Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Job 4:14

The Talmud (Niddah 9) points out that the verse from Job 4,14 also may be applied to the Creator Who saw fit to convert woman’s menstrual blood into milk, i.e. something symbolizing a wasted opportunity (not becoming pregnant) turns into a life-giving nutrient for babies. Such phenomena seen in nature surely make it easier to observe legislation of the Torah even if we do not understand it. Using such reasoning Rabbi Eliezer HaKalir (the famous liturgical poet) pointed out in his poem siluk before the kedushah recited on the Sabbath we read this portion that if the dead body remains inside the house the house itself has not yet become ritually unclean. As soon as the dead body (the source of the ritual impurity) has been removed, the house itself has become ritually impure. On the face of it, this is halachically quite untenable. However, Rabbi Eliezer Hakalir uses the term “house” as a simile for a woman’s womb. His comments describe the halachah we learned in Chulin 71 that if an embryo dies within the womb of the mother and the midwife touches it upon examining the mother internally, such a dead fetus does communicate severe ritual impurity on said midwife though the mother of that fetus is not affected. As soon as the dead fetus exits from the mother she herself becomes ritually impure for seven days without touching the fetus. (Compare Maimonides Hilchot Tumat Met chapter 25,12). [I believe the Midrash also wants to imply that in the event anyone accuses Moses of having invented this kind of legislation this is totally impossible as a human mind could not come up with such illogical-appearing legislation. Ed.]

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.