Midrash su Isaia 47:13

(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].”

(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 tell them this, that were 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);¹⁶See 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 seah;¹⁷On 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 there fall from Israel twenty-four thousand, one <thousand> less <than should have fallen>. {Interpretation: 24 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.}¹⁸In 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.

7 (Numb. 22:5) “And he sent messengers to Balaam ben Beor at Pethor”: [Pethor (Petor) was] the name of his city.⁷Sanh. 105ab. But others say that [the name implies] he was a money-changer,⁸Since 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.⁹See 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 Amalakites 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).”¹⁰With 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 numerous. 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, those who gaze at the stars.” When he saw that Israel would fall into his hand, he therefore gave his daughter over (to prostitution to lure Israel to sin);¹¹See 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. Hence (as in Numb. 22:6), “Perhaps I shall be able to smite (nkh) them”: As one discounts (rt.: nkh) one twenty-fourth of a [se’ah];¹²On 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.¹³24 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].”

What is written above the matter? "And the Midianites sold him to Egypt" [and then it interrupts with the story of Yehuda and Tamar:] "And it was at that time." And the reading (narrative) only required it to [immediately] say "And Yosef was taken down to Egypt" (Genesis 39:1) And because of what was this section made proximate to that? Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yochanan [answered this]: Rabbi Elazar said, "In order to make one descent proximate to the other descent." Rabbi Yochanan said, "In order to make [one use of the word,] "recognize," proximate to [another use of the word,] "recognize." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said, "In order to make the story of Tamar proximate to the story of Pothiphar's wife; [to tell you that] just as that one (the incident of Tamar) was for the sake of Heaven, so too this one (the incident of Potiphar’s wife) was meant for the sake of Heaven." As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "She saw through her astrology that she was destined to raise a child from him (Yosef), but she did not know if [it would be] from her or from her daughter." This is [the meaning of] what is written (Isaiah 47:13), "let the diviners of months inform you from that which will come to you" - Rabbi Eibo said, "'From that' and not 'all that.'" And similar to it is [the sequence of], "and they were not embarrassed. And the snake was sly" (Genesis 2:25-3:1). And the reading (narrative) only required it to [immediately] say "And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife, etc." (Genesis 3:21). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Karcha said, "[It is] to let you know from which sin that evildoer (the snake) jumped upon them: from that which he saw them engaging in 'the way of the world,' he desired them." Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Chanin said, "[It is] to not begin a [separate] section of the snake." And similar to it is [the sequence of], "and the one who walks in pride, He is able to abase (which are the final words of Nevuchadnetsar). Balshatsar the king […] And Daryavesh the Mede” (Daniel 4:34-5:1, 6:1). And where is Ehvil Merodach (who came between Nevuchadnetsar and Balshatsar)? Rabbi Elazar said, "In order to make [one] evildoer proximate to the other, a destroyer to a destroyer, a proud one to a proud one.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said, "In order to make the interruption of [one] kingdom proximate to the interruption of [another] kingdom." And similar to it is [the sequence of] "And on that very night, Balshatsar the Chaldean king was killed. Daryevesh the Mede" (Daniel 5:30-6:1). [And yet later], "And in the third year of the rulership of Balshatsar the king" (Daniel 8:1). Rav Huna said, "That they not say they are [just] words of poetry; so that they should all know that he wrote it with holy spirit." Our rabbis said, "In order to weave it into the entire book, that he said it with holy spirit." Here too, it should have said, "And Yosef was taken down to Egypt." And it is written, "And Yehuda went down from his brother": He said, "Let us disperse ourselves, [since] the whole time we are together, the contract is found (matsui) for collection." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "Ten men that are found stealing, are they not all caught when one is caught?" And once they were found with the goblet, they said, "The Lord has found (matsa) the sin of your servants." Rabbi Yitschak said, "Like the one that empties out (mematseh) the barrel and leaves it with its sediments." Our rabbis said, "[Yehuda said], 'Let us take care of ourselves; in the past [Yaakov] was required to get us wives to marry, but now that he is involved in his sackcloth and in his fasting, it is not appropriate that he get us wives to marry.' [The brothers] said to Yehuda, 'Are you not our head? Get up and take care of yourself.' Immediately, ‘And it was at that time.'"