כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃
Que tous les peuples m’enveloppent: au nom du Seigneur, je les taille en pièces.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 22:4, cont.:) “Now Balak ben Zippor was king of Moab….” But was he not formerly a prince, as stated (in Josh. 13:21), “Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, princes of Sihon?”10According to Enoch Zundel in his commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, Balak is to be identified with Zur. So also Issachar Ber Ashkenazi in his commentary, Mattenot Kehunnah, on the parallel in Numb. R. 20:4; Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1954), vol. III, p. 353; vol. VI, p. 136, n. 791. It is simply that when Sihon was killed they made him king in his place. (Numb. 22:4, cont.:) “At that time.” As it was the time that caused it for him. (Numb. 22:5:) “And he sent messengers to Balaam ben Beor at Pethor.” [Pethor (Petor) was] the name of his city.11Numb. R. 20:7; Sanh. 105ab. But others say that [the name implies] he was a money-changer,12Since pator in Aramaic denotes a table, these interpreters would read the clause: AND HE SENT MESSENGERS TO BALAAM BEN BEOR AT A MONEY-CHANGER’S TABLE. Cf. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 23:16. since the kings of the nations of the world took counsel with him, as the money-changer to whom they all would show [their coins]. Still others say that in the beginning he was an interpreter (poter) of dreams. He turned to being a diviner. Then he turned to the holy spirit.13See Numb. 24:2. (Numb. 22:5, cont.:) “To the land of his kinsfolk,” for Balak came from there, and [Balaam] had told him, “Your destiny is to become king.”(Numb. 22:5, cont.:) “To summon him.” Thus he wrote him, “Do not suppose that it is for myself alone that you are doing this and that I alone am honoring you. If you uproot them, you shall receive honor from all the nations, so that the Canaanites and the Egyptians shall all bow down to you.” (Numb. 22:5, cont.:) “Here is a people that has come out of Egypt.” He said to him, “As for you, how does it concern you?” He said to him (in Numb. 22:5, cont.), “’Look, they have covered the face (literally: eye) of the earth.’ [There are] two eyes upon which the land depends, Sihon and Og. They have destroyed them and covered their eyes. And [now] what do I do?” (Numb. 22:5, cont.:) “Now they are dwelling opposite me (mmwly).” [What is actually] written [in the Biblical text] is mmly (from the root, mwl, which means, "cut off"), just as it says (in Ps. 118:10), “in the name of the Lord I will cut them off (rt.: mwl).”14With the word rewritten in this sense, the end of Numb. 22:5 reads: NOW THEY ARE DWELLING [THERE] CUTTING ME OFF. This interpretation of Numb. 22:5 is also given by Rashi, ad loc. (Numb. 22:6:) “So come now please, curse (arah) [this people] for me.” What is the meaning of “curse ('rh) […] for me?” Perhaps I shall be able to control them little by little, like someone who picks (rt.: 'rh) figs. (Numb. 22:6, cont.:) “For they are mightier than I.” [It is] not that they are more valiant than I, nor [is it] that their forces are more numerous than mine. It is simply that they conquer through their mouth, [and this is] something that I cannot do. (Numb. 22:6, cont.:) “Perhaps I shall be able to smite them.” What reason was there for this one to engage them (i.e., Israel) in war? Did not the Holy One, blessed be He, tell them this, that [Israel] was not to take any of their land? [It was] simply that [Balak] was more of a master of sorceries and divinations than Balaam, for it is so written of him (in Numb. 22:2), “Now Balak [ben Zippor] saw (in a vision),” except that he did not really comprehend the things [he saw]. And so it says (in Is. 47:13-14), “You are wearied with your many deliberations; let those who study the heavens please stand up and save you; let those who gaze at the stars make known month by month whatever will come upon you. See they have become like straw; fire consumes them […].” When he saw that Israel would