Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam/2

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.

Sources:RashiBemidbar 22:9-35About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RashbamBereshit 32:29Bemidbar 22:22-33About R. Shemuel b. Meir, perhaps Ibn EzraBemidbar 22:20About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBemidbar 22:12-35About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, ChizkuniBemidbar 22:12-34About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach,¹ AbarbanelBemidbar 22:2Bemidbar 22:22About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, SefornoBemidbar 22:12-38About R. Ovadyah Seforno, Or HaChayyimBemidbar 22:13-38About R. Chayyim b. Atar, HaKetav VeHaKabbalahBemidbar 22:12-35About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg, R. S.R. HirschBemidbar 22:12-39About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, MalbimBemidbar 22:6-40About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, NetzivBemidbar 22:11-38About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

"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 of Balak's messengers, and that throughout He was opposed to Bilam's cursing.² However, they dispute whether Hashem was also consistent regarding His permitting / refusing Bilam to accompany the officers:

• Consistent – HaKetav VeHaKabbalah³ suggests that in both cases, Hashem 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.⁴ As such, when Hashem initially said "לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם", He meant only that Bilam not go with the intent to curse the people,⁵ but not that he could not physically accompany Balak's officers.⁶
• Inconsistent – Ibn EzraBemidbar 22:20About R. Avraham ibn Ezra and Chizkuni suggest that though initially Hashem did not allow Biilam to join the Moabites, He did allow him to do so 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,⁷ allowing him to learn his lesson (the futility of his attempt to curse) the hard way.⁸
• Gave in to Balak - Chizkuni⁹ 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.  The point was driven home when the expected curse became a blessing.¹⁰

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, 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.¹¹
• "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 suggests that the very fact that Bilam went with the messengers betrays his intentions. If he had been planning on abiding by God's words (not to curse), what was the point of going?
• No mention of Hashem's condition - The fact that Bilam did not share Hashem's caveat, that he could go but only say that which Hashem tells him ("אַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה"), might further suggest that he planned to ignore it. ¹²

Bilam's Motives – Most of these sources imply that Bilam was motivated by his personal hatred of the Children of Israel and the desire that they be harmed.  R"Y Bekhor Shor and Abarbanel, in contrast, suggest that Bilam was acting out of financial interest.  He did not harbor ill will against the nation; he simply hoped to earn a good fee from Balak.

"לוּ יֶשׁ חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי כִּי עַתָּה הֲרַגְתִּיךְ" – The angel's intentions

• Punishment - Rashbam suggests that the angel was sent to punish Bilam for going to act against Hashem's will.  He points to Yaakov, Moshe, and Yonah as examples of others who tried to avoid fulfilling the mission assigned to them by Hashem, and who were similarly punished.¹³

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:RambanBemidbar 22:13-35About R. Moshe b. Nachman #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 Ibn Kaspi and RalbagBemidbar 22:13-33About R. Levi b. Gershom

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.

¹

² This is why Hashem stipulates, "אַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה", warning Bilam that he will not be able to say whatever he pleases, but only what Hashem tells him to say.

³ Cf. Malbim and Netziv. Though R"Y Bekhor Shor and Chizkuni do not differentiate between the meaning of the two phrases, they basically reach the same conclusion, suggesting that in Hashem's first response He only refused to let Bilam go if he was to curse; otherwise he would have been free to travel. [Rashi and R"Y Bekhor Shor suggest that Hashem allowed this so that Bilam could not complain that he lost out on potential profits.]

⁴ This reading encounters a significant difficulty from the end of episode with the angel and donkey. When the angel once again permits Bilam to go with the Moabites, according to this approach he should say "לֵךְ את הָאֲנָשִׁים" (as the angel clearly is not saying that he wants Bilam to share the Moabite's intent), yet the angel nonetheless says, "לֵךְ עִם הָאֲנָשִׁים".

⁵ This would be to go "עם" the Moabites, with one mind and intention.

⁶ This, then is no different from the second response, in which Bilam is again allowed to go, but not to be of one mind with the Moabites, to curse.  Cf. Seforno who explains that the phrase "אִם לִקְרֹא לְךָ בָּאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים", means "if the officers came to seek your advice", suggesting that Hashem's permitted Bilam to go only under these conditions, that he go as an outside consultant, but not if he was planning on cursing.

⁷ Ramban argues against this possibility, claiming that it is inconceivable that Hashem would change His mind, only due to the obstinacy of Bilam.

⁸ Cf. Rav Huna in Bavli Makkot 10bMakkot 10bAbout the Bavli, that this incident teaches that Hashem assists a person to follow the path upon which they desire to proceed (בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ).
Ibn Ezra compares this to Hashem's agreeing to the sending of the spies. Though Hashem had let it be known that no spies were needed, when the people pressured to nonetheless send scouts (Devarim 1:22), He reluctantly agreed (Bemidbar 13:1). Though Hashem knew it was a mistake and was to end badly, He allowed the people to discover this for themselves.  This can be compared to a parent who refuses a child's request so as to guard them from harm, but after persistent pestering, might give in and let the child learn the consequences on their own. [For other approaches to the discrepancy regarding who initiated the spying mission, Hashem or the nation, see The Story of the Spies in Bemidbar and Devarim.]

⁹ See his third explanation.

¹⁰ According to this reading, initially Hashem had planned only on preventing Bilam from going to curse the nation. It was only in the face of Balak and Bilam's intransigence and insistence on cursing, that He decided to transform it into a blessing.

¹¹ See the discussion above. As mentioned, the angel's later words, "לֵךְ עִם הָאֲנָשִׁים" is difficult for this approach, as it is clear that the angel does not want Bilam to share the Moabite officers' agenda, and he nonetheless uses the words "לֵךְ עִם".  This might suggest that there really is no difference in meaning between "לך עם" and "לך את".

¹² Chizkuni suggests that after Hashem had said "אַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה" Bilam was meant to wait and hear what it was that he was to transmit, but Bilam being so eager to go, rushed out, not waiting to hear the rest of  Hashem's words.  This, too, betrays Bilam's great hatred of the nation and  his intense desire to harm them.

¹³ Each is put into a potentially fatal situation, and, like Bilam, each of Moshe and Yaakov are also injured or touched on the thigh. It is possible that in all three cases the leg is specifically chosen as a measure for measure punishment for not going to do what Hashem desired. For more on Rashbam's reading of each of these stories, Wrestling With Angels and Men and Mystery at the Malon.