Sanhedrin 210:1

כרע נפל שכב וגו'

And knoweth the mind<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'knowledge'. ');">²</span> of the most High.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXIV, 16. ');">³</span>

(במדבר כד, טז) ויודע דעת עליון השתא דעת בהמתו לא הוה ידע דעת עליון הוה ידע מאי דעת בהמתו דאמרי ליה מאי טעמא לא רכבת סוסיא אמר להו שדאי להו ברטיבא

Now, seeing that <font>he did not even know the mind of his ass</font>, could he know the mind of the most High! What [is this about] the mind of his ass? — For they [the elders] said to him, 'Why didst thou not ride upon thy horse?' He replied. 'I have put it [to graze] in the dewy pastures. But the ass said to him, 'Am I not thine ass?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXII, 30; thus affirming that it was his usual wont to ride upon her, not upon a horse. ');">⁴</span> — 'Merely for carrying loads',&nbsp;&nbsp;[he replied]. 'Upon which thou hast ridden.' — 'That was only by chance.' 'Ever since I was thine until this day,' [she added]. 'Moreover, <font>I serve thee as a companion by night</font>.' Here is written, Was I ever wont to do so unto thee;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXII, 30. ');">⁵</span>

אמרה ליה הלא אנכי אתונך לטעינא בעלמא אשר רכבת עלי אקראי בעלמא מעודך עד היום הזה

whilst elsewhere it is written, <font>And let her be his companion</font>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings I, 2. In both cases a word from root [H] is used. Thus we see that he did not even know his beast's mind, not being able to anticipate her answers. How then could he claim to know the mind of God? ');">⁶</span> What then is meant by knowing the mind of the most High? — He knew how to gauge the exact moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry; and that was what the prophet said to Israel: O thy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what <font>Balaam the son of Beor</font> answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Micah VI, 5. ');">⁷</span>

ולא עוד אלא שאני עושה [לך] מעשה אישות בלילה כתיב הכא (במדבר כב, ל) ההסכן הסכנתי וכתיב התם (מלכים א א, ב) ותהי לו סוכנת

What is meant by that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord? — The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Know now how many acts of charity I performed for you in that I did not become angry all that time, in the days of <font>Balaam the Wicked</font>; for had I waxed angry during that time none would have remained or been spared of Israel's enemies.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A euphemism for Israel; v. p. 622, n. 1, For Balaam's curse pronounced at the very moment of My anger, would have been effective. ');">⁸</span> And thus Balaam said to Balak, How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I rage, when the Lord hath not raged?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXIII, 8. ');">⁹</span>

אלא מאי ויודע דעת עליון שהיה יודע לכוון אותה שעה שהקב"ה כועס בה

This teaches that for the whole of that time the Lord had not been wroth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., He was never angry during that period. ');">¹⁰</span> [But normally] God is angry every day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. VII, 12. ');">¹¹</span>

והיינו דקאמר להו נביא לישראל (מיכה ו, ה) עמי זכר נא מה יעץ בלק מלך מואב ומה ענה אותו בלעם בן בעור מן השטים ועד הגלגל למען דעת צדקות ה' מאי למען דעת צדקות ה' אמר להן הקב"ה לישראל דעו נא כמה צדקות עשיתי עמכם שלא כעסתי כל אותן הימים בימי בלעם הרשע שאילמלא כעסתי כל אותן הימים לא נשתייר משונאיהן של ישראל שריד ופליט

And how long does His anger last? — A moment, as it is written, For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXX, 5. ');">¹²</span> Or, if you like, deduce it from this verse, Come, my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXVI, 20. ');">¹³</span>

היינו דקאמר ליה בלעם לבלק מה אקב לא קבה אל (וגו' אותן היום [הימים] לא זעם ה') אל זועם בכל יום וכמה זעמו רגע שנאמר (תהלים ל, ו) כי רגע באפו חיים ברצונו וגו'

Now, when is He angry? — In the first three hours [of the day], when the comb of the cock is white. But at all times it is white! — At all other times it has red streaks, but at that moment [of God's anger] there are no red streaks in it. <font>A sectarian</font><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. Min, v. Glos. ');">¹⁴</span>