fall into his hand, he therefore gave his daughter over (to prostitution to lure Israel to sin);15See Numb. 25:1-15. Numb. 25:15 specifically identifies the sacred prostitute Cozbi as the daughter of Zur, whom the midrash (above, section 7:4) has already identified with Balak. and through her twenty-four thousand fell. To this end he would have engaged them in war, but he did not know how. (Numb. 22:6:) “Perhaps I shall be able to smite (nkh) them.” As one discounts (rt.: nkh) one twenty-fourth of a [se’ah];16On allowing a given species to have up to 1/24 of another species, see Kil. 2:1; yKil. 2:1 (27c); BB 6:2; BB 93b-94a, where as elsewhere a rova‘ is a quarter of a qav, which in turn is one sixth of a se’ah. Thus one rova’ equals one twenty-fourth of a se’ah. so also did twenty-four thousand fall from Israel there, [which is] one less.1724 x 20,000 = 480,000, and 24 x 5,000 = 120,000, it turns out that, if 25,000 is found to be 1/24 of 600,000 and only 24,000 fell, then 1,000 are missing In a long note Buber further explains that apart from the law of mixtures, in the removal of the hallah, what is taken is generally 1/24 of the dough (so Hal. 2:7). Buber also notes a variant reading which substitutes menabber (denoting one who removes the hallah) for menakkah (translated here as “discount”). So the Holy One cleansed Israel by removing 1/24 of the people. However, since there were 600,000 Israelites, 25,000 (=1/24 of 600,000), not 24,000, should have been removed. The thousand extra can be explained on analogy with the law of mixtures allowing 1/24 for impurities. The first part of the interpretation in the text comes from dividing 25,000 into two parts of 20,000 + 5,000 and then multiplying each separately and adding the results, instead of simply multiplying 25,000 by 24,000. Regarding the number of Israelites in the desert, Scripture gives the 600,000 figure only in Exod. 12:37. Cf. Exod. 38:26; Numb. 1:46; 2:32, which fix the figure at 603,550 adult males excluding Levites; also Numb. 26:57, which reports a census figure of 601,730 after the removal of the 24,000 in Numb. 25:9. (Numb. 22:6, cont.:) “And drive them away from the land,” for he only desired to drive them away, so that they would not enter the land. (Numb. 22:6, cont.:) “For I know that whomever you bless is blessed and that whomever you curse is cursed.” From where did he know? When Sihon desired to fight with Moab [and] was afraid because they were warriors, he hired Balaam and his father to curse Moab, for it says (in Numb. 21:27–29), “Therefore those who speak in parables say, ‘Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established. For a fire has come forth from Heshbon, [a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab…]. Woe be to you, O Moab!’” Ergo it says (in Numb. 22:6), “for I know [that whomever you bless is blessed and that whomever you curse is cursed].”
Bamidbar Rabbah
“He sent messengers to Bilam son of Beor, to Petor” – it was his city. Some say he was a moneychanger [shulḥani],14Petora means table [shulḥan] in Aramaic. as the kings of the gentiles would consult with him like a moneychanger to whom everyone brings his money.15So, too, people would bring their money to Bilam, for his counsel. Some say he was initially an interpreter of dreams, but then he reverted to being a sorcerer and reverted to [prophesy by] the Divine Spirit.
“In the land of the members of his people” – as Balak was from there, and he [Bilam] had told him that he would ultimately reign.
“To summon him” – as he wrote to him: ‘Do not think that it is only my mission that you are performing and that I, alone, will honor you. If you uproot them, you will be honored by all the nations, and Canaan and the Amalekites will prostrate themselves to you.’
“Behold, a people emerged from Egypt” – he [Bilam] said to him: ‘Of what concern is it to you?’ He said to him: ‘“Behold, it has covered the face of the earth [ein haaretz]” – they shut the eyes [einayim] upon which the land relies, Siḥon and Og, they destroyed them and covered their eyes. What can I do?’
