Commento su Numeri 23:1

SEVEN ALTARS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra alluded here to a profound secret.¹⁰⁶“There are profound secrets which are understood by few in number. There is a unit of seven, in days [making a week] etc.” Ibn Ezra continues to show the mystic power of the number seven, which is a major factor in time and also in the worship of G-d through offerings, an allusion to which is seen here in the “seven altars” which Balaam asked Balak to build. These allude to the seven [lower] Emanations. — See also my Hebrew commentary, p. 293, and p. 294, Note 12. Now Balaam wanted that the Will of G-d should cleave to him through these sacrifices, and therefore he offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all,¹⁰⁷Job 1:5. and wanted that Balak should occupy himself personally in [offering] them. Therefore Scripture states, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram,¹⁰⁸Verse 2. the one slaughtering [them], and the other sprinkling the blood [upon the altar]. And the meaning of [Balaam’s words], I have prepared the seven altars¹⁰⁹Verse 4. is by way of prayer, as if he were saying: “I have prepared for You the perfect [number of] altars with the perfect [number of] sacrifices;¹¹⁰This refers to the seven altars and the seven sacrifices, which allude to the seven Emanations. may they come up with acceptance on Your altar,”¹¹¹Isaiah 60:7. this being similar to that which Scripture says: Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-offering,¹¹²Psalms 20:4. and it also states, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah,¹¹³Ibid., 66:15. and so also in many places. And the meaning of the definite article [in ‘hamizbechoth’ — ‘the’ seven altars] — Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has already mentioned.¹⁰⁶“There are profound secrets which are understood by few in number. There is a unit of seven, in days [making a week] etc.” Ibn Ezra continues to show the mystic power of the number seven, which is a major factor in time and also in the worship of G-d through offerings, an allusion to which is seen here in the “seven altars” which Balaam asked Balak to build. These allude to the seven [lower] Emanations. — See also my Hebrew commentary, p. 293, and p. 294, Note 12. Now in the end when Balaam no longer wanted to meet with enchantments,¹¹⁴Further, 24:1. he did not want Balak to participate in the bringing of the sacrifices, in order that he should not cause them to be rejected on account of his [improper] intention; and therefore Scripture said: and ‘he’ offered up a bullock and a ram,¹¹⁵Chapter 23, Verse 30. [the singular pronoun] referring to Balaam mentioned [previously at the end of that verse: And Balak did as Balaam had said, and he offered up a bullock and a ram].¹¹⁵Chapter 23, Verse 30. It is possible, however, that Balak [and not Balaam] offered them up, for he [Balak] did it to appease his [own] mind, while he [Balaam] no longer desired these sacrifices.

בנה לי בזה, for this is a place from where I can view the Jewish people.

בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, "build me on this site seven altars, etc." Bileam was not prepared to reveal to Balak what he had in mind and why as the mutual trust had been breached. Balak carried out Bileam's request, i.e. he displayed confidence in Bileam at this time. When the Torah adds the words כאשר דבר בלעם, (verse 2) it means that he did so without delay.

Kap. 23. V. 1. שבעה מזבחות. Durch die Zahl sieben waren die Altäre dem unsichtbaren Einen errichtet, die Stiere und die Widder dem unsichtbaren Einen geweiht (vergl. Bereschit 21, 28).

בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “build seven altars for me in this location!” Bileam wanted to equal the numbers of altars which righteous people had built in honour of G-d up until now. They were Adam, Hevel, Noach, Avraham, Yitzchok , Yaakov, and Moses. By sacrificing offerings to the Jewish G-d on each of these altars he hoped to stave off the destruction decreed by G-d on the seven Canaanite nations. This is also why he composed seven separate poems extolling G-d. (Compare 23,7, 1824.)

שבעה פרים ושבעה אלים, “seven bullocks and seven rams.” Matching the number seven was a common custom amongst people in those days, and even the Torah, on occasion, also reflects this custom.