Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam/2
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Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam?
Exegetical Approaches
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.
Sources:Rashi, Rashbam, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Chizkuni, Abarbanel, Seforno, Or HaChayyim, HaKetav VeHaKabbalah, R. S.R. Hirsch, Malbim, Netziv
"קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם" / "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם" - Did Hashem change His mind? All these sources assume that Hashem did not fundamentally change His mind; He was always opposed to Bilam's cursing and remained so. They disagree as to how to understand Hashem granting Bilam permission to nonetheless accompany the Moabite officers:
- No permission -
- Gave in to Bilam – Ibn Ezra suggests that though Hashem opposed Bilam's going, he gave into Bilam's desires, allowing him to learn his lesson the hard way. He compares this to Hashem's agreeing to the sending of the spies, even though He knew that it was problematic.
- –
Evidence of Bilam's evil intent
"לוּ יֶשׁ חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי כִּי עַתָּה הֲרַגְתִּיךְ" – The angel's intentions
Message of the donkey episode
חָטָאתִי
Did Bilam change?
Ability to curse
Character of Bilam
Lack of Transparency
Bilam was not upfront with Balak's messengers, leading them to believe that he was coming to curse as they requested, when he, in fact, was not given permission to do so.
Sources:Ramban #1
No Wrongdoing
Bilam had not yet committed any problematic deed. Hashem was simply issuing a warning to emphasize that he do as told.
Sources:perhaps Ralbag
Changing Circumstances
Hashem's varying responses relate to the changing deeds of Israel and whether or not they merited protection from Bilam's curses.
Chronology – This approach assumes that the interactions between Bilam and Balak take place at the same time as the story of the Sin of Baal Peor. Though the stories overlap in time, they are written consecutively, as independent narratives, so as not to confuse the reader in switching back and forth between each.
"הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם לִמְסׇר מַעַל בַּי״י עַל דְּבַר פְּעוֹר" – This approach, following Bavli Sanhedrin, understands this verse to mean that it was Bilam's idea to incite the Israelites to sin with the Midianites at Baal Peor. However, it uniquely suggests that this advice was given, not after Bilam's attempt to curse the nation failed, but at the very outset of the story. When Hashem forbade Bilam from going to curse the nation because "they are blessed", Bilam suggested to Balak that he cause the nation to stumble and sin so that they would no longer be deserving of blessing.
"קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם" / "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם" - Did Hashem change His mind? 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. 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.
The angel and donkey – By morning, Pinechas had killed the guilty parties and the nation was once again deserving of Divine protection.