“And it sits across from me [mimuli]” – mimuli is written without a vav,16The word "mimuli" can be written mem, mem, vav, lamed, yod. In the verse here, the vav was left out which makes it possible to connect it to the word amilam. just as it says: “In the name of the Lord, for I will cut them down [amilam]” (Psalms 118: 10).
“And now, please go curse this people for me, as they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to smite them, and I will drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (Numbers 22:6).
“And now, please go curse [ara] [this people] for me” –“what is “ara for me”? I can overcome them a bit, like a person who picks [oreh] figs.17A few at a time, since they do not all ripen at the same time.
“As they are too mighty for me” – not that they are powerful, and their armies are numerous, but rather that they are victorious with their mouths. This is something that I am unable to do.
“Perhaps I will be able to smite them” – what did this one see, that led him to provoke [them]; did the Holy One blessed be He not say to them [Israel] that they may not take their land? It is, rather, that they18The Moavites. were sorcerers and diviners greater than Bilam, as it is stated: “Balak saw”; however, they were unable to understand the matters accurately. Likewise, it says: “You are wearied in the abundance of your devising; let now the astrologers, the stargazers…save you [from what will come upon you]” (Isaiah 47:13). He [Balak] saw in his astrology that Israel would fall into his hands. That is why he made his daughter available to wantonness, and twenty-four thousand of them fell. That is why he provoked [them]. But he did not know how. That is why, “perhaps I will be able to smite [nakeh] them” – like one who deducts [shemenakeh] one twenty-fourth per se’a.19The assumption is that this is the percentage of waste found in the grain (Bava Batra 93b). Likewise, for each twenty-four thousand of Israel, one thousand was missing.20Twenty-four thousand people died due to the sin relating to the wantonness of the daughters of Moav and the consequent worship of the idle of Baal Peor. If multiplied by twenty-four the number is 576,000 which is close to the number of men older than twenty.
“I will drive them from the land” – he was seeking to prevent them only from entering the Land.
“For I know that he whom you bless is blessed” – how did he know? It is because at the time that Siḥon sought to wage war against Moav, he feared that they were mighty, and hired Bilam and his father to curse Moav, as it is stated: “Therefore the allegorists will say” (Numbers 21:27), and it is written: “A fire emerged from Ḥeshbon” (Numbers 21:28), and it is written: “Woe to you, Moav” (Numbers 21:29). That is why he said: “For I know that he whom you bless is blessed.”
“In the land of the members of his people” – as Balak was from there, and he [Bilam] had told him that he would ultimately reign.
“To summon him” – as he wrote to him: ‘Do not think that it is only my mission that you are performing and that I, alone, will honor you. If you uproot them, you will be honored by all the nations, and Canaan and the Amalekites will prostrate themselves to you.’
“Behold, a people emerged from Egypt” – he [Bilam] said to him: ‘Of what concern is it to you?’ He said to him: ‘“Behold, it has covered the face of the earth [ein haaretz]” – they shut the eyes [einayim] upon which the land relies, Siḥon and Og, they destroyed them and covered their eyes. What can I do?’
“And it sits across from me [mimuli]” – mimuli is written without a vav,16The word "mimuli" can be written mem, mem, vav, lamed, yod. In the verse here, the vav was left out which makes it possible to connect it to the word amilam. just as it says: “In the name of the Lord, for I will cut them down [amilam]” (Psalms 118: 10).
“And now, please go curse this people for me, as they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to smite them, and I will drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (Numbers 22:6).
“And now, please go curse [ara] [this people] for me” –“what is “ara for me”? I can overcome them a bit, like a person who picks [oreh] figs.17A few at a time, since they do not all ripen at the same time.
“As they are too mighty for me” – not that they are powerful, and their armies are numerous, but rather that they are victorious with their mouths. This is something that I am unable to do.
