Midrash su Giobbe 12:23

"that they return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth": What were these "chiroth"? (Two rocks, which were) not slanting, but straight; not open (between them), but surrounded (by stones, not affording passage between them); not round, but square; not man-made, but Heaven-made; with (the figure of) open eyes; one (in the figure of) a male, and (the other in the figure of) a female. These are the words of R. Eliezer. R. Yehoshua says: Hachiroth on one side, Migdol on the other side; the sea before them and Egypt behind them. Variantly: "Chiroth" connotes the place of their (Israel's) freedom ("cheruthan"), a choice place for them (the Egyptians), the place of their idolatry. In the past it was called Pithom, viz. (Exodus 1:11) "And it (Israel) built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Ramses." They (the Egyptians) stopped (calling it Pithom) and called it Pi Chachiroth because it disappointed ("me'achereth" [lit., "delayed"]) its worshippers (by not stopping Israel from escaping). And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth, and from Succoth to Eitam, and from Eitam to Pi Hachiroth. On the fifth day (of the week) they journeyed from Egypt, and they came to Ramses. On the sixth day and on the Sabbath they rested there, and on the first day of the week, the fourth day of their journeying, Israel began to prepare their vessels and preparing their beasts to leave, at which their (Egyptian) emissaries said to them: Your time has arrived to return to Egypt (viz. [5:3] "Let us go a three days' distance, etc."), whereupon Israel said to them: When we left, was it by leave of Pharaoh? (viz. Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach the children of Israel went out with a high hand") — to which the emissaries retorted: Whether you like it or not, you must fulfill the royal decree! At this, Israel rose up against them. Some they killed, some they wounded, some fled and reported to Pharaoh. At this, Moses said to them: Turn back, so that Pharaoh not say that you are fleeing. When he blew the shofar for return the faint-hearted among them began to tear their hair and rend their garments — until Moses said to them: The L rd has said to me that you are free. Thus, "Let them return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth." "between Migdol and the sea": There, was their greatness ("gedulathan," as in "Migdol"). There, was their glory and their splendor. There, Joseph had gathered their silver and their gold, viz. (Genesis 47:14) "And Joseph collected, etc." "before Ba'al Tzefon": Only Ba'al Tzefon remained of all their idolatries. "Over against it shall you encamp by the sea": to deceive the Egyptians into believing that it had rescued itself, viz. (Iyyov 12:23) "He deceives (homiletically, "mashgi") the nations to destroy them."

(Numb. 22:7:) “So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with [the tools for] divination in their hand,” for they brought in their hands all kinds of divining instruments through which one divines, so as not to give him an excuse [for not coming].¹⁸Numb. R. 20:8. So the divining instruments were in the hands of the elders of Midian, for they said, “If he comes with us, he will succeed; but if he delays [even] for an hour, he will be of no use.” As soon as they saw that he said (in vs. 8), “Lodge here tonight,” the elders of Midian went away, because they knew through their divinations that he would be of no use. (Numb. 22:9:) “Then God came unto Balaam and said, ‘Who are these people with you?’” This text is related (to Prov. 28:10), “One who leads the upright astray on an evil course will fall into his own pit.” Thus at first mortals [behaved] with propriety, but because of his (Balaam's) words, they became [unbridled] in sexual matters.¹⁹Numb. R. 20:9; also Sanh. 106a. Thus, of former [generations] it is stated (in Gen. 29:9), “Rachel came with the sheep.” And so (in Exod. 2:16), “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters.” Women would go out with the sheep.