Why Was Hashem Angry at Bilam/2
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28: <point><b>"הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם"</b> – This position might suggest that even after our story, Bilam does not actively attempt to harm Israel.  It might explain, as does <multilink><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar22-20" data-aht="source"><multilink data-aht="<a href="IbnEzraBemidbar22-20" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 22:20</a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar23-21" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 23:21</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a>"></multilink></a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar23-21" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar23-21" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 23:21</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>,<fn>See also <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBemidbar25-1" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBemidbar22-12-35" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 22:12-18,22,23,35</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBemidbar23-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 23:1</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBemidbar23-13" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 23:13</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBemidbar24-1-2" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 24:1-2</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBemidbar25-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 25:1</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>. Both Ibn Ezra and R"Y Bekhor Shor, however, assume that even if Bilam was not responsible for the idea to induce Israel to sin, he nonetheless attempted to harm Israel.  For example, R"Y Bekhor Shor suggests that after the Sin at Baal Peor, the Midianites once again hired Bilam to curse, assuming that this time, when the nation no longer deserved protection, he would be successful.  It was for this reason that he was at the battlefield during the war.</fn> that this verse does not mean that Bilam actively counseled the Midianites to entice Israel into sin, but rather that they learned to do so through his speech. In the middle of Bilam's second blessing, he says, "לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל".  The Midianites understood from this that though the Children of Israel are untouchable when innocent, they are vulnerable when they sin.<fn>According to this reading, the mention of Bilam among the dead in the war against Midyan is somewhat difficult, as he did nothing to deserve death. This position might answer that the verse does not say that Bilam was targeted, but simply that he was among those killed. Nonetheless, there would seem to be no reason for the Torah to share such a fact. Moreover, it is not clear why Bilam would be at the battle at all, let alone why he would be on the Midianite side.</fn></point>