English translation — בלק א

1.

In the verse¹

"And Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab" Rashi stands on the words "and saddled his donkey" and explains "from here that hatred disrupts the line, that he saddled himself,

the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Wicked one, already Abraham their father preceded you, as it is said²

And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey."

It is seemingly not entirely smooth: Balaam did this

(as Rashi begins)

out of "hatred"

(toward Jews and hatred)

"disrupts the line" — and the continuation³

"the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Wicked one, already Abraham their father preceded you" — speaks about a desire to fulfill the command of Hashem?

The concept of "hatred disrupts the line" regarding Balaam,

is found in a number of places in Chazal<sup>4</sup>,

but the continuation "Said the Holy One, blessed be He, etc."

(as in Rashi)

is brought only in the Midrash on the spot<sup>5</sup>

— and this is its wording<sup>6</sup>

: "And he arose early<sup>7</sup>

early and stood with alacrity,

he himself<sup>8</sup>,

the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, already Abraham their father preceded you to bind Isaac his son

And Abraham arose early in the morning and saddled his donkey."

In the Midrash<sup>10</sup>

one could seemingly interpret,

that the emphasis is on the virtue of alacrity<sup>11</sup>

in time

(and only afterward comes "he himself")

which is expressed in "And Balaam arose in the morning": since the Most High said to him "Arise, go with them<sup>12</sup>,

Balaam thought,

that in the merit of this that he will fulfill the command of the L-rd "go" with alacrity,

it will be granted to him "to curse Israel"<sup>13</sup>

(and although initially the Most High did not want it,

is "perhaps I will entice him and he will be willing"<sup>14</sup>

because of the merit of alacrity).

And upon this "the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him",

that in this matter of alacrity "already Abraham their father preceded you".

In Rashi, however, it is not spoken about at all regarding alacrity

(and in particular — in time),

and the emphasis is only on "he imprisoned himself" and that this comes only from "hatred spoils the line" — is not understood,

What kind of "merit" did Balaam intend to have through an action which comes from "hatred"¹⁵?

B.

Moreover:

After studying the aforementioned midrash, one sees,

that in the midrash one cannot learn the aforementioned interpretation

(that Balaam's calculation was that because of his alacrity he would be able to say the opposite of the blessings)

In the midrash¹⁶,

the aforementioned homily comes in continuation of what is discussed earlier — "that in the way a person wants to go, they lead him, that initially it was said to him 'do not go,' once he brazenly went, he went, as it is written¹⁷

And God's anger was kindled because he was going; the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, I do not desire the destruction of the wicked; since you want to go to perish from the world, arise, go, and only the word, to teach you that with warning he went¹⁸

immediately 'and he arose early' etc.",

as above.

From this it is understood,

that his intention thereby was not from alacrity in fulfillment

of the command of G-d; on the contrary,

from this that the Most High warned him and said "Since you wish to go to perish from the world, arise go" Balaam clearly knew,

that his going is contrary to the command of G-d.

Nevertheless, one could in the Midrash learn

(with great difficulty at least),

that the alacrity of Balaam was in the manner of a movement of abandoning his soul

(in contrast to self-sacrifice from the side of holiness).

That although the Most High told him that he is going "to perish from the world",

he went with alacrity and with this intended to draw upon himself the forces of impurity etc.

And on this "said to him the Holy One blessed be He, wicked one, already preceded you Abraham their father" in the self-sacrifice of "to bind Isaac his son"

(which is in a detail grea- ter than self-sacrifice of oneself).

But regarding the explanation of Rashi,

is

a)

as above,

he speaks generally not about zealousness — he does not bring from the verse¹⁹

"And Balaam rose in the morning etc."

b)

he does not bring the matter that the Almighty told him that he is going "to be lost from the world,"

and on the contrary — Rashi says in the previous verse "if to call you — if the calling is yours and you think to take reward for it, rise and go with them."

He does not specify that this is connected with that Avraham "went to bind Yitzchak"²⁰.

3)

3.

The wonder becomes even greater:

The content of the matter of "hatred ruins the line"

(And likewise love ruins the line,

as it was by Abraham)

brings itself,

as above,

in many places in the words of our Sages —

a)

In the Gemara²¹

on the verse "And Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey",

says Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: "Love cancels a line of greatness from Abraham, as it is written 'And Abraham rose early in the morning',

hatred cancels a line of greatness from Balaam, as it is said 'And Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey'",

But 1)

The Gemara does not speak about "Avraham preceded you"; 2)

The wording in the Gemara

("Hatred cancels the line of greatness")

Is not as in Rashi and Midrash

("Spoils the line")²².

b)

In the Midrash²³

: "Love spoils the line ..

