민수기 23:4의 주석

ויקר AND [GOD] HAPPENED TO MEET [BALAAM] — This is an expression ordinarily used to denote events of a casual character, an expression for something shameful, an expression for an unclean happening (קרי). It is as much as to say: with reluctance and in a contemptuous manner. And on this occasion He revealed Himself to him by day, only to show how dear Israel was to Him (cf. Genesis Rabbah 52:5; Rashi on Leviticus 1:1).

AND G-D HAPPENED TO MEET BALAAM. Because this man had not reached the status of prophecy, therefore Scripture speaks of him in this way, [meaning to say] that now the [Divine] communication came to him by way of chance, and in honor of Israel. Hence it says concerning him, and G-d ‘came’ unto Balaam,¹¹⁶Above, 22:9. for this expression is not used in connection with [true] prophets, but only about a person who has not attained this status. Similarly [we find]: and G-d ‘came’ to Abimelech; and G-d ‘came’ to Laban.¹¹⁷Genesis 20:3 — Ibid., 31:24. It is possible that [the term “coming” in these verses] means the “coming” through speech of the Will from the Most High to the [Separate] Intelligences⁶³See Vol. I, p. 59, Note 237. See also ibid., pp. 228-231, where Ramban discusses at length the subject of angels in relation to prophecy. that cause one to dream, for Balaam also would fall down at daytime, and a deep sleep would fall upon him while he was yet with opened eyes.⁹⁷Further, 24:4.

ויקר אלוקים אל בלעם, “G’d happened upon (met with) Bileam, etc.” The Torah chose this expression for the encounter between G’d and Bileam in light of the fact that Bileam was not a prophet in the true sense of the word. Communications to Bileam from G’d, or even Hashem as in verse 17, are only due to G’d’s benevolent interest in the Israelites, as at the time of Avraham (Genesis 20,3) when He told Avimelech to return Sarah to her husband. This is also why the Torah speaks of G’d appearing to Lavan, warning him not to harm Yaakov. (Genesis 31,24) We must not err and assume that such nocturnal apparitions or voices of heavenly origin are testimony to the recipients being considered by G’d as especially deserving.

It denotes disgrace … as if to say “reluctantly and in humiliation.” Rashi says בקושי ["reluctantly"] in the sense of מקרה ועראי ["a chance or casual occurrence"] and בזיון ["in humiliation"] in the sense of קרי ["a seminal emission"].

V. 4. ויקר וגו׳. Gott ließ dem Bileam seine Absicht erreicht werden. Er fügte sich zu Bileam. Und Bileam spricht: die Altäre habe ich dir, dem unsichtbaren Einen (שבעה) geordnet und Offenbarung über irdisches "Tun und Leiden" (פר ואיל) erbeten.

ויקר אלהים אל בלעם, “G–d met with Bileam.” [This verb does not occur in connection with any other prophet, proving that he was not really a prophet. Ed.] All the scholars wonder why apparently G–d came towards Bileam, when He had never done so to Moses? He called to the latter to come towards Him, as we read repeatedly: ויקרא אל משה, “He called out to Moses!” Some commentators understand the description of the relationship between G–d and Bileam as comparable to a King who sits in his palace and is suddenly visited by a person displaying symptoms of the dreaded disease tzoraat. He calls out at the gate that he desires an interview with the King. When his servants tell the king about this, the king tells them not to admit him to the palace lest he infects the palace with his disease. However, the king declared himself willing to grant the stricken person an audience outside the palace. Although the person concerned wants to speak with him, he does not move from the spot, so that the king relents and admits him to his palace after all.

ויקר אלוקים, “and G-d met;” the letter ק has the vowel patach under it, to make sure we would understand that this “meeting” of G-d with Bileam would be understood as if per chance, מקרה. Bileam was not able to prearrange a date with G-d. Other examples of the use of this word in a similarly adjusted construction, are found in וירא, instead of ויראה, from the root ראה “to see.” Here we would have expected ויקרה.

את שבעת המזבחות — “Seven altars I have set in order” is not written here, but “THE SEVEN ALTARS”. He said to Him: The ancestors of these people together built before Thee seven altars, but I alone have built altars equal to all of them. — Abraham built four: (Genesis 12:7) “And he built there an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him”; (Genesis 12:8) “And he removed thence unto the mount… [and he built there an altar]; (Genesis 13:18) “And Abraham moved his tent … [and built there an altar]”; and one he built on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:9). Isaac built one: (Genesis 26:25) “And he built there an altar”. Jacob built two, one at Shechem and one at Bethel (Genesis 33:20 and Numbers 25:7);

AND G-D HAPPENED TO MEET BALAAM AND HE SAID UNTO HIM. The meaning [of this verse] is that when an occurrence happened to Balaam in the nature of those experiences which occur to men of Ruach Hakodesh⁶⁴Literally, “The Holy Spirit.” See Rambam in Moreh Nebuchim II, 45, at the paragraph beginning: “the second degree of prophecy.” See also above, Seder Korach, Note 71 and Ramban ibid. when dwelling alone and a spirit passed before his face that made the hair of his flesh to stand up,¹¹⁸Job 4:15. fear came upon him, and trembling, and all his bones were made to shake,¹¹⁹Ibid., Verse 14. and his vigor turned into weakness¹²⁰Daniel 10:8. and he fell upon his face to the ground — and then Balaam said, I have prepared the seven altars,¹⁰⁹Verse 4. this being by way of prayer, as I have explained.¹²¹Above in Verse 1. But G-d did not hearken to him and his intention, but told him: Thus shalt thou speak.¹²²Verse 5.

שבעה המזבחות ערכתי, “the seven altars which I have prepared, etc.” Bileam sought to secure for himself G’d’s goodwill by means of these offerings, and he wanted that Balak join him in that endeavour. This is why the Torah describes both Balak and Bileam as presenting the bull and the ram offering (verse 2), one of them slaughtering the animal, the other sprinkling its blood on the altar. The meaning of the verse (4) ויאמר אליו וגו, “He said to Him, etc.” are a prayer by Bileam asking G’d to accept his and Balak’s offering. In the course of the account we find that later on Bileam no longer asks Balak to be a participant in his efforts, as he was afraid that Balak’s very presence, -i.e. negative attitude- would disqualify it from having any chance of G’d welcoming it. The subject of ויעל, “he (sing.) offered up,” instead of “they offered up, i.e. only Bileam, reflects precisely this feeling of Bileam that Balak’s attitude should not act as a hindrance to Hashem accepting that offering. Perhaps Balak was indeed a party to this, not because he thought that this might be effective, but because he wanted to appease Bileam.

But Avrohom only offered up a singe ram. For if not so, it should say, “I offered burnt-offerings”. Why does the Torah say “an ox and a ram”? Rather it was because “Avrohom only…”

ואעל פר ואיל במזבח AND I HAVE OFFERED UPON EVERY ALTAR A BULLOCK AND A RAM — “but Abraham”, said he, “offered only a single ram” (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 11, Midrash Tanchuma, Tzav 1).