation of the power of reproduction)

is seemingly in contradiction to "and His mercies are upon all His works" — because,

as is known&lt;sup&gt;58&lt;/sup&gt;,

is in the power of reproduction which exists in the creations expressed the power of the Infinite and the unlimited of the Most High.

For creations in themselves are indeed in measure and limit and therefore it is not applicable that they should from themselves have the matter of reproduction&lt;sup&gt;59&lt;/sup&gt;

whose capability is — to reproduce ad infinitum; this is only from the power of the Infinite of the Holy One, blessed be He, which He, may He be exalted, has &lt;b&gt;imbued &lt;/b&gt;in the nature of the body that reproduces.

When the power of generation is lacking, it does not mean,

that one takes a natural matter,

but,

that one did not add another power

(which in essence is above nature⁶⁰).

And.

But the explanation is not entirely sufficient,

because:

a)

Since in the future it will be "I will transform¹⁵

the peoples to a pure language to call all of them in the name of the Lord to serve Him with one accord" — why should

(even during the time)

the reality of callers and servants become nullified?

b)

It is explicit in prophecy "And they shall be⁶¹

kings your attendants and their princesses your nurses",

"And they shall stand⁶²

strangers and they shall pasture your flocks",

and <b>Resh Lakish</b> himself says⁶³

"Whoever is careful with tzitzit merits and two thousand eight hundred servants serve him" — so how can one say that all the nations will

(during the time)

be cut off?

This compels to say,

that according to all interpretations it is not meant that in the future the existence of the nations of the world will be nullified simply&lt;sup&gt;64&lt;/sup&gt;

; their existence will be also in the future; only the differences of opinion mentioned above

and so too the interpretations mentioned above

(section b)

in "two parts in it will be cut off and perish, and the third will be left in it"]

are about the manner of how their existence will then be.

7.

And one can say the explanation in this:

After the future redemption,

when there will be a revelation of G‑dliness in the world,

as the verse says⁶⁵

"And Hashem will be King over all the earth; on that day Hashem will be One and His name

One",

it is simple,

that there will then be no place for impurity and evil in the world

(as it says in Zechariah⁶⁶

(before the verse "two-thirds etc.")

"And the spirit of impurity I will remove from the land").

And it is understood,

that regarding human beings, in the future there will be no existence of enemies of Hashem and wicked people; rather, after the enemies and wicked people receive their punishment,

as explained in several prophecies⁶⁷,

there will be "and to perfect⁶⁸

the entire world

(speech, life, growth, inanimate)

to serve Hashem".

the verse "Shema Yisrael <b>Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad</b>": Hashem, Who is our God now and not the god of the nations, will in the future be Hashem Echad, as it is said, "For then I will turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Hashem," and it is said, "On that day Hashem will be One and His name One"].

In this there is room for discussion: the primary revelation of the future is to Jews,

just as the redemption is regarding Jews, because "He gathered us from our land — 'And gather⁶⁸

the dispersed of Israel'; and the redemption of the entire world is a result and secondary matter to the redemption of the Jews —

Just as the entire creation and their existence is "In the beginning — for the sake of the Torah which is called the beginning of His way and for the sake of Israel who are called the beginning"⁷⁰.

And in this there can be two ways: the state of redemption in the world,

including the nations of the world,

is heard by them as a detail

In the redemption of Jews; or that by them their redemption is felt

(also)

a matter in itself.

The explanation in this:

According to the first approach, it turns out,

that the essence of Mashiach and of the future revelation is only for the sake of Jews — so that Jews can learn Torah and fulfill the commandments in the utmost perfection.

And therefore it is not enough that Jews will not have upon them any "subjugation to the kingdoms,"

rather the entire world must be proper — "they shall not rob⁶⁸

nor destroy" — a refined world — and when the world is in such a manner,

it is a suitable place for Jews to serve the Most High.