²⁰I.e., although these seven daughters and Rachel were shepherdesses, they had no fear of being alone among males. [But] Balaam the wicked arose and led mortals astray into unchastity. But as he led [others] astray, he [himself] was led astray. By the [very] counsel he gave, he [himself] fell. This is what is written (in Prov. 28:10), “[One who leads the upright astray on an evil course] will fall into his own pit.” So the Holy One, blessed be He, led him astray with it, as stated (in Job 12:23), “He exalts the nations and destroys them.” When [the Holy One, blessed be He,] asked him (in Numb. 22:9), “Who are these people with you,” that wicked one said, “I know nothing about them.” [He said to himself,] “It appears to me [that] there are times when [God] does not know. And so I can do all that I want to His children.” That is why [God] said to him, “Who are these people with you?” In order to lead him astray. (Numb. 22:10:), “And Balaam said to God, ‘Balak ben Zippor, [the king of Moab] sent [this message] unto me.” He began to boast and say, “Even though You do not honor me, and You do not put out a good name for me in the world, kings seek me. (Numb. 22:11:) “Behold the people has come out of Egypt […], come now, curse (qavah) them for me.” [This is] to make known that he (Balaam) hated Israel more than Balak, because (in Numb. 22:6) Balak did not say qavah (as Balaam claimed he had said in Numb. 22:11) but arah.²¹Both words mean “curse,” but the former is worse than the latter, because qavah involves the use of the Divine Name. This one (Balaam), however, said (in vs. 11), “curse explicitly (qavah),” [meaning] to take [God’s] name explicitly. Moreover, while the former (Balak) said (in Numb. 22:6) “And drive them away from the land,” the latter (Balaam) said [simply] (in vs. 11), “and drive them out” [i.e.,] from this world and from the world to come.

And it came to pass in the middle of the night, that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:29). The Creator of the night divided the night precisely. The Lord smote all the first born. It was the Lord Himself who smote the firstborn and not His emissary (Moses). In fact, even though a man was elsewhere, and his firstborn was in Egypt, he died. How do we know that the firstborn of the Cuthites, Puthites, and Ludites were also slain? It is said: And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham (Ps. 78:51).⁸Ham was the ancestor of Cush, Put, and Lud (Gen. 10:15). Only the firstborn of the Pharaoh remained alive in fulfillment of the verse However, it was for this that I raised you up (Exod. 9:16). And Ba’al Saphon was the only idol remaining, to mislead them, in fulfillment of the verse He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them (Job 12:23). Unto the firstborn of the captives (Exod. 12:29). Why were the firstborn of the captives punished? Because they had rejoiced in the decrees promulgated against Israel. Hence it is written: He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished (Prov. 17:5). You must not be of the opinion that only the captives reacted in that manner, for the slaves and handmaidens did likewise, as is said: Even unto the firstborn of the maidservants that is behind the mill (Exod. 11:5); that is, even those who were legally bound to the millers. Even their firstborn cattle were destroyed lest the people assert: “Our deities are powerful, and that is why punishment was imposed upon them (and not upon us).”

(Lev. 5:1:) “And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing […, if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity].” This text is related (to Eccl. 5:1), “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart hasten to bring forth a word before God.” These [words refer to] people who vilify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and see, when the celestial beings were created, those below were created with half of the [divine] name, as stated (in Is. 26:4), “for through Yh,³⁸YH is the first half of the divine name, which the Hebrew spells out where the translation reads THE LORD. the Lord formed the worlds.”³⁹The midrash interprets tsur ‘olamim as FORMED THE WORLDS (i.e., this world and the world to come) rather than as the more usual EVERLASTING ROCK. For similar interpretations, see yHag. 2:1 (77c); Men. 29b; Gen. R. 12:10; M. Pss. 62:1; 114:3; cf. also M. Pss. 118:14. But why were they not created with all of it? So as not to mention the full name [of the Holy One, blessed be He] with him. Woe to those creatures who vilify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, in vain. See what is written about offerings (in Lev. 1:2), “When one of you presents an offering to the Lord.” It does not say "to the Lord, an offering," but “an offering to the Lord” (so that who changes his mind about an offering in mid-sentence not mention God’s name for no reason).