Difference between revisions of "Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam/2"
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<point><b>"קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם" / "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם" - Did Hashem change His mind?</b> According to this approach, Hashem did change His mind between the first and second visits of Balak's messengers. During the first visit, Israel was free of sin and worthy of Hashem's protection, and so Bilam was prevented from cursing the nation.  By the second visit, however, the nation had sinned at Baal Peor (in the wake of Bilam's advice) and were deserving of punishment. As such, Hashem acquiesced that Bilam be the tool to inflict it.<fn>It is not clear how this approach would understand the relationship between Bilam's cursing and the plague which ensued in the aftermath of the Sin of Baal Peor.  If Hashem had already punished the perpetrators via a plague, why would Bilam's cursing be necessary?</fn> Hashem, however, added a caveat: "וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה",  leaving room for the nation to repent and Hashem to change His mind.</point> | <point><b>"קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם" / "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם" - Did Hashem change His mind?</b> According to this approach, Hashem did change His mind between the first and second visits of Balak's messengers. During the first visit, Israel was free of sin and worthy of Hashem's protection, and so Bilam was prevented from cursing the nation.  By the second visit, however, the nation had sinned at Baal Peor (in the wake of Bilam's advice) and were deserving of punishment. As such, Hashem acquiesced that Bilam be the tool to inflict it.<fn>It is not clear how this approach would understand the relationship between Bilam's cursing and the plague which ensued in the aftermath of the Sin of Baal Peor.  If Hashem had already punished the perpetrators via a plague, why would Bilam's cursing be necessary?</fn> Hashem, however, added a caveat: "וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה",  leaving room for the nation to repent and Hashem to change His mind.</point> | ||
<point><b>Hashem's wrath at Bilam</b> – By morning, Pinechas had killed the guilty parties, appeasing Hashem's anger, so that the nation was once again deserving of Divine protection.  Hashem's wrath at the nation was, thus, transferred to Bilam, who was guilty of causing the nation to sin to begin with.<fn>One might question why Hashem was angry at Bilam only in the second stage, after Pinechas' zealous act, and not right when the nation began to sin.  One might answer that this is actually a natural reaction.  First the people needed to be punished for their actions, regardless of who influenced them. Only afterwards, could Hashem move to deal with the outside instigators, both Bilam and the Midianites themselves.</fn></point> | <point><b>Hashem's wrath at Bilam</b> – By morning, Pinechas had killed the guilty parties, appeasing Hashem's anger, so that the nation was once again deserving of Divine protection.  Hashem's wrath at the nation was, thus, transferred to Bilam, who was guilty of causing the nation to sin to begin with.<fn>One might question why Hashem was angry at Bilam only in the second stage, after Pinechas' zealous act, and not right when the nation began to sin.  One might answer that this is actually a natural reaction.  First the people needed to be punished for their actions, regardless of who influenced them. Only afterwards, could Hashem move to deal with the outside instigators, both Bilam and the Midianites themselves.</fn></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Why</b></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Why doesn't Hashem have Bilam return home?</b> It is possible that after Hashem's anger at the Children of Israel was appeased, and His love restored, He desired not only that the nation not be cursed, but that they be blessed instead.<fn>This might be compared to a parent, who, after punishing a child, wants to show them that they still love them.</fn>  Thus, the angel tells Bilam to continue on his journey but to say only that which Hashem tells him - a blessing.<fn>This in itself was probably perceived as a punishment by Bilam.  The last thing he wanted to do was to bless the nation he so despised.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>The encounter with the angel</b> – This approach might suggest that the angel was sent to punish Bilam for his deed. However, we would have expected that at some point during the encounter, he would explain as much to Bilam. The fact that throughout the episode the angel never tells Bilam that Hashem now feels differently, and moreover, that he instead reiterates Hashem's earlier message almost verbatim, not indicating that there has been a change, is very difficult for this position.</point> | <point><b>The encounter with the angel</b> – This approach might suggest that the angel was sent to punish Bilam for his deed. However, we would have expected that at some point during the encounter, he would explain as much to Bilam. The fact that throughout the episode the angel never tells Bilam that Hashem now feels differently, and moreover, that he instead reiterates Hashem's earlier message almost verbatim, not indicating that there has been a change, is very difficult for this position.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Why | + | <point><b>Why relay the message through a miraculous event?</b> Perhaps the donkey is supposed to represent Israel, who is hurt via Bilam, despite never having done anything to him to deserve it.  The angel might represent Hashem who ultimately protects Isrsel and punishes those who harm her.</point> |
<point><b>חָטָאתִי - a sincere confession?</b> This position might read Bilam's statement as an admission of defeat more than a confession.</point> | <point><b>חָטָאתִי - a sincere confession?</b> This position might read Bilam's statement as an admission of defeat more than a confession.</point> | ||
<point><b>Did Bilam change?</b> According to this position, though Bilam might have recognized that it was futile to curse Israel at this point, his presence on the side of the Midianites during the battle in Bemidbar 31 implies that his animosity towards Israel did not dwindle.</point> | <point><b>Did Bilam change?</b> According to this position, though Bilam might have recognized that it was futile to curse Israel at this point, his presence on the side of the Midianites during the battle in Bemidbar 31 implies that his animosity towards Israel did not dwindle.</point> |
Version as of 11:32, 8 July 2019
Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam?