And in completeness in this,

also the nations help out Jews,

nevertheless,

as above

(section 6)

And one can say that the redemption as it is in relation to <b>the world</b> is not only a detail of the redemption of Israel,

but also a matter in itself⁷¹

; i.e.,

that is,

the entire world — every particular of a nation — hears itself,

that the supernal intention in their creation and redemption is

(also)

<b>their</b> clarification and refinement, because they too are creations of the Holy One, blessed be He⁷².

8.

And based on this one can say that in accordance with the two manners mentioned above are the two interpretations mentioned above

(alternate text)

on "and he will trample all sons of Sheth"; and likewise in the interpretation

(in section 62)

"two thirds therein shall be cut off and perish, and the third shall be left therein",

whether "and the third" also includes the nations of the world or not:

According to the first manner,

that the redemption of the entire world

(including — the nations of the world)

is a detail and for the sake of the redemption of Israel,

that the existence of the nations of the world <b>in themselves </b>becomes "shall be cut off and perish",

lost; and not only as a nation,

but also as individuals

who has no existence in himself,

because whatever a slave acquires, his master acquires⁷³].

According to the second manner however,

that there is a separate elevation and purpose in their clarification and refinement

(not only as a detail of the redemption of Israel),

it turns out,

it turns out,

that in the future their existence will not be nullified;

And this reasoning is the explanation of "and He will trample all sons of Sheth" that Mashiach rules "over all sons of men" — that the nations of the world are in the "category of existence"⁷⁴,

for which reason upon them

(in and of themselves)

the matter of the rule of Mashiach applies.

And according to the view of Rabbi Yochanan

(according to the first explanation brought above in section 62)

it is also said about them "it is not pleasing &lt;b&gt;to their Master &lt;/b&gt;that you said to them thus": by the Most High,

as "their Master" of the nations of the world,

it is "&lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;pleasing" that in them the redemption should not be heard.

Therefore he says that also the nations of the world are included in "and the third part shall be left in it."

9.

Based on this it comes out,

that in halachah,

according to the view of the Rambam,

and so too in Chassidus,

it is explained according to the second way above:

The Rambam emphasizes in several places,

that in the future the activity

of the redemption and its matters will also be in relation to the nations of the world,

and in all those places he says this as a matter in itself — not as a detail of the redemption of Jews; in the two places mentioned above⁷⁵

: at the end of chapter 11 of the Laws of Kings: "and he will perfect the entire world to serve the Lord together, as it is said etc.",

and at the beginning of chapter 12: "that Israel will dwell securely with the wicked of the world*⁷⁵

etc. and they will return <b>all of them to the true religion</b>⁷⁶

and they will not rob nor destroy but will eat the permitted thing peacefully with Israel";

And so in the conclusion and seal of his book,

where he says: "And the occupation of <b>the entire world</b> will be only to know G‑d alone",

which from the plain sense of his language is understood*⁷⁶

that this also refers to the nations of the world⁷⁷.

And it can be said that in this that the Rambam holds that the future redemption will bring about a novelty and elevation also among the nations of the world

In and of itself,

he goes according to his method: the Rambam says⁷⁸

: "Anyone who accepts the seven commandments and is careful to perform them, behold he is of the pious ones of the nations of the world <b>and has a portion in the World to Come</b>, provided that he accepts them and performs them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them <b>in the Torah</b> and made known to us through Moses our teacher, etc."

D.

E.

That the Giving of the Torah brought about an additional elevation in the seven commandments of the sons of Noah

(regarding which the children of Noah were commanded <b>from before</b>),

and consequently also in the existence of the nations of the world — and therefore they have a reward <b>in and of itself</b>.

Thus it is also understood from what the Alter Rebbe says in Tanya⁷⁹

that "from the surplus of the illumination

(which will be revealed)

to Israel

(in the future to come)

the darkness of the nations will also increase, as it is written⁸⁰

And nations shall walk by your light, etc., and it is written⁸¹

O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord, and it is written⁸²

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see, etc., and it is written⁸³

to enter into the clefts of the rocks and into the crevices of the crags, from before the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, etc., and as it is said⁸⁴

And shine forth in the splendor of the majesty of Your strength upon all inhabitants of Your world, Your land, etc."