⁴⁰Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:6; Ned. 10ab; Sifra to Lev. 1:2, Wayyiqra, Parashah 2; Sifre, Deut.32:3 (306); Gen. R. 1:13. And [yet] people vilify the name of the Lord in vain. It is therefore stated (in Eccl. 5:1), “Do not be rash with your mouth…. for God is in heaven and you are on earth.” For who would say that God is not in heaven and that people are not on earth? [Accordingly], Solomon has said, “Every time that the weakest of the weak is above, he defeats the warrior below.” Go and learn from Abimelech (in Jud. 9:53), “But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull.”⁴¹Since the woman was above the warrior Abimelech in the tower of Thebez, her killing him is an example of a relatively weak person defeating a warrior from above. And if he was a warrior among warriors and there was none like him, and [yet] a woman [was able to] kill him from above, how much the more so in the case of the Holy One, blessed be He! See what is written about Him (in Dan. 4:32), “All the inhabitants of the earth are of no account, and He does as He wishes [with the host of heaven and with the inhabitants of the earth].” It is also written (in Ps. 47:3), “For the Lord most high is awesome, a great King over all the earth,” and people are below. (Eccl. 5:1:) “Therefore let your words be few.” So what is there for you to do? To put your hand upon your mouth and upon your ear in order to neither speak nor hear. Ergo (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins.”⁴²These words also appear in Lev. 5:21 [6:2]. (Lev. 5:1:) [“And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing,] when he is a witness to what he has either seen or come to know, [if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity].” This text is related (to Prov. 29:24), “The one who shares with a thief hates his own soul; he hears swearing and does not speak out.” What has caused anyone to say of him, “If a soul sins?” [It is] simply because he did not come and tell a sage, “So-and-so blasphemed the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.” He therefore shares his iniquities with him, as stated (in Lev. 5:1), “if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity.” Therefore Solomon has said (in Prov. 29:24), “The one who shares with a thief hates his own soul.” Just as when the thief is caught, his partner is convicted along with him;⁴³Cf. Lev. R. 6:2. so whoever hears blasphemy of the Holy One, blessed be He, and does not speak out is convicted along with him. And let no one say, “What denunciation (lashon hara’ah) do I say?” The Holy One, blessed be He, has said (in Lev. 5:1ff.), “’On every matter,’ there is a denunciation in it. [But] with cursing the name, there is no denunciation.” Why? Because [it is] just like a case of a person cursing his companion. When he hears him, it is of no concern to him. But if he has cursed his father in his presence, he puts his life on the line and says, “You have cursed my father.” Moses said (in Deut. 32:6), “Is He not your Father who created you?” (Lev. 5:1:) [“And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing,] when he is a witness to what he has seen.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If you want to bear witness, bear witness; but if not, I will bear witness.” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “when he (He) is a witness.” And where is it shown that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called a witness? Where it is stated (in Jer. 29:23), “I am the One who knows and bears witness, says the Lord.” Come and see. All the parashioth written in this book have “mistake” written in them, except for this parashah, in which “mistake” is not mentioned.