Midrash su Numeri 24:1
וַיַּ֣רְא בִּלְעָ֗ם כִּ֣י ט֞וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹא־הָלַ֥ךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם לִקְרַ֣את נְחָשִׁ֑ים וַיָּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר פָּנָֽיו׃
E quando Balaam vide che era contento che il Signore benedisse Israele, non andò, come altre volte, a incontrare incantesimi, ma posò la faccia verso il deserto.
Esther Rabbah
“Haman saw that Mordekhai was not bowing and prostrating himself to him and Haman was filled with wrath” (Esther 3:5).
“Haman saw that Mordekhai was not bowing and prostrating himself to him” – Rabbi Aivu said: “May their eyes,” of the wicked, “grow dim so they cannot see” (Psalms 69:24). Because the sight of the eyes of the wicked takes them down to Gehenna; that is what is written: “The children of the great saw the daughters of man”5The children of the great sinned in doing so. See the following verses. (Genesis 6:2); “Ham, father of Canaan, saw [the nakedness of his father] (Genesis 9:22); “Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were objectionable [in the eyes of Isaac his father]”6Esau had previously married two women from Canaan. (Genesis 28:8); “Balak son of Tzippor saw [all that Israel had done to the Emorites]”7He subsequently hired Bilam to curse them. (Numbers 22:2); “Bilam saw that it was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel,”8Despite his efforts to curse them. (Numbers 24:1); “Haman saw that Mordekhai was not bowing and prostrating himself to him.”
However, the sight of the eyes of the righteous brings light, as the sight of the eyes of the righteous elevates them to the highest heights; that is what is written: “He [Abraham] lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men” (Genesis 18:2); “He [Abraham] saw, and behold, a ram” (Genesis 22:13); “He [Jacob] saw, and behold, a well in the field” (Genesis 29:2); “He [Moses] saw, and behold, a bush” (Exodus 3:2); “Pinḥas saw”9He saw the Israelites sinning with the daughters of Midyan and arose to put a stop to it. (Numbers 25:7). Therefore, they are happy with the sight of their eyes, as it is stated: “The upright see this and rejoice” (Psalms 107:42).
“Haman saw that Mordekhai was not bowing and prostrating himself to him” – Rabbi Aivu said: “May their eyes,” of the wicked, “grow dim so they cannot see” (Psalms 69:24). Because the sight of the eyes of the wicked takes them down to Gehenna; that is what is written: “The children of the great saw the daughters of man”5The children of the great sinned in doing so. See the following verses. (Genesis 6:2); “Ham, father of Canaan, saw [the nakedness of his father] (Genesis 9:22); “Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were objectionable [in the eyes of Isaac his father]”6Esau had previously married two women from Canaan. (Genesis 28:8); “Balak son of Tzippor saw [all that Israel had done to the Emorites]”7He subsequently hired Bilam to curse them. (Numbers 22:2); “Bilam saw that it was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel,”8Despite his efforts to curse them. (Numbers 24:1); “Haman saw that Mordekhai was not bowing and prostrating himself to him.”
However, the sight of the eyes of the righteous brings light, as the sight of the eyes of the righteous elevates them to the highest heights; that is what is written: “He [Abraham] lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men” (Genesis 18:2); “He [Abraham] saw, and behold, a ram” (Genesis 22:13); “He [Jacob] saw, and behold, a well in the field” (Genesis 29:2); “He [Moses] saw, and behold, a bush” (Exodus 3:2); “Pinḥas saw”9He saw the Israelites sinning with the daughters of Midyan and arose to put a stop to it. (Numbers 25:7). Therefore, they are happy with the sight of their eyes, as it is stated: “The upright see this and rejoice” (Psalms 107:42).
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