As it is written: And Abraham arose early in the morning etc. and he had many servants, but love spoils the line, and hatred spoils the line, as it is said: And Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his donkey, and he had many servants, but hatred spoils the line."

And afterwards it says in the Midrash: "Said Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: Let the binding come and stand upon the binding,

Let the binding come that Abraham our father bound himself to go and do the will of the Place, of He who spoke and the world came into being<sup>24</sup>

And Abraham stretched out his hand etc.<sup>25</sup>

And stand upon the binding that Balaam bound himself to go and curse Israel" — what then

Is seemingly the content of "Abraham preceded you",

But Rashi says "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Wicked one, [someone] already preceded you",

and it means that the "and he saddled his donkey" was with a special intention on the part of Balaam

(and to this was the answer "already preceded you")

— unlike the language of the midrash "Let the saddling come and stand against the saddling",

which does not indicate that the action of Balaam

("and he saddled")

contains in itself an intention.

4.

And one can say the explanation in this:

Balak hired Balaam in order to "Please come, curse this people for me"<sup>26</sup>.

After this, however, when the Most High did not allow him to go<sup>27</sup>

and afterwards He him

(finally)

said<sup>12</sup>

"But the word which I speak to you, that you shall do" — this is that "nevertheless Balaam went" — because he thought "perhaps I will persuade Him and He will be appeased"<sup>14</sup>

to curse, heaven forbid, Jews; or by prosecuting against Jews — in the manner that Rashi says further<sup>28</sup>,

that after Balaam saw that the Most High "does not desire to curse them"

(but on the contrary,

to bless them and he — Balaam himself — did it twice),

he said "I will mention their iniquities and the curse will take effect upon the mention of their iniquities"; and as Rashi says<sup><b>g</b></sup>

on the words "And he set his face toward the wilderness — according to its Targum",

that he says "And he set to receive the calf that Israel made in the wilderness his face",

that he mentioned the sin of the calf.

And so in our matter: in the action of "he saddled himself" there was a reason

Revealed — "hatred corrupts etc."; Balaam, however, was a "sorcerer"²⁹,

he also in this³⁰

had a hidden intention and purpose — with his "corruption of the line" he intended to accuse³¹

against Jews through³²

also hinting at all those conducts of Jews in the desert which were in the manner of "corruption of the line" and thereby bring out the opposite of love, heaven forbid

(from Jews to the Above,

and consequently)

from the Above to Jews.

And also the "said the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Wicked one, already preceded you Abraham their father'",

that his accusation through mentioning the conducts of the children of Israel cannot take effect,

because "already preceded you Abraham .

their father",

which by him was "he bound himself" and in a manner of "love corrupts the line"³³,

and consequently

the merit of Abraham will not allow that the matter of "he imprisoned himself"

(from the aspect that hatred corrupts etc.)

should accomplish something.

And as we see further in the continuation of the portion,

where the merit of the fathers was mentioned successively regarding the Jews — both in Balaam's journey³⁴,

and in his words and deeds — that he tried to contend with the actions and merits of the fathers³⁵

; and so too in his blessings³⁶

(which,

as Rashi brings³⁷

"from the blessings of that wicked man we learn what was in his heart to curse them").

Furthermore: not only did his accusation in this matter,

"hatred distorts the line",

could not take effect because of the merit of Abraham,

but because "love distorts the line" was the quality of "Abraham our father" it also came as an inheritance to his descendants after him³⁸

; and that which sometimes occurred,

that among them the conduct was not in this manner

(or even in the opposite manner),

it was among them only an external matter³⁹,

not their nature G-d forbid and habit — and on the contrary they have by inheritance a nature of love for G-d up to a great love which "distorts the line"!

5.

From wondrous matters in Rashi's commentary:

Regarding this matter of "hatred disrupts the line" and "love disrupts the line" are brought in the Midrash⁴⁰

two examples — both by love and by hatred:

By "love" the Midrash brings the aforementioned example of Abraham,

and also of Joseph "as it is said⁴¹

And Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father; and did Joseph not have many servants? Rather, love disrupts the line"⁴².