⁴⁴In fact, MISTAKE (shegagah), i.e., UNINTENTIONAL SIN, does appear in this parashah (in 5:15, 18). Elsewhere in Lev. the word only appears in 4:2, 22, 27; 22:4.) About him Solomon has said (in Eccl. 5:5), “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not say before the angel that it was a mistake,” (in Eccl. 5:1), “for God is in the heavens.” It is comparable to two people who threw stones at an image of a king.⁴⁵Gk.: eikonion, a diminutive form of eikon. One was drunk, and one was in possession of his senses. Both of them were caught and went to trial. [The judge] rendered a [guilty] verdict⁴⁶Gk.: apophasis. against the one with his senses and acquitted the one who was drunk. So it is in the case of whoever sins. It is concerning him that “mistake” is written (in Lev. 4:2) – “When a soul sins by mistake (rt.: shgg) [against any of the Lord's commandments]….”; (and likewise in Lev. 4:13) “And if the whole congregation of Israel should err (rt.: shgg).” And [about] all of them; because they sinned by mistake, they bring an offering and it shall be forgiven them. It is so stated (in Numb. 15:26), “The whole congregation of the Children of Israel and the stranger who resides in their midst shall be forgiven because [it happened] to all the people by mistake.” But the one who blasphemes receives a [guilty] verdict, as stated (in Lev. 24:16) “And the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death.” It is also written (in Jer. 4:2), “And you shall swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; then shall nations bless themselves in Him, and Him shall they glory.” Scripture also says (in Deut. 10:20), “The Lord your God you shall fear, Him you shall serve, to Him you shall hold fast”; then after that, “and by Him you shall swear.”⁴⁷See Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 9:1; Numb. R. 9:1. (Ibid.:) “The Lord your God you shall fear,” so that you will be like those three of whom it is written, “he feared God (yr' 'lhym)”: Abraham, Joseph and Job. About Abraham it is written (in Gen. 22:12), “for now I know that you fear God (yr' 'lhym).” About Joseph it is written (in Gen. 42:18), “I fear (yr') God ('lhym).” About Job it is written (in Job 1:2), “he feared God (yr' 'lhym) and shunned evil.” (Deut. 10:20, cont.:) “Him you shall serve,” in that you will be busy with the Torah and with [fulfilling] the commandments. (Ibid. cont.:) “To him you shall hold fast,” in that you will honor the Torah scholars and benefit them with your property. Moses said to Israel, “Do not think that I have allowed you to swear by His name, even in truth. It is only, if all these conditions (mentioned earlier in the verse) abide with you, that you are entitled to swear; and if not, you are not entitled to swear [by His name], even in truth.” You shall not be like those of whom it is written (in Jer. 7:9), “[Will you …] swear falsely and sacrifice to Baal?” Rather, fulfill all these conditions and after that you are Mine, as stated (in Jer. 4:1), “If you return, O Israel, says the Lord, if you return unto Me [….]” Then after that [it says] (in vs. 2), “And you shall swear, ‘as the Lord lives’….” Our masters have said, “Even in truth one cannot swear.” Why? Thus have our masters taught (in Dem. 2:3): Let not someone from Israel be unrestrained in vows⁴⁸See also Ned. 20a. or in jesting, (or to lead one's companion astray with an oath by saying it is not an oath). There is a story about the royal mountain where there were two thousand towns, and all of them were destroyed because of a truthful oath that was unnecessary.⁴⁹Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 9:1; Numb. R. 9:1; cf. also Git. 57a. Now if one who swears in truth has this happen, how much the more so in the case of one who swears to a lie? How did they act? One would utter an oath to his companion that he was going to such and such a place to eat and drink. Then they would go and act to fulfill their oath. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing.” Now when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to judge all people in the world to come, He will judge them along with sorcerers and adulterers. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear to a lie (in My name).” And I am finding them guilty and bringing them down to Gehinnom. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “With the mouth that I gave you to be praising and glorifying My name, you are reproaching, blaspheming, and swearing to a lie in My name? Since I created all people to praise Me, as stated (in Prov. 16:4), “The Lord has made everything for His own purpose.” So is it not enough for you that you do not praise Me, but [that] you blaspheme [Me as well]! The Scripture has said (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, [for it cannot rest (rt.: shqt)].” [They are] just like this [kind of] sea which has waves in its midst exalting themselves upward. When each and every one of them reaches the sand, it is broken and returns (hozer).⁵⁰The word also means “repents.” And its companion also looks at it breaking, and [yet] exalts itself upward without repenting (hozer). So are the wicked, who look at one another and exalt themselves. Therefore, they are likened to the sea, as stated (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea….” So did all the generations, the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (i.e., of the Tower of Babel), not learn from each other. Instead they were exalting themselves. Therefore they are compared to the sea (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea.” (Is. 57:20, cont.:) “For it cannot rest (rt.: shqt).” The wicked have no rest in the world, but the righteous have serenity (shqt), as stated (in Jer. 30:10), “and Jacob shall again have peace (shqt) and quiet with none to make him afraid.” Another interpretation (of Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea.” Just as the sea has its dirt and mud in its mouth, so the wicked have their stench in their mouth. Thus it is stated (at the end of Is. 57:20), “and its waters toss up slime and mud.” It is not from choice that one hears blasphemies and invectives, but from the midst of the sins which are within him. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins and hears a voice swearing….”⁵¹Most translations equate the sinning with the swearing. This more literal translation illustrates the point that the swearing comes from a soul which has already sinned. You find [that there are] three things under human control and three things not under human control ….⁵²Tanh., Gen. 6:12 (i.e., Toledot 12); Gen. R. 67:12. And not only [now] but even in the world to come. [So it is stated] (in Job 12:23), “He exalts (msgy') nations and destroys them.” The written text (ketiv) is “mshg'” (which means, misleads).⁵³In unpointed Hebrew the Sin (S) and the Shin (Sh) look alike. Since MShG’, which is pointed mashge’, can also be spelled with the extra yod (i.e., Y), the two words are interchangable in an unpointed text. Then He destroys them [and] brings them down to Abaddon,⁵⁴Abbadon is a name for Hell, which means “destruction.” while the righteous watch them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:24), “Then they shall go out and look at the corpses of the people who have rebelled against Me; their worms shall not die nor shall their fire be quenched”.

Another matter: “After these matters” – Rabbi Levi said: What the verse says: “When the wicked sprout like grass, and evildoers flourish” (Psalms 92:8); what is written at the end of the verse: “For their eternal destruction.” Haman was made great only to his harm. Why was he made great? It is analogous to a common soldier who cursed the king’s son. The king said: If I kill him, everyone will say: He killed a common soldier. He appointed him to be an officer, and afterwards, a commander, and then beheaded him. So the Holy one blessed be He said: Had Haman been killed when he went down and counseled Aḥashverosh to cancel construction of the Temple, no one would have known him. Rather, let him be made great and then be hanged. Therefore, “he set his seat above all the princes who were with him,” and then, “they hanged Haman.” The enemies of the Holy one blessed be He are made great for their downfall, and it is written: “He exalts the nations and eliminates them” (Job 12:23).

