Мидраш к Бамидбар 24:16

R. Jochanan in the name of R. Jose said: "Whence do we learn that we must not attempt to appease a man at the moment of his excitement? It is written (Ex. 33, 14.) My presence shall walk before you, and I will give thee rest, i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Moses. "Wait for me until my excitement shall subside and I shall then give thee rest.' " Is wrath [to be ascribed] to the Holy One — praised be He? Yea! As it is taught; And a God who is angry every day (Ps. 7, 12). And how long does His anger last? For a moment. And how long lasts a moment? One fifty-eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eighth part of an hour; and this is meant by the word Regga (moment); and no creature is able to determine that exact moment [when the anger arises] except Bilam the wicked, for it is written (Num. 24, 16.) And knoweth the knowledge of the most High. How is it possible? If he did not know even the temperament of his animal, how could he acquire a knowledge of the Most High? We must therefore say that he knew how to determine the exact hour in which the Holy One, praised be He! is angry. And this is meant by the prophet who said to Israel (Micha 6, 5.) O my people, do but remember what Balak the king of Moab resolved in order to know the gracious benefits of the Lord. What is meant by The gracious benefits of the Lord. R. Elazar said: "Thus said the Holy One, praised be He! unto Israel. 'Do but remember how many gracious benefits I bestowed unto ye, that I kept myself back from becoming angry during all the days of Bilam, the wicked; for my anger might have inflicted a great misfortune upon them [in that generation].' And this is meant by Bilam when he said. (Num. 23, 8.) How shall I denounce, whom God hath not denounced? And how shall I defy, when the Lord hath not defied?" And how long endureth His anger? A Regga (moment). How long does a Regga last? R. Abin and according to some R. Abina said: "A Regga lasts as long as it takes to utter it." And whence do we learn that God is angry? It is said (Ps. 30, 6.) For His anger is momentary, (but) life rests upon his favor. And if you wish I say from this (Is. 26, 20.) Hide thyself but for about a moment, until anger passeth away. And when is He angry? Abaye said: "During the first three hours of the day, when the crest of the cock becomes white and he stands on one leg." But the cock stands like that all the time? At all times it has red stripes [in the white crest], but in that particular hour there are no red stripes whatsoever. A certain heretic was in the neighborhood of R. Joshua b. Levi, and annoyed him exceedingly, questioning him about various passages. One day R. Joshua b. Levi took a cock, tied it to his bed and watched it, thinking that as soon as he would notice the sign, he would curse the heretic. But before the time came, sleep overtook him. So he said: "I learn from this [incident] that it is not proper to do such a thing: And he is beneficent in all His work, it is written (Ps. 145, 17.) and it is also written (Pr. 17, 26.) Punishment, even to the just, is not good." It was taught in the name of R. Meier: "At the time when the sun rises and all the heathen Kings of the East and West, with their crowns upon their heads, prostrate themselves before the sun, there-upon the Holy One, praised he He! immediately becomes angry."

There is wisdom which is both beneficial and harmful to the one who possesses it. Joshua possessed wisdom that was beneficial, as it is said: Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9). To what may this be compared? To a reservoir that supplied an entire city with water. Everyone praised it, with the exception of one man who advised them to praise the well that supplied the water (for the reservoir) instead. Similarly, while they were extolling Joshua for giving drink to Israel through his wisdom, he said to them: “Praise Moses instead,” for Moses had laid his hands upon him (ibid.). Balaam had wisdom which was harmful to him, as it is stated: The saying of him who heareth the word of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High (Num. 24:23), and finally: Balaam the son of Beor they slew with a sword (ibid. 31:8).

And in Moshe's coming to the tent of meeting to speak with Him: It is learned (Deuteronomy 34:10), “And no other prophet arose in Israel like Moshe” - in Israel, none did arise, but among the nations of the world, one did arise; so that there not be a claim open to the nations to say, “If we had a prophet like Moshe, we would have worshiped the Holy One, blessed be He. And which prophet did they have [that was] like Moshe? This was Bilaam the son of Beor. However there is a difference between the prophecy of Moshe and the prophecy of Bilaam: Three characteristics were in the hand of Moshe that were not in the hand of Bilaam. Moshe would speak with Him, standing; as it is stated (Deuteronomy 5:28), “And you stand with Me and I will speak to you, etc.” And with Bilaam, He would only speak with him prostrate, as it is stated (Numbers 24:4), “fallen and of open eyes.” Moshe would speak to Him 'mouth to mouth,' as it is stated (Numbers 13:8), “'Mouth to mouth' I speak to him.” And with Bilaam [it is written,] “Speaks the one who hears the speeches of God” – as He did not speak to him 'mouth to mouth.' Moshe would speak to him face to face, as it is stated (Exodus 33:11), “And the Lord spoke to Moshe face to face.” And with Bilaam, He only spoke in parables, as you say (Numbers 24:15), “And he started his parable, etc.” Three characteristics were in the hand of Bilaam that were not in the hand of Moshe: Moshe did not know who was speaking with him. Bilaam knew who was speaking with him, as it is stated, “Speaks the one who hears the speeches of God, who gazes upon the vision of the Almighty.” Moshe did not know when the Holy One, blessed be He, would speak to him, and Bilaam did know when the Holy One, blessed be He, would speak to Him; as it is stated, “and who knows the mind of the Most Elevated.” They [accordingly] told a parable about the king's butcher who knows what the king brings to his table and knows how much is spent for [what goes] on the king's table. So it was that Bilaam knew what the Holy One, blessed be He, would say to him in the future. Bilaam would speak with Him any time he wanted, as it is stated, “fallen and of open eyes” - he would prostrate himself on his face and immediately, his eye would be revealed about what he was asking; and Moshe did not speak to Him anytime he wanted. Rabbi Shimon says, “Moshe too would speak to Him anytime he wanted, as it is stated, 'And in Moshe's coming to the tent of meeting to speak with Him' - immediately, 'and Moshe heard the Voice speaking to him.'”

(Devarim, Ibid. 10) "And there shall not arise in Israel again a prophet such as Moses": But among the nations, there did arise. And who was he? Bilam the son of Beor. But there is a difference between the prophecy of Moses and the prophecy of Bilam. Moses did not know who was speaking to him, and Bilam did know, viz. (Bamidbar 24:16) "The speech of the hearer (Bilam) of the words of the Almighty." Moses did not know when He would speak to him until He did so. Bilam did know, viz. "and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High." Moses did not speak with Him unless he was standing, viz. (Devarim 5:28) "And you, here, stand with Me." And Bilam spoke with Him when he was fallen, viz. (Bamidbar 24:4) "The vision of the Almighty shall he see, fallen and his eyes uncovered."