Talmud for Numbers 24:30

Be deliberate in judgment. How so? This teaches that a person should carefully deliberate in judgment, for all who are careful in judgment will feel settled about their judgment, as it says (Proverbs 25:1), "These, too, are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied." This does not mean they merely copied them, but that they deliberated over them. Abba Shaul says: They did not merely deliberate carefully over them, but explained them. Originally, they would say: Proverbs, and Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes had to be hidden, for people would recite proverbs that were at odds with Scripture. So they decided to hide them, until the Men of the Great Assembly came along and explained them, as it says (Proverbs 7:7–20), “I saw among the simple, and noticed among the children, a youth with no sense…and behold a woman came up to him, dressed like a prostitute, with a guarded heart. She is restless and rebellious. Her legs are never at home. Sometimes she is outside, sometimes in the streets; she lurks on every corner. She grabs him, and kisses him, and boldly says to him: I made well-being sacrifices; today I fulfilled my vows. That is why I came up to you, seeking you, and have found you. I have draped my couch with covers of dyed Egyptian cloth. I have scented my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Let us go and fill ourselves with love until the morning. Let us indulge in loving. For the man of the house is out, he has gone on the road, far away. He took a bundle of money with him, and will not come back home until the full moon." And in Song of Songs (7:12–13) it is written, "Let us go, my beloved, out into field. Let us spend the night in the villages. We will wake up in the vineyards, and see if the vines have flowered, if its blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give my love to you." And in Ecclesiastes (11:9) it is written, "Young man, enjoy your childhood! Let your heart feel good while you are still young! Follow the ways of your heart and the visions of your eyes. But know that for all these things, God will bring you to judgment." And it is written in Song of Songs (7:11), "I am my beloved's, and his desire is upon me." They did not merely deliberate over them, but explained them!
Another interpretation: Be deliberate in judgment. How so? This teaches that a person should carefully consider his words, and not be severe with his words, for one who is severe with his words forgets his words. For so we find with Moses our teacher, that when he was severe with his words he forgot his words. Where do we find that Moses our teacher forgot his words? For it says (Numbers 31:21), "Elazar the priest said to the troops who had come in from the war: This is the decree of the Torah that God has commanded Moses." He commanded Moses, and did not command me? (He commanded Moses, my father's brother, and did not command me?) And where do we find that Moses was severe with his words? For it says with regard to the commanders of the army that (Numbers 31:14), "Moses became angry with the commanders of the army…and he said to them: You have let all the women live!" If so, then what do we learn from the phrase, "all the women"? Rather, this is a reference to the advice that Bil’am the wicked gave regarding Israel, as it is written (Numbers 24:14), “And now, as I go back to my people, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people at the end of days.” He said to [King Balak]: This people that you hate, they are hungry for food and thirsty for drink, but they have nothing to eat or drink but manna alone. Go and set up tents, and put food and drink in them, and then place beautiful women inside – the daughters of kings – so that this people will be seduced into worshiping Ba’al Peor, and will fall into the hand of God. Immediately, Balak went and did everything Bil’am the wicked told him. And see what Bil’am the wicked caused to happen to Israel, for twenty-four thousand of them fell, as it says (Numbers 25:9), “And those that died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.” And if Moses our teacher, the greatest of all sages and the father of the prophets, forgot his own words when he became severe with his words, would it not be all the more so with us? This teaches that a person should always consider his words carefully, and not be severe with his words. Ben Azzai said: Be careful with your words, and do not use them wastefully.