And by hatred he brings

(in addition to the example of Balaam)

or the example of Pharaoh,

"as it is written⁴³

And he harnessed his chariot and he did not have many servants, but hatred spoils the line."

Or in the Mechilta⁴⁴

it speaks about the same content,

with the same four examples,

but not in the language of "love

(hatred)

spoils the line",

but in the language: "Four harnessed in joy: Abraham harnessed in joy, as it is said 'And he arose early' etc. ..

Rather for the honor of the place; Joseph harnessed in joy, as it is said 'And he harnessed' rather for the honor of his father; Balaam harnessed in joy, as it is said ..

Pharaoh harnessed in joy etc.'"

The difference in content between the expressions — whether the action is from "disrupting the line",

or because of "joy ..

in honor"

(and the like)

— is:

When a thing is done in a manner of "disruption of the line"

(due to love or hatred)

then this is an action connected with

"corruption",

not with correction⁴⁵

; when one says however that this is done "with joy ..

for the honor of the place" etc.,

it emphasizes,

that this is an act of joy of the honor of the place or the honor of his father.

And likewise the opposite — regarding Balaam and Pharaoh.

And one may say,

that the practical difference in this regarding halacha is — whether on this there is an obligation

(complete)

: one is obligated in the honor of the place,

his father etc.

(and consequently it must be — serve the Lord with joy)

— but not to corrupt the line⁴⁶.

6.

In Rashi's commentary on the Torah,

although in all four cases he emphasizes the same point,

that they did it themselves

(not through servants and the like),

he nevertheless varies in their expressions:

By Avraham he explains "And he saddled himself and did not command one of his servants, for love distorts the line"; and likewise in the opposite aspect,

in the matter of "hatred distorts the line" regarding Balaam in our parshah.

But by Yosef, Rashi says "He himself harnessed the horses for the chariot to hurry for the honor of his father",

as in the Mechilta.

And by Pharaoh he explains only "he himself".

D.

E.

By Avraham and, be it different, by Bilaam,

it is the matter of corruption of the line,

but not so by Yosef it is the matter of

honor of his father

(and likewise, to distinguish, by Pharaoh),

as above.

and based on this it is understood

a)

What Rashi emphasizes in our parshah "from here that hatred distorts the line [of justice]",

with which he means to negate that the "and he harnessed his chariot"

("he himself")

by Pharaoh was not

(according to the method of the midrash)

a matter of distortion,

but rather — a calculation of great profit

(in order to influence all his servants that they should go with him,

as Rashi says there⁴⁷

in the continuation of his commentary on "and his people he took with him" — "he drew them with words: we took their money and sent them away etc. and I will not behave toward you as other kings etc. I will go before you etc.",

or because of the calculation to get back their money etc.)⁴⁸.

b)

Why does Rashi not bring at the end of his commentary

(here in our parshah)

that "

(Abraham their father preceded)

to bind Isaac his son",

as in the midrash — because according to Rashi the emphasis here is on the matter of "love distorts the line [of justice]",

and not the positive command

(to bind etc.)⁴⁹.

7.

from the wine of Torah in Rashi's commentary:

The content of the entire parshas Balak is — "And Hashem your G-d did not want to listen to Bilaam, and Hashem your G-d turned the curse for you

for a blessing, because Hashem your G-d loved you"⁵⁰,

this is the point⁵¹

innermost of all the details of the narrative about Balaam etc.,

which emphasize the matter of the transformation of the curse into a blessing.

And it is understood,

that also that which the Torah relates about the "hatred corrupts the line" of Balaam,

is also because that it is for the sake of the blessing.

And the explanation:

The service of man in general is in the two lines of turn from evil and do good: turn from evil comes from the side of hatred of evil,

to all matters which are contrary to the supernal will⁵²

; and do good — from the side of love of G‑d,

"For the one who fulfills them truly is the one who loves the name of G‑d and desires to cleave to Him truly"⁵³.

And in this itself there are distinctions: a hatred and disgust of evil which is limited,

and likewise love of G‑d limited; and a hatred which is unlimited,

beyond the norm,

and likewise a great love of G‑d beyond the norm,

above measure and limitation⁵².

And in this matter Rashi emphasizes,

that the unlimited love of a Jew to fulfill the will of God,

so that the fulfillment of the commandment is not according to measure and limitation and calculation,

comes from "Avraham their father",

whose love for God was above measure and limit⁵⁴,

"Love disrupts the

line" and therefore⁵⁵

his conduct was — "And Avraham arose early in the morning and saddled his donkey".

