Kabbalah к Бамидбар 24:1

It is written of Bilaam that "he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments" (Bemidbar 24:1), as was his wont, being a diviner. Of Laban too, the scripture says, "I have learnt by signs" (Beresheet 30:27), which means that he consulted magic and sorcery to learn of Jacob's plans. When he wanted to destroy Jacob, he planned to do it by enchantment and sorcery, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not permit him to do so. Rather, He said to him: "that you speak not."

But come and behold, "and his spirit was troubled (Heb. וַתִּפָּעֶם)" corresponds to "And the spirit of Hashem began to move him (Heb. לְפַעֲמוֹ)" (Judges 13:25), for the spirit would appear and disappear, come and go, yet not settle upon him properly. It is therefore written, "And the spirit of Hashem began to move him," when (the spirit) just began (to inspire him). Here also the spirit would appear and leave, then appear, but would not settle upon him, so that he could understand. Of Nebuchadnezzar it is written, "and his spirit was troubled (Heb. וַתִּתְפָּעֶם)," for the inspiration was twice as strong. It would come and go, as it is written, "as on previous occasions (Heb. כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם, lit. 'as time to time')" (I Shmuel 3:10), now upon this and now upon that, but his mind was not settled.

"And God saw the light, it was good;" What was it that He saw, that was good? Rabbi Hiyya said that this implies that He foresaw the actions of the wicked, and still stored the light, for reasons we've said before. But, Rabbi Aba says, "And God saw the light, it was good;" because it was good to hide. He saw its radiance beaming from one end of the world to the other, and He saw that it was better to conceal it, so that sinners might not benefit from it. Rabbi Shimon said that no anger or judgement may be found in "And God saw the light, it was good;" After all, it is written, "Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel" (Num. 24:1) and this is proven by the verse's closing, "And God divided the light from the darkness" (Gen. 1:4), to snuff wrath, even though the Holy One, Blessed be He, later (re-)combined the two.

He said to him, It is written, "He went not, as at other time, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness" (Num. 24:1). Rabbi Yitzchak said that the lower side, which comes from the unholy spirit above, is the unholy spirit that ruled over the wilderness at the time when the children of Yisrael defiled themselves by committing the sin of the golden calf. He cast his spells to all directions in order to uproot the children of Yisrael, but could not do so.