Exegetical Approaches
Preemptive Warning
Hashem's wrath was not a punitive reaction to wrongdoing but only a preemptive warning to ensure that Bilam proceeded according to Hashem's will. as such, it is expressed only in a dream before Bilam departs.
Hashem's response has an envelope structure. The prophetic dream opens with the main message expressed in words, "אִם לִקְרֹא לְךָ בָּאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה", while the rest of the dream relays the same exact message, but through visuals and a story. At the end of the story, the angel once again echoes the opening speech, "לֵךְ עִם הָאֲנָשִׁים וְאֶפֶס אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תְדַבֵּר".
- Hashem's anger – Hashem's anger in the dream serves to warn Bilam that if he goes with the wrong intentions, he will unleash Hashem's wrath.4
- Angel and sword – The angel's readiness to kill highlights the severity of such a transgression.
- Miraculous speech – Through the image of a talking donkey, Hashem emphasizes how He is control of His creatures' speech and that Bilam is only a tool in Hashem's hands, capable of saying only that which Hashem allows.
Evil Intent
Hashem was angry at Bilam since he was acting in bad faith. Though Bilam knew that Hashem's intentions were that the Children of Israel be blessed, Bilam was nonetheless hoping to curse them.
- Consistent – Several sources15 suggest that, despite initial impressions, in both cases, Hashem allowed Bilam to travel (but not to curse). When Hashem said "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם", He meant only to forbid Bilam from going if he was planning on cursing.16 Otherwise, though it would appear pointless, he was free to travel.17
- Change of plan – Ibn Ezra,18 in contrast, suggests that though initially Hashem forbade Bilam from joining the Moabites, He later gave in to Bilam's persistent requests19 and allowed him to do so despite His opposition to the idea.20 Hashem decided to let Bilam learn his lesson (the futility of his attempt to curse) the hard way.21 The point was driven home when the expected curse became a blessing.22
- Rashi and R. Hirsch point out that though Bilam was fully aware of Hashem's opposition to his cursing, his pagan view of gods led him to believe that Hashem was like a human, who might be swayed to change His mind by sacrifices23 or magical practices.24 This would explain why Bilam continuously seeks the Divine word despite planning on cursing the nation; he recognizes that it is necessary, but hopes that he can influence it.
- Alternatively, Ralbag believed that his curses or other magical rites had the power to harm even without Hashem's sanction.25 If so, though, it is not clear why he bothered to ask for Hashem's permission.26
- "וַיֵּלֶךְ עִם שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב" – HaKetav VeHaKabbalah, Malbim, and Netziv assert that the phrase "וַיֵּלֶךְ עִם" (rather than "וילך את") implies that Bilam not only physically joined the officers, but that he was also of one mind with their intentions to curse Israel.28
- "כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הוּא" – Seforno, Or HaChayyim and R. Hirsch suggest that the somewhat extraneous word "הוּא" implies that Bilam was going to do as he pleased, according to his own agenda and not Hashem's.
- "כִּי הוֹלֵךְ" – R"Y Bekhor Shor maintains that the very fact that Bilam went with the messengers betrays his intentions. If he had been planning on abiding by God's words, what was the point of going?
- Asking a second time – The fact that Bilam does not just refuse the second set of messengers, but asks Hashem for permission again, betrays his hopes that Hashem changed His mind.29
- No mention of Hashem's conditions - Bilam's omitting to share with the Moabites Hashem's caveat30 (that he could go but only say that which Hashem commands) might further suggest that he planned to ignore these instructions.31
- Punishment – Rashbam suggests that the angel was sent to punish Bilam (who emerges from the encounter lame)32 for planning to overturn Hashem's will.33 He points to Yaakov,34 Moshe,35 and Yonah36 as examples of others who tried to avoid fulfilling the mission assigned them by Hashem, and who were similarly punished.37
- Warning – Rashi and Seforno similarly assert that the angel was sent as a warning, expressing Hashem's disapproval of Bilam. However, they highlight how this was a merciful act, aimed at preventing Bilam from sinning and at aiding him to repent so as to avoid punishment.38
- All in Hashem's control – Abarbanel, Seforno, and R. Hirsch all point out how the miraculous speech of the donkey taught Bilam that just as the donkey was forced to speak against its nature, so, too, Bilam would have no choice but to say that which Hashem put in his mouth.40
- Hashem is not fickle – Prof. D. Henshke41 points out that Bilam had assumed that Hashem's decisions are arbitrary, and that He therefore could be easily influenced to change His mind.42 Hashem, thus, created a scenario in which initially Bilam assumed that his donkey was acting in an arbitrary manner, only to find out that there was a reason for his actions. Bilam was meant to learn that, despite Bilam's impressions, Hashem is never fickle.
- Humbling experience – R. Hirsch asserts that the episode was a lesson in humility. Though Bilam thought of himself as a "seer," he was proven more blind than his donkey.43 Though he assumed he could overcome Hashem's opposition and force Hashem's hand, he found that he could not even control his own donkey.
- מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל – Bilam is told once again that he has no power to curse if Hashem does not desire it.
- לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב... הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה – Contrary to Bilam's thoughts, Hashem cannot be swayed to change His mind like humans are.
- כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב – Despite all his efforts, all of Bilam's sorcery will be ineffective against Israel.
Evil Action
Hashem's anger at Bilam stemmed from Bilam's active attempts to harm Israel, his advising that the Midianites entice the nation to sin.