Commentary for Numbers 22:41

במות בעל BAMOTH-BAAL — Understand this as the Targum does: to the heights of his god (more lit., of that which he reverenced); Baal is the name of a god.

[AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MORNING AND BALAK TOOK BALAAM] AND BROUGHT HIM UP INTO BAMOTH-BAAL, AND HE SAW FROM THENCE THE UTMOST PART OF THE PEOPLE. Balak took him up to a [high] place from which he could see them [the people of Israel], in order that he could concentrate his curse upon them, and his mind would not separate itself from them, for it is one of the attributes of the soul’s powers that it attaches itself at the time of seeing a certain object as is known from that which the Sages tell¹⁰¹Baba Kamma 117a. The story is told there of a certain Babylonian scholar [Rav Kahana] who arrived at the academy of Rabbi Yochanan in the Land of Israel and Rabbi Yochanan was informed that “a lion had come up from Babylon.” When Rabbi Yochanan presented his teachings, Rav Kahana out of respect first remained silent. But when Rabbi Yochanan remarked his astonishment at his silence, Rav Kahana then successfully refuted Rabbi Yochanan’s teachings. Rabbi Yochanan, who could not see properly because of his heavy eye-lids [or eyelashes] asked his disciples to lift up his eye-lids so that he could see the new great scholar. Upon doing so, Rabbi Yochanan received the impression that the scholar [owing to a malformation of his lips] was laughing for having refuted him. Thereupon he gazed at him, and Rav Kahana died as a result. Ramban quotes this story in order to illustrate the “power of the soul” which can be transferred by a concentrated look. [of Rabbi Yochanan, that he said to his disciples]: “‘Lift up my eye-lids for me, because I want to see [this scholar].’ They [accordingly] lifted up his eye-lids. He set his eyes upon him, and [as a result] that person died.”
Now Scripture relates that Balaam did not see the whole camp [of Israel] because they were encamped in four standards [positioned in all] four directions of the heaven. On the second occasion Balak said to him, thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all,¹⁰²Further, 23:13. meaning: “this time also you will not [be able to] see them all, if that is what prevents you from cursing them, but [nonetheless] curse me them from thence¹⁰²Further, 23:13. if you can, for I do not have any place from where I can show you all of them.” Balak thought that perhaps there was a standard in one of the sections [of the camp of the Israelites] consisting of righteous and good people whom it pleased not the Eternal to crush,¹⁰³Isaiah 53:10. [and therefore Balak took Balaam to other places from which Balaam could see other parts of the camp, in order to curse them effectively].
It is also possible to explain that on the first occasion [referred to in this verse] Balaam did see the whole camp, for Bamoth-baal is a high place, and from there both of them [Balak and Balaam] saw part of the people, and built the altars there;¹⁰⁴Further, Verses 1-2. then Balaam ascended to the peak of the hill on that mountain, and saw the whole people, this being the meaning of [the expression] and he [Balaam] went ‘shephi,’¹⁰⁵Ibid., Verse 3. which means he went to “the height” thereof, as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has explained.

וירא משם קצה העם, in order to harm them by focusing his evil eye on them. Compare kings II 2,24 ויפן אחריו ויראם ויקללם, “He turned around and cursed them in the name of the Lord.” (the prophet Elisha cursed the lads who had insulted him) Deuteronomy 34,1 is an example of the very reverse, i.e. bestowing a blessing. Moses looked at the people with a benevolent eye, i.e. he blessed them.