Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Bilang 23:4

ויקרא אל משה AND [THE LORD] CALLED UNTO MOSES — All oral communications of the Lord to Moses whether they are introduced by דבר or by אמר or by צו were preceded by a call (to prepare him for the forthcoming address) (cf Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 1 1-2). It is a way of expressing affection, the mode used by the ministering angels when addressing each other, as it is said (Isaiah 6:3) “And one called unto another [and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts]”. To the prophets of the nations of the world, however, God revealed himself in a manner which Scripture describes by an expression ordinarily used for denoting events of a casual character and of uncleanness, as it is said, (Numbers 23:4) “and God happened to meet (ויקר) Balaam” (the term ויקר, from the root ,קרה, is connected with מִקְרֶה which denotes “chance”, “occurrence”, and has also the meaning of “uncleanness”, by analogy with Deuteronomy 23:11: ‎לא יהיה טהור מקרה לילה) (cf. Bereishit Rabbah 52:5).

SEVEN ALTARS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra alluded here to a profound secret.¹⁰⁶“There are profound secrets which are understood by few in number. There is a unit of seven, in days [making a week] etc.” Ibn Ezra continues to show the mystic power of the number seven, which is a major factor in time and also in the worship of G-d through offerings, an allusion to which is seen here in the “seven altars” which Balaam asked Balak to build. These allude to the seven [lower] Emanations. — See also my Hebrew commentary, p. 293, and p. 294, Note 12. Now Balaam wanted that the Will of G-d should cleave to him through these sacrifices, and therefore he offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all,¹⁰⁷Job 1:5. and wanted that Balak should occupy himself personally in [offering] them. Therefore Scripture states, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram,¹⁰⁸Verse 2. the one slaughtering [them], and the other sprinkling the blood [upon the altar]. And the meaning of [Balaam’s words], I have prepared the seven altars¹⁰⁹Verse 4. is by way of prayer, as if he were saying: “I have prepared for You the perfect [number of] altars with the perfect [number of] sacrifices;¹¹⁰This refers to the seven altars and the seven sacrifices, which allude to the seven Emanations. may they come up with acceptance on Your altar,”¹¹¹Isaiah 60:7. this being similar to that which Scripture says: Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-offering,¹¹²Psalms 20:4. and it also states, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah,¹¹³Ibid., 66:15. and so also in many places. And the meaning of the definite article [in ‘hamizbechoth’ — ‘the’ seven altars] — Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has already mentioned.¹⁰⁶“There are profound secrets which are understood by few in number. There is a unit of seven, in days [making a week] etc.” Ibn Ezra continues to show the mystic power of the number seven, which is a major factor in time and also in the worship of G-d through offerings, an allusion to which is seen here in the “seven altars” which Balaam asked Balak to build. These allude to the seven [lower] Emanations. — See also my Hebrew commentary, p. 293, and p. 294, Note 12. Now in the end when Balaam no longer wanted to meet with enchantments,¹¹⁴Further, 24:1. he did not want Balak to participate in the bringing of the sacrifices, in order that he should not cause them to be rejected on account of his [improper] intention; and therefore Scripture said: and ‘he’ offered up a bullock and a ram,¹¹⁵Chapter 23, Verse 30. [the singular pronoun] referring to Balaam mentioned [previously at the end of that verse: And Balak did as Balaam had said, and he offered up a bullock and a ram].¹¹⁵Chapter 23, Verse 30. It is possible, however, that Balak [and not Balaam] offered them up, for he [Balak] did it to appease his [own] mind, while he [Balaam] no longer desired these sacrifices.

This Midrash (Midrash Mishley chapter 9) interpreted the word שבעה, “seven,” which Solomon mentioned in verse one literally. The reason is that the number seven has equal significance in the celestial regions and the terrestrial regions. There are many commandments in the Torah where the number “seven” plays a significant role. The Sabbath is the seventh day; the Jubilee year is the conclusion of seven cycles of seven years, שמטה. Both the festival of Passover and Tabernacles consist of seven days. The components of the four species of plants used on the festival of Sukkot total seven, (1 lulav, 1 etrog, 2 willow-branches, and 3 branches of the myrtle). We observe a period of seven days of mourning for close relatives who have died; we observe seven days of celebration when a couple get married. The common denominator of all these commandments or practices involving the number seven is that they somehow symbolise the seven days in which G’d created and completed the universe. Even a Gentile prophet such as Bileam built seven altars for G’d before embarking on his nefarious scheme of cursing the Jewish people (which was thwarted by G’d). He told G’d specifically that he had erected seven altars (Numbers 23,4). It is not surprising therefore that there were seven days of inauguration for the Tabernacle. G’d Himself referred to them as such (Leviticus 8,33). The spiritual origin of these rites involving the number seven is one and the same.
If Aaron did not get consecrated on the seventh day itself but only on the morrow, the eighth day, this was because of the special nature of performing service in the Sanctuary of the Lord. Seeing G’d is essentially “One,” this is symbolized by the fact that Aaron did not commence his duties until the “first” day after the seven days of his consecration, i.e. the day of the “One.”