Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam/2

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Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam?

Exegetical Approaches

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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.

"קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם" / "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם" - Did Hashem change His mind? All these sources assume that Hashem did not fundamentally change His mind between the first and second visit, and that throughout He was opposed to Bilam's cursing.1 However, they dispute whether Hashem was also consistent regarding Bilam's travels:
  • Consistent – HaKetav VeHaKabbalah2 suggests that in both of Hashem's responses, He allowed Bilam to travel but not to curse. He differentiates between the phrases "לֵךְ עִם" and "לֵךְ את" suggesting that while "לֵךְ את"  refers to a physical accompaniment, "לֵךְ עִם" means to be of one mind.3 As such, when Hashem initially said "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם", He meant only that Bilam not curse the people,4 but not that he could not physically travel.5
  • InconsistentIbn EzraBemidbar 22:20About R. Avraham ibn Ezra and Chizkuni suggest that though initially Hashem did not allow Biilam to travel, He did allow him to do the second time:
    • Gave in to Bilam - Ibn Ezra explains that though Hashem opposed Bilam's going, He gave in to Bilam's persistent requests,6 allowing him to learn his lesson (the futility of his attempt to curse) the hard way.7
    • Gave in to Balak - Chizkuni8 explains similarly, but highlights Balak's repeated requests. If Balak was foolish enough to ask Bilam to come and curse Israel a second time, then Hashem was ready to grant the request just so that he would learn how pointless it was.9
Evidence of Bilam's evil intent – These sources suggest that the text contains various hints to Bilam's evil intent:
  • "וַיֵּלֶךְ עִם שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב" – HaKetav VeHaKabbalah, Malbim, Netziv assert that the phrase "וַיֵּלֶךְ עִם" (rather than "וילך את") implies that Bilam did not just physically join the officers, but that he was also of one mind with their intentions that he curse.10
  • "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.
  • Omits mention of Hashem's condition -
"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.

No Wrongdoing

Bilam had not yet committed any problematic deed. Hashem was simply issuing a warning to emphasize that he do as told.

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 SanhedrinSanhedrin 106aAbout 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? 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. 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.