And since "Avraham their father preceded them",

it effected that not only did Balaam's "hatred corrupts the line" not have the power to cause an accusation upon Jews,

but on the contrary — this overturned and gave the power that also among Jews there should be the "hatred corrupts the line",

the hatred of evil and undesirable things in a manner of the ultimate hatred,

and consequently the negation and caution in "turn away from evil" is in a manner of "corruption of the line" — beyond measure and limitation.

And these two manners are not only regarding the fulfillment of the commandments

(turn away from evil and do good)

from the perspective of the person,

but also in relation to their effect in the world,

and as hinted in the verses themselves: by Avraham it says "and he saddled his donkey",

which hints at the "matter" of the body — and according to the well-known teaching of the Baal Shem Tov⁵⁶

: "When you see the donkey of your enemy,

when you look carefully at your matter which is the body etc. 'you shall surely help him' — to refine the body and purify it and not to break it through ascetic practices."

And this is the content of "and he saddled his donkey",

as the Shach

(on the Torah)⁵⁷

explains "that he subdued the material" — not to break the body,

but to subdue and refine the materiality of the body,

to harness and utilize the body in the service of God; and likewise the "material" in the general sense of

the entire world,

"fill the earth and subdue it"⁵⁸,

the permitted things of the world,

one should subdue them and bring them into the domain of holiness.

When one speaks, however, about "Balaam's donkey",

the matters of the side of impurity

(G-d forbid),

which one cannot clarify,

by them there must be the relationship and conduct of "hatred spoils the line",

in a manner of postponement.

Ch.

This, however, is not sufficient: "And Hashem your G-d turned for you the curse into a blessing" means indeed⁵⁹

that the curse itself becomes transformed into a blessing — the concept of transformation,

intentional sins become for him like merits,

that the evil becomes transformed into good — and not only that instead of the curse came a blessing.

And one must say the explanation in this regarding the service of man:

"line",

"line of the law",

means how the matters conduct themselves through according to order and reason and knowledge,

according to the order of holiness

not "line of greatness"⁶⁰]

; and if there is, heaven forbid, the undesirable "disruption of the line",

from^<b>'</b>

goes down from the "line" of holiness "sin and blemish and transgressed the way",

which comes from the "hatred"

(— the hatred of the side of evil to holiness,

of the evil inclination to the good inclination)

— is in order to rectify this there must be "disruption of the line" to the side of good⁶¹

— the teshuvah from great love⁶²

and what is higher than the measure and limitation of the "line" of holiness.

And this is the "already Abraham preceded you": through the great love

(and self-sacrifice)

of Abraham our father

(which comes as an inheritance to every Jew in Israel)

one transforms into holiness also the unwanted "disruption of the line",

which comes through the hatred of holiness.

That is,

that the sparks of holiness which according to the line of holiness one cannot refine them — because the sparks of holiness which have fallen into the forbidden things of the three impure shells one cannot refine them according to Torah

(and on the contrary⁶³,

according to Torah one must distance oneself from them⁶⁴)

— through "great teshuvah ..

which is teshuvah from love from the depth of the heart with great love and longing and a soul yearning to cleave to Him, blessed be He",

also they become elevated and transformed into holiness,

as explained in Tanya⁶⁵

(that the intentional sins become transformed into actual merits).

9.

And here one sees the "wondrous matters" in the "wine of Torah" that is in Rashi's commentary:

The entire content of the portion of Balak is,

that despite the fact that Balak hired Balaam to curse the Jews,

the result thereof was, however,

(not only the nullification of the curses,

but moreover)

that the curses became a matter of blessing,

and in the language of the verse

(the aforementioned)

"And the L-rd your G-d did not want to listen to Balaam, and the L-rd your G-d turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the L-rd your G-d loves you."

And this is hinted in Rashi's commentary — immediately at the first action,

that Balaam did,

at the beginning of his going "to curse Israel" — that "he saddled his donkey",

the "hatred distorts the line",

was immediately nullified and transformed through that which "already preceded you, Abraham their father",

through the love that distorts the line of Jews towards the Most High,

which the love from below had drawn down

(as water reflects the face)

also from above the "and He turned etc. the curse into a blessing because Hashem your God loves you"⁶⁶.

(From the talk of Shabbat Parshat Chukat-Balak 5742)