What was the fence that Job made around his words? It says (Job 1:5), “A pure and righteous man, who fears God and turns away from evil.” This teaches us that Job distanced himself from anything that would bring him to sin, from any ugliness, and from anything even resembling ugliness. If that is so, then why do we have to also learn that he was “a pure and righteous man”? But instead, this is here to teach us that Job emerged [from the womb] already circumcised. Adam also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 1:24), “And God created the person in His image.” Seth also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 5:2), “He had a child in his likeness and image.” Noah also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 6:9), “A just and pure man in his generation.” Shem also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 14:18), “Malkitzedek, king of Shalem.”²Malkitzedek is understood in rabbinic tradition to be Shem. The Hebrew word shalem means “complete.” Jacob also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 25:27), “Jacob was a pure man, who sat in tents.” Joseph also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 37:2), “This is the progeny of Jacob: Joseph.” But shouldn’t it say [instead]: This is the progeny of Jacob: Reuben? What do we learn from [the fact that it says] Joseph? [We learn] that just as Jacob emerged already circumcised, (so, too,) Joseph emerged already circumcised. Moses also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Exodus 2:2), “She saw that he was good.” And what did his mother see in him that was lovelier and more praiseworthy than any other person? That he emerged circumcised. Bil’am the wicked also came out circumcised, as it says (Numbers 24:4), “The word of him who hears God’s speech.” (Samuel also emerged circumcised, as it says [I Samuel 2:26], “Young Samuel continued to grow and was good.”) David also emerged circumcised – as it says (Psalms 16:1), “A mikhtam³A ketem (which has the same Hebrew letters as mikhtam) can mean a type of spot or marking. of David. (Protect me, for I seek refuge in You).” Jeremiah also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Jeremiah 1:5), “Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and before you came out of the womb I consecrated you.” Zerubbabel also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Haggai 2:23), “On that day (I will take,) [declares the Eternal of Hosts, I will take] Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the Eternal.” And it says (Job 31:1), “I have made a covenant with my eyes, so how can I gaze at a maiden [i.e., an unmarried woman]?” This teaches that Job was strict with himself and would not even look at a maiden. And if with a maiden – whom he could marry if he wished (to his son, to his daughter, or to [another] family member) – he was strict with himself and would not look at her, then all the more so [would he never look at] a married woman! And why was he so strict with himself not to look even at a maiden? Because Job said to himself: Perhaps I will look today, and tomorrow another man will come along and marry her, and then I will have looked at a married woman.

“Nor clap the hands in anger.” סִיפּוּק is in anger, as you are saying, Balaq got angry about Bileam and he clapped his hands in anger⁵⁰Num. 24:10..

Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Yehudah bar Zebida²¹⁷A Galilean Amora of the second generation, possibly a student of Rav in Babylonia. He is also the author of the parallel statement in the Babli (12b). The statement of Rebbi Ḥuna is given in the Babli in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Abun. The reasons of Rebbi Yose bar Abun and Rebbi Eleazar in the Yerushalmi are missing in the Babli. The quotes in the Babli are all in the name of Galilean authorities.: It would have been logical that one also would have to recite the chapter of Balaq and Balaam every day²¹⁸The blessings of Balaam, Num. 23:7–24:25.. Why does one not recite it? Not to incommodate the public too much. Rebbi Ḥuna said, because it mentions lying down and standing up²¹⁹Num. 23:24, 24:9.. Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, because it contains the Exodus and God’s kingdom²²⁰Num. 24:8, 23:21.. Rebbi Eleazar said, because it is written in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographs.²²¹In the Torah as indicated; in the Prophets Michah 6:5, in the Hagiographs Neḥemiah 13:2

Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Yehudah bar Zebida²¹⁷A Galilean Amora of the second generation, possibly a student of Rav in Babylonia. He is also the author of the parallel statement in the Babli (12b). The statement of Rebbi Ḥuna is given in the Babli in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Abun. The reasons of Rebbi Yose bar Abun and Rebbi Eleazar in the Yerushalmi are missing in the Babli. The quotes in the Babli are all in the name of Galilean authorities.: It would have been logical that one also would have to recite the chapter of Balaq and Balaam every day²¹⁸The blessings of Balaam, Num. 23:7–24:25.. Why does one not recite it? Not to incommodate the public too much. Rebbi Ḥuna said, because it mentions lying down and standing up²¹⁹Num. 23:24, 24:9.. Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, because it contains the Exodus and God’s kingdom²²⁰Num. 24:8, 23:21.. Rebbi Eleazar said, because it is written in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographs.²²¹In the Torah as indicated; in the Prophets Michah 6:5, in the Hagiographs Neḥemiah 13:2

“The meaning of etan is “hard”, “Hard is your seat, make your nest in the rock¹²⁵Num. 24:21. The same quote in the Babli. 46a/b..” “Even if it is not hard it is qualified.” Similarly, if there is no brook? Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated, “they shall bring down, and they shall bring down,” even if there is no brook¹²⁶Deut. 21:4. While the vaw starting the sentence is quite necessary as vaw consecutive, R. Simeon wants to construe it as unnecessary addition which enlarges the domain in which the calf could have its neck broken. There are no parallels to this opinion.. But that of Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai is of those which are so-and-so⁵⁴The statement is not from a recognized baraita collection, nor does it contain a name of a tradent which would vouchsafe the text for the 100 years between R. Simeon and R. Joḥanan.. As Rebbi Joḥanan said, all those [statements] of Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai which are so-and-so are isolated opinions and one cannot rely on them.

