Kommentar zu Bamidbar 22:29

התעללת — Understand this as the Targum does: an expression denoting scorn and disdain — [THOU HAST MADE SPORT OF ME].

כי התעללת בי, “because you mocked me!” As we pointed out already Bileam should have expressed his amazement at the ass’s sudden ability to speak to him. However, Bileam was so intent on reaching his destination and accomplishing his evil intent that he related to the ass’s speaking with utter naivity, taking the phenomenon for granted, and conversing with the ass as if with an equal. If the Torah does not report any reaction by the Moabite members of the delegation or of Bileam’s personal valet, perhaps they had not been privy to this conversation having walked some distance ahead (compare Nachmanides). This great miracle may have occurred when Bileam remained alone with the ass. Alternately, no one else had become privy to the miracle just as the prophets who were disciples of Elijah had not seen him ascend to heaven except for Elisha, or just as Daniel’s companions had not experienced Daniel’s visions even while walking alongside him, (Daniel 10,7).

This matter was extremely disparaging from him. There are those who raise the difficulty: Why was this disparaging? Surely Bil’am himself said that he had no power, only that he knew how to discern the time at which Hashem is angry, as Rashi explains later on the verse (23:8) “What Divine wrath can I evoke if Hashem has not been angry.” If so why was it disparaging, given that now was not a time of anger. The answer is that Balak and the dignitaries did not know this initially, for Balak had said, “For I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed” (v. 6). Surely [one could challenge and say that] he was only able to curse when Hashem was angry, and perhaps He would not be angry. Rather, one must say that Bil’am had not revealed this secret, and that later against his will and to his detriment the matter was revealed.

V. 29. כי התעללת בי (siehe Schmot 10, 2).

לו יש חרב בידי I WOULD THERE WERE A SWORD IN MY HAND — This utterance was a great shame for him in the sight of the princes: this man was going for the purpose of slaying a whole nation by his mouth, and for this animal he required a weapon! (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 9).