With this that he is not satisfied with that which he says earlier "that the physicality of the body and the world will be refined and they will be able to receive the revelation of the light of G-d that will shine upon Israel through the Torah which is called strength",

from which it is implied that the refinement of physicality

(of the body and the world)

pertains to Jews down below,

that they should be able to receive the revelation of the light of G-d;

Rather he adds another matter: "And the advantage of the illumination to Israel will be the darkness of the nations etc." —

the Alter Rebbe emphasizes,

as above,

that the “darkness of the nations” is not merely a part and detail that pertains to the elevation and refinement of Jews,

but it is a matter that pertains to the nations of the world themselves; and therefore,

although the “darkness of the nations” comes from the advantage of the illumination to Israel

(simply,

because the main revelation is indeed in Jews, for Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one),

nevertheless an inner activity is effected,

a revelation of Divine light,

and a movement of awe and self-nullification among the nations,

until it becomes “and may appear in the splendor of the majesty of Your might upon all the inhabitants of Your world etc.”,

that the Supreme One is revealed upon all the inhabitants of the world

(which is)

Your world.

10.

What is the special matter in this that it is said that there is a matter and revelation at the time of the redemption to the nations by themselves, and what does this pertain to adding this in Tanya there?

Also one must understand: since that the entire creation and existence of heaven and earth and all their hosts

(including — the nations of the world)

is "for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah,"

how can one say that there should begin in their redemption a intention and matter in itself,

aside from the redemption of Jews?

One must say,

that also this pertains to Jews.

The explanation of this:

During the conduct of the world as it should be — "they will not rob and they will not destroy",

but their self-nullification to G‑dliness comes only as a result of their subjugation and self-nullification to

Jews,

in them themselves this is not heard — then it turns out,

that the redemption,

whose content is "And Hashem will be King over &lt;b&gt;all the earth&lt;/b&gt;",

is not in completeness.

Because in them the "King" is not heard.

And consequently there is also not the completeness of the revelations of the redemption in relation to Jews — their "servants"

("your nation")

do not hear the "King".

When however the world and all that is in it &lt;b&gt;hears&lt;/b&gt;,

from their own essence,

the "King" — by them it is "&lt;b&gt;to call &lt;/b&gt;all of them by the name of Hashem &lt;b&gt;and to serve Him &lt;/b&gt;with one shoulder",

"they will all return to the true religion",

until that also all their occupation is "to know Hashem alone" — then this is a complete redemption,

the intention of a dwelling place in the lower worlds is carried out in completeness,

and consequently — the completeness of redemption among Jews&lt;sup&gt;85&lt;/sup&gt;.

11.

Based on the above, one must mediate between the two interpretations of "and he trampled all the sons of Seth"

— in the manner of Chassidus:

In the future it will be "and Hashem will be King over all the earth",

and the revelation

(just as I am written)

of "Hashem is One" in the entire world.

In particular — there will be in this⁸⁶

a difference between Jews and "all the earth",

and corresponding to the difference in their existence⁸⁷

The entire creation,

including the nations of the world,

is a reality that was &lt;b&gt;brought into being&lt;/b&gt; through the Supernal One,

&lt;b&gt;created&lt;/b&gt; God from nothing to something with ten utterances,

and in the language of the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;88&lt;/sup&gt;

"All existences from heaven and earth and what is between them were not &lt;b&gt;found&lt;/b&gt; except from the truth of His existence."

Regarding Jews

(souls of Israel)

it is said further&lt;sup&gt;89&lt;/sup&gt;

"Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one"&lt;sup&gt;90&lt;/sup&gt;.

And based on this, in the future when the truth of God will be revealed forever,

the revelation of "God is One" in the world,

and in perfection,

will be heard throughout the entire creation,

including

O”W,

like “they are not found except from the truth of His existence”,

and that without the Above “no other thing can exist”⁹¹,

i.

e.

it will be heard that they are not a true existence⁹²

(“they will be cut off, they will perish”,

“karker” — a “destruction” of their existence)

But by Jews it is revealed,

that their very existence is His Essence, as it were,

Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one.

(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Beshalach and Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim 5743)