Rebbi Simeon ben Yohai stated: Aqiba my teacher used to preach, there appeared a star out of Jacob²⁸⁶Num. 24:17. there appeared Koziba out of Jacob. When Rebbi Aqiba saw Bar Koziba he said, this is King Messias. Rebbi Joḥanan ben Torta said to him, Aqiba! Grass will grow from your jaws and still David’s son (still has to) [will not have]²⁸⁷The corrector’s [text] is from the Midrash. The scribe’s text asserts that the Messiah always will be coming. come. Rebbi Joḥanan said, the voice of Emperor Hadrian killing eighty thousand myriads at Bettar²⁸⁸In Cant. rabba 2(36) the number is 90’000’000. Thr. rabba shows that the statement here is copied in the wrong place; it belongs to the previous paragraph, explaining the sound of Esau.. Rebbi Joḥanan said, eighty [thousand] couples of horn-blowers²⁸⁹Roman army commanders. were encircling Bettar, each of which was commanding several army units. There was Ben Koziba who had 200’000 with him missing a finger. The Sages sent, how long will you turn Israel into defective persons? He told them, how would it be possible to test them? They said to him, anyone who riding on his horse cannot uproot a cedar of Lebanon should not be enrolled in your army²⁹⁰Greek στρατιά.. He had 200’000 of either kind. When he went into battle he said, Master of the World: Do not support and do not hinder, did not you, God, neglect us, and do not go out with our armies²⁹¹Ps. 60:12.. Three and a half years did Hadrian encircle Bettar. Rebbi Eleazar from Modiin was sitting in sackcloth and ashes, praying every day and saying, Master of the World, do not sit in judgment today, do not sit in judgment today. Hadrian wanted to go away. A Samaritan said to him, do not go away, for I am seeing what to do that the city will submit to you. He went to the city gate, entered, and found Rebbi Eleazar from Modiin standing in prayer. He showed himself as if he would whisper into his ear. The people of the city saw him and brought him to Ben Koziba. They said to him, we saw this old man turning to your uncle. He asked him, what did you say to him and what did he say to you? He answered, if I shall tell you, the king will kill me; but if I do not tell you, you will kill me. It is better that the king should kill me but not you. He told him, he said to me, I will make the town submit to the king. He came to Rebbi Eleazar from Modiin. He asked him, what did this Samaritan say to you. He answered, nothing. What did you say to him? He answered, nothing. He kicked him and killed him. Immediately there came an unembodied voice and said, woe, criminal shepherds, who abandon the flock, a sword on his arm and on his right eye. His arm shall dry up and his right eye darken²⁹²Zach. 11:17.. You killed Rebbi Eleazar from Modiin, the arm of Israel, and their right eye. Therefore this man’s arm shall dry up and his right eye darken. Immediately Bettar was taken and Ben Koziba killed. They came carrying his head to Hadrain. He asked them, who killed him? A Samaritan said to him, I killed him. He said to him, show me his body. He showed him his body; he found a poisonous snake wrapped around him. He said, if God had not killed him, who could kill him? He recited over him, if not that their Rock had sold them, and the Eternal handed them over²⁹³Deut. 32:30.. They killed them continuously until the horse was immersed in blood up to his nose. The blood was moving rocks of 40 seah loads, until the blood colored the sea for four mil. If you would say that it was close to the sea, in fact it is 40 mil distant from the sea. They said, 300 children’s brains were found on one stone, and they found three boxes of tefillin capsules of nine seah each, but some say nine of three each. It was stated, Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, 500 schools were in Bettar, the smallest one for not less than 500 children. They were saying, if the haters come against us we shall go out against them with these stylos and blind them. When the sins caused, they were binding each single one into his book and burning him; and of them only I remained. He recited referring to himself, my eye hurts my soul more than all daughters of my city²⁹⁴Thr. 3:51.. The evil Hadrian had a large vineyard, eighteen mil by eighteen mil, as from Tiberias to Sepphoris. He fenced it in with the slain of Bettar standing up with outstretched arms, and did not decide that they should be buried, until another king arose²⁹⁵An expression used for a new dynasty, in this case Septimius Severus. who decided that they should be buried.

