אֶפְתַּ֤ח עַל־שְׁפָיִים֙ נְהָר֔וֹת וּבְת֥וֹךְ בְּקָע֖וֹת מַעְיָנ֑וֹת אָשִׂ֤ים מִדְבָּר֙ לַאֲגַם־מַ֔יִם וְאֶ֥רֶץ צִיָּ֖ה לְמוֹצָ֥אֵי מָֽיִם׃
איך װעל עפֿענען שטראָמען אױף הױכע ערטער, און קװאַלן אין מיטן פֿון טאָלן; איך װעל מאַכן דעם מדבר פֿאַר אַ געמױזעכץ װאַסער, און טרוקן לאַנד פֿאַר אױסגאַנגען װאַסער.
Rabbeinu Bahya
A Midrashic approach based on Tanchuma Massey 3: Why were all these journeys spelled out in the Torah? It was a reward for these parts of the earth which willingly accepted the people of Israel on their soil. This region, though it had always been barren, etc., will flourish in the future after the final redemption of the Jewish people as we know from Isaiah 35,1-2: “the arid desert shall be glad, the wilderness shall rejoice and shall blossom like a rose. It shall blossom abundantly, it shall also exult and shout. It shall receive the glory of Lebanon, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon. They shall behold the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our G’d.”
If the desert will receive so much reward for merely tolerating the Jewish people on its surface, how much more will he be rewarded who welcomes Torah scholars into his home. You find that whereas on the one hand some deserts will be transformed into habitable regions, there are regions which were always habitable and will be made into desolate, arid land. This is the meaning of Malachi 1,3: “I have hated Esau; I have made his hills a desolation, his territory a home for beasts of the desert.” Isaiah 41,18 says specifically that the desert will become a pool of water. You know that nowadays there are no trees to be found in the desert. In the future trees will grow there. We have this on the authority of Isaiah 41,19: “I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias and myrtles and oleasters; I will set cypresses in the desert, box trees and elms as well.” Whereas nowadays people are fearful to travel through these regions, in due course “I will make a path through the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43,19).
If the desert will receive so much reward for merely tolerating the Jewish people on its surface, how much more will he be rewarded who welcomes Torah scholars into his home. You find that whereas on the one hand some deserts will be transformed into habitable regions, there are regions which were always habitable and will be made into desolate, arid land. This is the meaning of Malachi 1,3: “I have hated Esau; I have made his hills a desolation, his territory a home for beasts of the desert.” Isaiah 41,18 says specifically that the desert will become a pool of water. You know that nowadays there are no trees to be found in the desert. In the future trees will grow there. We have this on the authority of Isaiah 41,19: “I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias and myrtles and oleasters; I will set cypresses in the desert, box trees and elms as well.” Whereas nowadays people are fearful to travel through these regions, in due course “I will make a path through the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43,19).
Rabbeinu Bahya
Ibn Ezra believes that it is derived from שפיים, meaning “a high place.” The word אל was omitted. We have a parallel construction in Numbers 11,35 נסעו העם חצרות, “the people journeyed to Chatzerot,” where the word אל is also absent.
The Torah reveals that Bileam made desperate efforts to find a spot from which he could see at one and the same time the entire Jewish camp; the fact that they were arranged in different directions made this impossible. He moved in the manner of someone trying to find clues on the ground. The word שפי would indicate the fact that the people were scattered (מפוזרות) in different directions. שפ"י is thus an acronym for שה פזורה ישראל "Israel is like scattered sheep" (Jeremiah 50,17).
A Midrashic approach (Sotah 10): Bileam was lame on one foot and could not walk upright, dragging one foot behind, his posture making him appear as constantly being at a slant. Samson was lame on both feet, as evidenced by the fact that he is described as שפיפון (Genesis 49,17), while Bileam is described here as שפי.
The Torah reveals that Bileam made desperate efforts to find a spot from which he could see at one and the same time the entire Jewish camp; the fact that they were arranged in different directions made this impossible. He moved in the manner of someone trying to find clues on the ground. The word שפי would indicate the fact that the people were scattered (מפוזרות) in different directions. שפ"י is thus an acronym for שה פזורה ישראל "Israel is like scattered sheep" (Jeremiah 50,17).
A Midrashic approach (Sotah 10): Bileam was lame on one foot and could not walk upright, dragging one foot behind, his posture making him appear as constantly being at a slant. Samson was lame on both feet, as evidenced by the fact that he is described as שפיפון (Genesis 49,17), while Bileam is described here as שפי.
English Explanation of Pirkei Avot
Whoever possesses these three things, he is of the disciples of Abraham, our father; and [whoever possesses] three other things, he is of the disciples of Balaam, the wicked. A good eye, a humble spirit and a moderate appetite he is of the disciples of Abraham, our father. An evil eye, a haughty spirit and a limitless appetite he is of the disciples of Balaam, the wicked.
What is the difference between the disciples of Abraham, our father, and the disciples of Balaam, the wicked? The disciples of Abraham, our father, enjoy this world, and inherit the world to come, as it is said: “I will endow those who love me with substance, I will fill their treasuries” (Proverbs 8:21). But the disciples of Balaam, the wicked, inherit gehinnom, and descend into the nethermost pit, as it is said: “For you, O God, will bring them down to the nethermost pit those murderous and treacherous men; they shall not live out half their days; but I trust in You” (Psalms 55:24).
