וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־עֹלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה׃
E ele disse a Balak: Fica aqui junto à tua oferta queimada, e eu me encontrarei ali.
Rabbeinu Bahya
According to the plain meaning of the text, the words מכל דבר רע mean: “against anything which the Torah has prohibited.” When the Canaanites went to war all their normal restraints against unbridled behaviour were suspended during the period of the war. They would behave in a totally irresponsible manner, The Jewish people have to be reminded that even in war, their camp is a holy camp as opposed to the Canaanites.
Our sages in Sifri 254 understand the words מכל דבר רע as directed at sexual licentiousness which is so often the mark of soldiers in war. Another meaning of דבר רע, is “using one’s tongue loosely, irresponsibly, לשון הרע, badmouthing others.” They derive the warning against sexual licentiousness from the words ולא יראה בך ערות דבר, the word דבר being an allusion to that verse 15. The connection with לשון הרע is based on the word רע in our verse. Instead of דבר רע, assume the spelling would have been dibbur ra, “wicked talk.” The reason this verse warns specifically against these two sins is that each one is an extremely serious sin and the Presence of G’d, the Shechinah is apt to withdraw from the camp on its account.
Our sages in Avodah Zarah 20 also comment that the wording of that line suggests that one should not have sinful (lewd) thoughts by day which would result in one’s having nocturnal emissions of semen during one’s sleep. This is why the next verse discusses such an occurrence and the need to purify oneself as a result.
Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair (the epitome of piety) derives from the sequence of our verses here that care not to violate a negative commandment will lead to a person becoming eager in striving to fulfill positive commandments. This is turn will lead to one becoming ritually pure of body. The next stage of one’s spiritual ascent will be פרישות, suppression of sinful thoughts. This in turn will lead to a state of purity of spirit followed by the attainment of a level of sanctity. Having attained that level one will graduate to יראת חטא, an abhorrence of sin, which in turn will lead to the virtue of humility. Once a person has acquired this virtue he will progress to the virtue of piety which in turn will enable him to acquire holy spirit. In the foregoing the venerable Rabbi listed ten virtues, five of which involving one’s body, the other five involving one’s spirit, one’s mind. All of them are leading up to the tenth attribute, i.e. holy spirit.
Our sages in Sifri 254 understand the words מכל דבר רע as directed at sexual licentiousness which is so often the mark of soldiers in war. Another meaning of דבר רע, is “using one’s tongue loosely, irresponsibly, לשון הרע, badmouthing others.” They derive the warning against sexual licentiousness from the words ולא יראה בך ערות דבר, the word דבר being an allusion to that verse 15. The connection with לשון הרע is based on the word רע in our verse. Instead of דבר רע, assume the spelling would have been dibbur ra, “wicked talk.” The reason this verse warns specifically against these two sins is that each one is an extremely serious sin and the Presence of G’d, the Shechinah is apt to withdraw from the camp on its account.
Our sages in Avodah Zarah 20 also comment that the wording of that line suggests that one should not have sinful (lewd) thoughts by day which would result in one’s having nocturnal emissions of semen during one’s sleep. This is why the next verse discusses such an occurrence and the need to purify oneself as a result.
Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair (the epitome of piety) derives from the sequence of our verses here that care not to violate a negative commandment will lead to a person becoming eager in striving to fulfill positive commandments. This is turn will lead to one becoming ritually pure of body. The next stage of one’s spiritual ascent will be פרישות, suppression of sinful thoughts. This in turn will lead to a state of purity of spirit followed by the attainment of a level of sanctity. Having attained that level one will graduate to יראת חטא, an abhorrence of sin, which in turn will lead to the virtue of humility. Once a person has acquired this virtue he will progress to the virtue of piety which in turn will enable him to acquire holy spirit. In the foregoing the venerable Rabbi listed ten virtues, five of which involving one’s body, the other five involving one’s spirit, one’s mind. All of them are leading up to the tenth attribute, i.e. holy spirit.
Kli Yakar
Rabbi Yaakov, the author of the Ba’al HaTurim, further wrote that in this Torah portion we find the word “shittim” [acacia wood] mentioned 24 times, corresponding to the 24,000 who fell in Shittim [during the plague]. The reason for this is that wherever you find a fence against immorality, there you will find holiness. Since in Shittim they were unbridled in sexual immorality and did not remember the holiness represented by these 24 mentions of “shittim,” therefore 24,000 fell. In Parashat Balak, God willing, a precious explanation about the number 24,000 will be explained in the verse and I will happen upon [God] here, which should be sought in its place.
Rashi
נקרה עלינו GOD HATH HAPPENED TO MEET US — The word נקרה signifies a casual meeting. Similar are: (Numbers 23:4) “And God happened to meet (ויקר) [Balaam]”; (Numbers 23:15) ואנכי אִקָּרָה כה which means “I will be met by him yonder”.