“Perhaps I will be able to smite them” – what did this one see, that led him to provoke [them]; did the Holy One blessed be He not say to them [Israel] that they may not take their land? It is, rather, that they18The Moavites. were sorcerers and diviners greater than Bilam, as it is stated: “Balak saw”; however, they were unable to understand the matters accurately. Likewise, it says: “You are wearied in the abundance of your devising; let now the astrologers, the stargazers…save you [from what will come upon you]” (Isaiah 47:13). He [Balak] saw in his astrology that Israel would fall into his hands. That is why he made his daughter available to wantonness, and twenty-four thousand of them fell. That is why he provoked [them]. But he did not know how. That is why, “perhaps I will be able to smite [nakeh] them” – like one who deducts [shemenakeh] one twenty-fourth per se’a.19The assumption is that this is the percentage of waste found in the grain (Bava Batra 93b). Likewise, for each twenty-four thousand of Israel, one thousand was missing.20Twenty-four thousand people died due to the sin relating to the wantonness of the daughters of Moav and the consequent worship of the idle of Baal Peor. If multiplied by twenty-four the number is 576,000 which is close to the number of men older than twenty.
“I will drive them from the land” – he was seeking to prevent them only from entering the Land.
“For I know that he whom you bless is blessed” – how did he know? It is because at the time that Siḥon sought to wage war against Moav, he feared that they were mighty, and hired Bilam and his father to curse Moav, as it is stated: “Therefore the allegorists will say” (Numbers 21:27), and it is written: “A fire emerged from Ḥeshbon” (Numbers 21:28), and it is written: “Woe to you, Moav” (Numbers 21:29). That is why he said: “For I know that he whom you bless is blessed.”
Vayikra Rabbah
Another matter: “You shall take for you on the first day” – that is what is written: “I wash my hands in purity” (Psalms 26:6) – with a transaction and not with robbery, as we learned there: A lulav that was stolen or that is dry is unfit; of an ashera tree or from a city incited to idolatry, is unfit.16Mishna Sukka 3:1. “I circle Your altar, Lord,” (Psalms 26:6) – as we learned there: Each day they would circle the altar one time and say: “Lord, please save us” (Psalms 118:25), Lord, please save us. Rabbi Yehuda says: Ani vaho,17This is part of God’s seventy-two letter name and has the same numerical value as please Lord [ana followed by the Tetragrammaton]. please save us. And on that day,18The seventh day of Sukkot. they would circle the altar seven times.19Mishna Sukka 4:5.
“Proclaiming thankfulness” (Psalms 26:7) – these are the offerings. “Relating all Your wonders” (Psalms 26:7) – Rabbi Avin said: This is Hallel; it contains [thanks] for the past, it contains [thanks] for the future, it contains [thanks] for these generations, it contains [thanks] for the messianic era, and it contains [thanks] for the days of Gog and Magog. “When Israel departed from Egypt” (Psalms 114:1) – for the past; “not for us, Lord” (Psalms 115:1) – for these generations; “I love that the Lord hears [my voice and my supplications]” (Psalms 116:1) – for the messianic era. “All the nations surrounded me” (Psalms 118:10) – for the days of Gog and Magog; “You are my God and I will thank You; my God, and I will exalt You” (Psalms 118:28) – for the future.
“Proclaiming thankfulness” (Psalms 26:7) – these are the offerings. “Relating all Your wonders” (Psalms 26:7) – Rabbi Avin said: This is Hallel; it contains [thanks] for the past, it contains [thanks] for the future, it contains [thanks] for these generations, it contains [thanks] for the messianic era, and it contains [thanks] for the days of Gog and Magog. “When Israel departed from Egypt” (Psalms 114:1) – for the past; “not for us, Lord” (Psalms 115:1) – for these generations; “I love that the Lord hears [my voice and my supplications]” (Psalms 116:1) – for the messianic era. “All the nations surrounded me” (Psalms 118:10) – for the days of Gog and Magog; “You are my God and I will thank You; my God, and I will exalt You” (Psalms 118:28) – for the future.