(Numb. 22:9:) THEN GOD CAME UNTO BALAAM AND SAID: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE WITH YOU? This text is related (to Prov. 28:10): ONE WHO LEADS THE UPRIGHT ASTRAY ON AN EVIL COURSE [WILL FALL INTO HIS OWN PIT]. Thus at first mortals [behaved] with propriety, but because of his (Balaam's) words, they became unbridled in sexual matters.²¹Tanh., Numb. 7:5, cont.; Numb. R. 20:9; also Sanh. 106a. Thus of former <generations> [it is written] (in Gen. 29:9): RACHEL CAME WITH THE SHEEP. (Exod. 2:16): NOW THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN HAD SEVEN DAUGHTERS.²²I.e., although these seven daughters and Rachel were shepherdesses, they had no fear of being alone among males. Balaam the Wicked arose and led mortals astray into unchastity; but as he led <others> astray, he <himself> was led astray. By the <very> counsel he gave, he <himself> fell. [This is what is written] (in Prov. 28:10): <ONE WHO LEADS THE UPRIGHT ASTRAY ON AN EVIL COURSE> WILL FALL INTO HIS OWN PIT. So the Holy One led him astray, as stated (in Job 12:23): HE EXALTS THE NATIONS AND DESTROYS THEM. HE ENLARGES THE NATIONS AND LEADS THEM AWAY. <When the Holy One> asked him (in Numb. 22:9): WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE WITH YOU? That Wicked one said: I know nothing about them, except that (according to vss. 10–11): KING BALAK BEN ZIPPOR OF MOAB SENT <THIS MESSAGE> UNTO ME: BEHOLD THE (sic) PEOPLE HAS COME OUT OF EGYPT …; <COME NOW, CURSE (qavah) THEM FOR ME. PERHAPS I SHALL BE ABLE TO FIGHT AGAINST THEM AND DRIVE THEM AWAY FROM THE LAND>. <This is> to make known that he (Balaam) hated Israel more then Balak, because (in Numb. 22:6) Balak did not say qavah (as Balaam claimed he had said in Numb. 22:11) but arah.²³Both words mean “curse,” but the former is worse than the latter, because qavah involves the use of the Divine Name. This one (Balaam), however, explicitly said: CURSE (qavah) (in vs. 11). Moreover, while the former (Balak) said (in Numb. 22:6): AND DRIVE THEM AWAY <FROM THE LAND>, the latter (Balaam) said <simply> (in vs. 11): AND DRIVE THEM OUT <i.e.,> from this world and from the world to come.²⁴While Balak had qualified the driving away of Israel with FROM THE LAND, Balaam did no such thing; therefore, one must assume that Balaam wanted to drive Israel, not only from the land, but even from the world to come.

Another interpretation (of Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. Just as the sea has its mud in its mouth, so the wicked have their stench in their mouth. Thus it is stated (at the end of Is. 57:20): AND ITS WATERS TOSS UP SLIME AND MUD. It is not from choice that one hears blasphemies and invectives, but from the midst of the sins which are within him. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 5:1): IF A SOUL SINS AND HEARS A VOICE SWEARING….⁶⁷Most translations equate the sinning with the swearing. This more literal translation illustrates the point that the swearing comes from a soul which has already sinned. You find <that there are> three things under human control and three things not under human control.⁶⁸Tanh., Gen. 6:12 (i.e., Toledot 12); Gen. R. 67:12. The following are under one's control: The mouth, the hands and the feet. The mouth: If one wants to be engaged in the Torah, he is engaged; <if one wants> to blaspheme and revile, he does so, because his lips are under his control. The hands: If one wants to give alms, he gives them; <if one wants> to steal, he steals. Why? Because they are under his control. The feet: One wanting to go to the synagogue goes; <one wanting> to steal, commit adultery, <or> murder goes, because his feet are under his control. But the following are not under one's control: The eyes, the ears, and the nose. The eyes: If one was passing through the market place and saw someone committing a transgression in the market place, he was seeing what was not under his control. The ears: If one heard the sound of blasphemies and invectives and did not want to hear them, what should he do? He heard what was not under his control. The nose: If one passed through a place of idolatry, smelled idolatrous incense, and did not smell it willingly, what should he do? He smelled what was not under his control. But when the Holy One desires, even these things which are < ordinarily > under one's control are not <any longer> under one's control. The mouth: When Balaam came to curse Israel, the Holy One did not allow him. He blessed them instead, as stated (in Deut. 23:6): BUT THE LORD YOUR GOD DID NOT WANT TO HEED BALAAM; <SO THE LORD YOUR GOD TURNED THE CURSE INTO A BLESSING FOR YOU>…. Also the hands: Thus you find in the case