Rebbi Aqiba explained: “Elihu Ben Barakhel the Buzite from the family Ram got angry.¹⁸³Job32:2.” Elihu that is Bileam. Ben Barakhel, who came to curse Israel but blessed them. The Buzite¹⁸⁴From the root בוז “to insult, to degrade”., whose prophecy was degraded, “who falls down open-eyed.¹⁸⁵Num. 24:4.” From the family Ram, “from Aram did Balaq lead me¹⁸⁶Num. 23:7..” Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah said to him, if he is he, then the Omnipresent already covered it up. If he is not he, in the future [world] he will argue with you. But Elihu that is Isaac. Ben Barakhel, the son whom God blessed, as it was said: “The Eternal had blessed him¹⁸⁷Gen. 26:12. In the Babli, Baba Batra15b, the consensus it that Elihu was Jewish; cf. Tosaphot s. v. אליהוא. Some commentators note that Gen.25:11 would have been a better quote since it mentions Isaac’s status as son and uses the term Elohim, contained in the name, and not YHWH, as in Gen.26:12.”. The Buzite¹⁸⁴From the root בוז “to insult, to degrade”., who degraded all temples of foreign worship at the moment he was bound on the altar. From the family Ram, the son of Abram.

A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose¹⁷³In Qohelet Rabbati and Babli Berakhot, the author is always R. Ismael. and said to him, I saw in my dream that I was watering an olive tree with oil. He said to him, the spirit of that person should be blown away, he made love to his mother. A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream that my eye kissed its companion. He said to him, the spirit of that person should be blown away, he made love to his sister¹⁷⁴In Qohelet Rabbati, one eye swallowed the other and the interpretation was that his children slept with one another. In the Babli, this and the preceding paragraph speak of the same person.. A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream that I had three eyes. He said to him, you are an oven maker; your two eyes and the opening of the oven¹⁷⁵In Qohelet Rabbati, a baker with the glowing opening of his oven.. A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream that I had four ears. He said to him, you are filling [amphoras]; your two ears and the two ears of the amphora. A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream that people got out of my way. He said to him, you are carrying thorns and everybody gets out of your way¹⁷⁶In Qohelet Rabbati, this and the preceding paragraph are amalgamated to an unintelligible whole.. A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream that I was wearing a wooden notebinder with twelve tablets. He said to him, the stone bench of this person has twelve tatters¹⁷⁷In Qohelet Rabbati, the cover of his donkey has 12 tears.. A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream that I swallowed a star. He said to him, the spirit of that person should be blown away, he killed a Jew as it is written (Num. 24:17): “A star went out from Jacob.¹⁷⁸In Qohelet Rabbati, the proof is from Gen. 15:5. In the Babli, Berakhot56b, he is accused of selling a Jew into slavery.” A person came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and said to him, I saw in my dream the vineyard of this man grow bitter lettuce. He said to him, all your wine will be sour and you will bring bitter lettuce and dip it in the cups¹⁷⁹In Qohelet Rabbati, all people will come to buy his vinegar to pickle the bitter lettuce..

GEMARA. ‘Always be dignified’, etc. R. Samuel b. Naḥmani said:¹³Sanh. 105b-106a (Sonc. ed., p. 721). What is the meaning of the verse, For the Lord will smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water?¹⁴1 Kings 14, 15. Better is the curse wherewith Aḥijah the Shilonite cursed Israel than the blessing wherewith the wicked Balaam blessed them. Aḥijah the Shilonite cursed Israel with a reed, as it is written, For the Lord will smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. But Balaam blessed them with the cedar, as it is written, As cedars beside the waters.¹⁵Num. 24, 6 Therefore ‘be tender like the reed and do not be hard like the cedar … therefore the reed merited’, etc.
Why did dogs merit that of their excrement sacred books and tefillin should be made?¹⁶The parchment of Torah scrolls and tefillin is treated with the excrement of dogs. Because it stated, But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue.¹⁷Ex. 11, 7. Similarly you may ask, Wherein lay the merit of the haḥiroth?¹⁸i.e. Pi-haḥiroth of Ex. 14, 2. It was a sanctuary connected with the Semitic deity Baal-Zephon, in whose worship licentious rites were practised. When the women beheld the Israelites, they abandoned their rites and as a reward the place was named חִירׂת read as חֵרוּת, ‘freedom’. Cf. Tanḥuma, Balaḳ, §17, Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, III, pp. 10f. They were harlots and when they caught sight of Israel they turned their faces backward and are therefore called ḥeruth.

