Mesorat%20hashas for Sanhedrin 209:17

קוסם באמתו היה כתיב הכא נופל וגלוי עינים וכתיב התם (אסתר ז, ח) והנה המן נופל על המטה וגו' איתמר מר זוטרא אמר קוסם באמתו היה מר בריה דרבינא אמר שבא על אתונו מ"ד קוסם באמתו היה כדאמרן ומ"ד בא על אתונו היה כתיב הכא (במדבר כד, ט) כרע שכב וכתיב התם (שופטים ה, כז) בין רגליה

— meaning, If I diethe death of the righteous [i.e., a natural death], my last end will be likehis;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'I will enter the world to come.' ');">³³</span> but if not [i.e., <font>if I diea violent death], then behold I go unto mypeople</font>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIV, 14; i.e., into the Gehenna. ');">³⁴</span> <i>And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXII, 7. ');">³⁵</span> A Tanna taught: There was never peace between Midian and Moab. The matter may be compared to two dogs in one kernel which were always enraged at each other. Then a wolf attacked one, whereupon the other said, If I do not help him, he will kill him to-day, and attack me to-morrow; so they both went and killed the wolf. R. Papa observed: Thus people say, 'The weasel and cat [when at peace with each other] had a feast on the fat of the luckless.' <i>And the princes of Moab abode with <font>Balaam</font></i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 8. ');">³⁶</span> But whither had the princes of Midian gone? — As soon as he said to them, <i>Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again,</i> [<i>as the Lord shall speak unto me</i>],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">³⁷</span> they reasoned, Does any father hate his son!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They knew that it was useless to wait. ');">³⁸</span> R. Nahman said: <font>Impudence, even against Heaven, is of avail</font>: at first it is written, <i>Thou shalt not go with them</i>,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 12. ');">³⁹</span> yet subsequently it is said, <i>Rise up and go with them</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 20. [His insistence wrested from God His consent for him to go.] ');">⁴⁰</span> R. Shesheth said: <font>Impudence is sovereignty without a crown</font>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it wields great power, and lacks nothing but a crown. ');">⁴¹</span> for it is written, <i>And I am this day weak, &nbsp;&nbsp;though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. III, 39. Thus their boldness and impudence outweighed sovereignty. ');">⁴²</span> R. Johanan said: <font>Balaam</font> limped on one foot, as it is written, <i>And he walked haltingly</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXIII, 3. ');">⁴³</span> Samson was lame in both feet, as it is written, [Dan shall be a serpent by the way,] an adder in the path that biteth the horse's heels.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 17. According to tradition, this was a prophecy of Samson; 'An adder in the path' is taken to mean that he would have to slither along like an adder, being lame in both feet. ');">⁴⁴</span> <font>Balaam</font> was blind in one eye, as it is said, [and the man] whose eye is open&nbsp;…<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXIV, 3. Since 'eye' is in the singular, it follows that only one eye was open, the other being sightless. ');">⁴⁵</span> <font>He practised enchantment by means of his membrum</font>. For here it is written, falling, but having his eyes open; whilst elsewhere is written, And Haman was fallen <font>on the bed whereon Esther was</font>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Est. VII, 8. ');">⁴⁶</span> It was stated, Mar Zutra said: <font>He practised enchantment by means of his membrum</font>. Mar the son of Rabina said: <font>He committed bestiality with his ass</font>. The view that <font>he practised enchantment by means of his membrum is as was stated</font>. The view that he committed <font>bestiality with his ass</font> [is because] here it is written, <font>He bowed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'he couched'. ');">⁴⁷</span></font> he lay down as a lion and as a great lion;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXIV, 9. ');">⁴⁸</span> whilst elsewhere it is written, At her feet</font>

Explore mesorat%20hashas for Sanhedrin 209:17. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.