Musar for Sanhedrin 210:20

א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן מאי דכתיב (משלי כז, ו) נאמנים פצעי אוהב ונעתרות נשיקות שונא טובה קללה שקילל אחיה השילוני את ישראל יותר מברכה שברכם בלעם הרשע אחיה השילוני קילל את ישראל בקנה שנאמר (מלכים א יד, טו) והכה ה' את ישראל כאשר ינוד הקנה במים וגו' מה קנה זה עומד במקום מים וגיזעו

that the <i>Shechinah</i> should not rest upon them — and thy tabernacles, O Israel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. The tabernacle symbolising the Divine Presence. ');">³⁵</span> that their kingdom should not endure — As the valleys are they spread forth;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 6; the spreading forth of the valleys symbolising length of time. ');">³⁶</span> that they might have no olive trees and vineyards — as gardens by the river's side; that their odour might not be fragrant — as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted; that their kings might not be tall — and as cedar trees beside the waters; that they might not have a king the son of a king — 37 He shall pour the water out of his buckets;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., one king shall be descended from another. ');">³⁸</span> that their kingdom might not rule over other nations — and his seed shall be in many waters; that their kingdom might not be strong — and his king shall be higher than Agag; that their kingdom might not be awe-inspiring — and his kingdom shall be exalted. R. Abba b. Kahana said: All of them reverted to a curse,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' His intention in every case was eventually fulfilled. ');">³⁹</span> excepting the synagogues and schoolhouses, for it is written, But the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing for thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXIII, 6. ');">⁴⁰</span> the curse, but not the curses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., only one intentioned curse was permanently turned into a blessing, viz.. that concerning synagogues etc., as these were destined never to disappear from Israel. ');">⁴¹</span> R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in R. Jonathan's name: What is meant by the verse, Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXVII, 6. ');">⁴²</span> Better is the curse wherewith Ahijah the Shilonite cursed Israel than the blessing wherewith the wicked Balaam blessed them. Ahijah the Shilonite cursed Israel by a reed, as it is said, For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XIV, 15. ');">⁴³</span> just as a reed grows in well watered soil and its stem

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