This mishnah contrasts those who follow the ways of Abraham with those who follow the ways of Balaam, the wicked prophet who was hired by Balak to curse Israel (Numbers 22-24). We should note that the rabbis understood Balaam as an archetype of evil, even though in the Torah itself he seems to be more of an ambivalent character, acting as merely a passive messenger of God. In Sanhedrin 10:2 we learned that Balaam does not have a portion in the world to come. Balaam is also seen by the rabbis as greedy for he attempted to take a bribe to curse Israel.
In contrasting Abraham with Balaam we should note that both saddle their own donkeys in the Torah (Abraham in Genesis 23:2 and Balaam in Numbers 22:21). Perhaps this similarity led to their comparison in our mishnah, and in several other sources.
Abraham is known for three things: generosity, humility and temperance. He demonstrates his generosity when he brings generous portions of food to the messengers who visit his home (Genesis 18:17). He is humble when he negotiates the purchase of a grave for Sarah. He states, “I am a resident alien among you” (Genesis 23:4, see also his words in 18:27). His temperance in appetite is learned from a midrash on Gen. 12:11, where he states to Sarah, “Behold, I now know that you are a beautiful woman”. According to the midrash Abraham had not looked at her until that moment.
In contrast, Balaam is greedy for he pursues the reward he would have received for cursing Israel. In Numbers 22:18 he states, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold”. Rashi comments that from here we can see that Balak had already begun to think about the material reward that he might receive. He is haughty as we can see from his statement, “The word of him who hears God’s speech, who obtains knowledge from the Most High” (Num 24:16). He has a limitless appetite, for a midrash teaches that after he failed in cursing Israel, he advised Balak to allow the Moabite women to prostitute themselves to Israel, and thereby ensnare them in idol worship (see the beginning of Numbers 25). He would not have advised such a thing if he himself did not desire such sexual licentiousness.
The second half of the mishnah teaches the rewards that will be given to the disciples of Abraham and the punishments that will be given to the disciples of Balaam. The verse from Proverbs is understood as referring to Abraham’s disciples since “those who love me” is also used in reference to Abraham (Isaiah 41:18). The verse in Psalms is understood as referring to Balaam since he was murderous, for he advised Balak to seduce Israel and thereby led to the death of 24,000 Israelites (Num 25:9).
What is the difference between the disciples of Abraham, our father, and the disciples of Balaam, the wicked? The disciples of Abraham, our father, enjoy this world, and inherit the world to come, as it is said: “I will endow those who love me with substance, I will fill their treasuries” (Proverbs 8:21). But the disciples of Balaam, the wicked, inherit gehinnom, and descend into the nethermost pit, as it is said: “For you, O God, will bring them down to the nethermost pit those murderous and treacherous men; they shall not live out half their days; but I trust in You” (Psalms 55:24).
This mishnah contrasts those who follow the ways of Abraham with those who follow the ways of Balaam, the wicked prophet who was hired by Balak to curse Israel (Numbers 22-24). We should note that the rabbis understood Balaam as an archetype of evil, even though in the Torah itself he seems to be more of an ambivalent character, acting as merely a passive messenger of God. In Sanhedrin 10:2 we learned that Balaam does not have a portion in the world to come. Balaam is also seen by the rabbis as greedy for he attempted to take a bribe to curse Israel.
In contrasting Abraham with Balaam we should note that both saddle their own donkeys in the Torah (Abraham in Genesis 23:2 and Balaam in Numbers 22:21). Perhaps this similarity led to their comparison in our mishnah, and in several other sources.
Abraham is known for three things: generosity, humility and temperance. He demonstrates his generosity when he brings generous portions of food to the messengers who visit his home (Genesis 18:17). He is humble when he negotiates the purchase of a grave for Sarah. He states, “I am a resident alien among you” (Genesis 23:4, see also his words in 18:27). His temperance in appetite is learned from a midrash on Gen. 12:11, where he states to Sarah, “Behold, I now know that you are a beautiful woman”. According to the midrash Abraham had not looked at her until that moment.
In contrast, Balaam is greedy for he pursues the reward he would have received for cursing Israel. In Numbers 22:18 he states, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold”. Rashi comments that from here we can see that Balak had already begun to think about the material reward that he might receive. He is haughty as we can see from his statement, “The word of him who hears God’s speech, who obtains knowledge from the Most High” (Num 24:16). He has a limitless appetite, for a midrash teaches that after he failed in cursing Israel, he advised Balak to allow the Moabite women to prostitute themselves to Israel, and thereby ensnare them in idol worship (see the beginning of Numbers 25). He would not have advised such a thing if he himself did not desire such sexual licentiousness.
The second half of the mishnah teaches the rewards that will be given to the disciples of Abraham and the punishments that will be given to the disciples of Balaam. The verse from Proverbs is understood as referring to Abraham’s disciples since “those who love me” is also used in reference to Abraham (Isaiah 41:18). The verse in Psalms is understood as referring to Balaam since he was murderous, for he advised Balak to seduce Israel and thereby led to the death of 24,000 Israelites (Num 25:9).