of Jeroboam, when the prophet came AND (according to I Kings 13:2) CRIED OUT {UNTO} [AGAINST] THE ALTAR [ACCORDING TO] THE WORD OF THE LORD AND SAID: O ALTAR, ALTAR, [THUS SAYS THE LORD: BEHOLD, A SON SHALL BE BORN UNTO THE HOUSE OF DAVID…. ] Then Jeroboam said: Moses wrote in the Torah (in Deut. 13:2 [1]): IF THERE ARISES AMONG YOU A PROPHET… AND GIVES YOU A SIGN OR A PORTENT. Now as for you, what portent are you giving me? He said to him: Is it a portent that you want? (I Kings 13:3:) THIS IS THE PORTENT WHICH THE LORD HAS DECREED: BEHOLD, THE ALTAR WILL BE TORN ASUNDER. Then (in vs. 4): JEROBOAM {RAISED} [STRETCHED OUT] HIS ARM FROM OVER THE ALTAR, SAYING: SEIZE HIM, BUT HIS HAND < WHICH HE STRETCHED AGAINST HIM > WITHERED, <AND HE COULD NOT DRAW IT BACK TO HIMSELF>. <This is written > to teach you that it was not under his control. Also the feet: Where it shown concerning them? From the men of Aram (i.e., Syria). When they came against Elisha, the Holy One said to them: Is it in your own right that you have come? What did he do to them? He misdirected them, as stated (in II Kings 6:19): THEN ELISHA SAID TO THEM: THIS IS NOT THE ROAD, AND THIS IS NOT THE CITY. <This is written > to teach you that even the feet are not under one's control. And not only <now> but even in the world to come.⁶⁹Tanh., Lev. 1:7. [So it is stated] (in Job 12:23): HE EXALTS (MSGY') NATIONS AND DESTROYS THEM. The written text (ketiv) is MShG' (which means, "misleads").⁷⁰In unpointed Hebrew the Sin (S) and the Shin (Sh) look alike. Since MShG’, which is pointed mashge’, can also be spelled with the extra yod (i.e., Y), the two words are interchangable in an unpointed text. Then he DESTROYS THEM <and> brings them down to Abaddon,⁷¹Abbadon is a name for Hell, which means “destruction.” while the righteous watch them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:24): THEN THEY SHALL GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE CORPSES OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REBELLED AGAINST ME: THEIR WORMS SHALL NOT DIE NOR SHALL THEIR FIRE BE QUENCHED.

9 (Numb. 22:9) “Then God came unto Balaam and said, ‘Who are these people with you’”: This text is related (to Prov. 28:10), “One who leads the upright astray on an evil course will fall into his own pit.” This refers to Balaam. For at first mortals [behaved] with propriety, but because of his (Balaam's) words, they became [unbridled] in sexual matters.¹⁴Sanh. 106a. Thus, of former [generations] it is stated (in Gen. 29:9), “Rachel came with the sheep.” And so (in Exod. 2:16), “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters.”¹⁵I.e., although these seven daughters and Rachel were shepherdesses, they had no fear of being alone among males. [But] Balaam the wicked arose and led mortals astray into unchastity. But as he led [others] astray, he [himself] was led astray. By the [very] counsel he gave, he [himself] fell. So the Holy One, blessed be He, led him astray, as stated (in Job 12:23), “He exalts the nations and destroys them.” When [the Holy One, blessed be He,] asked him (in Numb. 22:9), “Who are these people with you,” that wicked one said [to himself,] “He knows nothing about them; It appears to me [that] there are times when [God] does not know. And so I can do all that I want to His children.” That is why [God] said it. In order to lead him astray. (Numb. 22:10), “And Balaam said to God, ‘Balak ben Zippor, [the king of Moab] sent [this message] unto me”: He began to boast and say, “Even though You do not honor me, and You do not put out a good name for me in the world, kings seek me. (Numb. 22:11) “Behold the people has come out of Egypt […]; come now, curse (qavah) them for me”: [This is] to make known that he (Balaam) hated Israel more than Balak, because (in Numb. 22:6) Balak did not say qavah (as Balaam claimed he had said in Numb. 22:11) but arah.¹⁶Both words mean “curse,” but the former is worse than the latter, because qavah involves the use of the Divine Name. This one (Balaam), however, said (in vs. 11), “curse explicitly (qavah).” Moreover, while the former (Balak) said (in Numb. 22:6) “And drive them away from the land,” the latter (Balaam) said [simply] (in vs. 11), “and drive them out” [i.e.,] from this world and from the world to come.