HALAKHAH: “A qônām that I shall not enjoy from the descendants of Noah; he is permitted Jews and forbidden Gentiles¹⁴⁵Even though Jews also are descendants of Noah, the technical term “descendants of Noah” applies only to those outside the Sinaitic covenant, who are only bound by the natural law given to Adam and Noah.. That I shall not enjoy from the descendants of Abraham; he is forbidden Jews and permitted Gentiles,” etc. Is Ismael not part of Abraham’s seed? “¹⁵⁰Gen. 21:12. The same in the Babli 31a, Sanhedrin 59b.. For in Isaac will be called your seed.” And is not Esaw part of Isaac’s seed? Rebbi Yudan bar Shalom said, “in Isaac,” in part of Isaac. Rebbi Huna said, “ב” are two¹⁵¹Following the Alexandrian practice to denote numbers by letters., the son who will be inheriting two worlds, this world and the world to come. Rebbi Gershom in the name of Rebbi Aḥa, “¹⁵²Num. 24:17. a star did step out from Jacob,” from whom did a star step out and will appear in the future? From Jacob! Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Ḥuna: In the future world, evil Esaw will put on his prayer shawl and sit with the Just in Paradise, but the Holy One, Praise to Him, draws him away. Why? “¹⁵³Ob. 1:4. If you climb as high as an eagle or if you would make your nest between stars, from there I would take you down, says the Lord.” But “stars” are only the Just. As you say¹⁵⁴Dan. 12:3., “those who justify the many are like stars, eternally.”

Rabbi Elazar HaKappar would say: Anyone who respects his friends only for their money, in the end will be sent away from them in disgrace. And anyone who disgraces his friends in order to fulfill a mitzvah, in the end will be sent away from them honorably.
How do we know that anyone who respects his friends only for their money, in the end will be sent away from them in disgrace? For this is what we find with Bil’am the wicked, who respected Balak for his money, as it says (Numbers 22:18), “And Bil’am answered, saying to Balak’s servants: If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold.” And how do we know he was sent away in disgrace? For it says (Numbers 24:11), “Now, get out of here and go back to your own place…for the Eternal has denied you honor.”
And how do we know that anyone who disgraces his friends in order to fulfill a mitzvah, in the end will be sent away from them honorably? For this is what we find with Moses our teacher, who disgraces Pharaoh in order to fulfill a mitzvah, as it says (Exodus 11:8), “All of your servants shall come down and bow before me, saying.” Now, was Pharaoh up on a roof and was Moses down on the ground? No, what Moses meant was: Even if all your servants who stand up (and bow) before you on your platform were to get up and beg me, I would not listen to them. And how do we know he was sent away honorably? For it says (Numbers 33:3), “On the day after the Passover offering, the Israelites went out with a raised hand.”

The Holy Blessed One tested our ancestors with ten trials, and they did not emerge whole from any of them. They are as follows: “In the wilderness, on the plain, facing Suf, [between Paran, and Tophel, and Lavan, and Hatzerot, and Di-zahav]” (Deuteronomy 1:1). “In the wilderness”: When they made the Golden Calf, as it says (Exodus 32:8), “They made themselves a molten calf.” “On the plain”: Because of water, as it says (Exodus 17:3), “There the people thirsted for water.” “Facing Suf”: When they rebelled at the Sea of Reeds (and some say: This was the idol that Micah made). Rabbi Yehudah said: They rebelled at the sea, meaning, they rebelled in the sea, as it says (Psalms 106:7), “They rebelled at the Sea of Reeds.” “Between Paran”: With regard to the spies (as it says in Numbers 13:3), “Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran.” “And Tophel”: These were the frivolous words (tiphlot) they said about the manna. “Lavan”: This was Korah’s mutiny. “Hatzerot”: Because of the quails. So far, that is seven. But in another place (Deuteronomy 9:22) it says, “At Tav’erah, and at Masah, and at Kivrot HaTa’avah.” “Di-zahav”: This is when (Aaron) said to them: Enough (dai) of this golden (zahav) sin which you have committed with the calf! But Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya'akov would say: [Terrible] enough (dai) is this sin that Israel was punished for to last from now until the resurrection of the dead.