איבעית אימא (ישעיהו כו, כ) לך עמי בא בחדריך וסגור דלתיך בעדך חבי כמעט רגע עד יעבור זעם אימת רתח בתלת שעי קמייתא כי חוורא כרבלתא דתרנגולא כל שעתא ושעתא נמי חוורא כל שעתא ושעתא אית ביה סוריקי סומקי ההיא שעתא לית ביה סוריקי סומקי

lived in the neighbourhood of R. Joshua b. Levi, who used to vex him. One day he took a fowl, tied it to the foot &nbsp;&nbsp;[of his bed]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Of his bed' is supplied from Ber. 7a. where this story is repeated. Magical properties were ascribed to the feet of a bed. V. A. Marmorstein in MGWJ. 1927, p. 44 and 1928. p. 391. et seqq., where a number of instances are given both from Talmudic and non-Talmudic literature of the feet of a bed being used in magic. For variants in the whole passage. cf. A.Z. 4a. ');">¹⁵</span> and sat down, saying, When that moment comes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When its comb is entirely white. ');">¹⁶</span>

ההוא מינא דהוה בשיבבותיה דרבי יהושע בן לוי דהוה קא מצער ליה יומא חד נקט תרנגולתא ואסר ליה בכרעיה ואותיב אמר כי מטא ההוא שעתא אילטייה כי מטא ההוא שעתא נמנם אמר שמע מינה לאו אורח ארעא דכתיב (משלי יז, כו) גם ענוש לצדיק לא טוב אפילו במיני לא איבעי ליה למימר הכי

I will curse him. But when that moment came, he dozed off. This proves, said he, that it is not fitting [to do this], for it is written, Also to punish, is not meet ['good'] for the righteous:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XVII, 26. ');">¹⁷</span> even of a sectarian, one should not speak thus.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., one must not curse even a sectarian. ');">¹⁸</span>

תנא משמיה דרבי מאיר בשעה שהחמה זורחת והמלכים מניחין כתריהן על ראשיהן ומשתחוים לחמה מיד כועס

A Tanna taught in the name of R. Meir: When the sun shines and kings place their crowns upon their heads and adore the sun, immediately [the Almighty] becomes wroth. And <font>Balaam rose up</font> in the morning, and saddled his ass.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXII, 21. ');">¹⁹</span>

(במדבר כב, כא) ויקם בלעם בבקר ויחבוש את אתונו תנא משום רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אהבה מבטלת שורה של גדולה מאברהם דכתיב (בראשית כא, יד) וישכם אברהם בבקר שנאה מבטלת שורה של גדולה מבלעם שנאמר ויקם בלעם בבקר ויחבוש את אתונו

A Tanna taught on the authority of R. Simeon b. Eleazar: Love disregards the rule of dignified conduct. [This is deduced] from Abraham, for it is written, And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXII, 3. Though the saddling of an ass is not work becoming for a great man, yet in his love to God and eagerness to carry out his commands, Abraham did it. ');">²⁰</span> <font>Hate likewise disregards the rule of dignified conduct</font>: [this is deduced] from <font>Balaam</font>, for it is written, And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass.

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ובמצוה אפילו שלא לשמה שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה שבשכר ארבעים ושתים קרבנות שהקריב בלק זכה ויצאה ממנו רות א"ר יוסי בר הונא רות בתו של עגלון בן בנו של בלק מלך מואב היתה

Rab Judah said in Rab's name: One should always occupy himself with Torah and good deeds, though it be not for their own sake,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. next note. ');">²¹</span> for out of good work misapplied in purpose there comes [the desire to do it] for its own sake. For as a reward for the forty-two sacrifices offered up by Balak, he was privileged that Ruth should be his descendant;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though Balak offered up these sacrifices for a most unworthy purpose — viz. that Balaam might thereby be enabled to curse Israel — he was nevertheless rewarded for it, shewing that it has some merit. ');">²²</span>

א"ל רבא לרבה בר מרי כתיב (מלכים א א, מז) ייטב אלהים את שם שלמה משמך ויגדל [את] כסאו מכסאך אורח ארעא למימרא ליה למלכא הכי א"ל מעין קאמרה ליה

[as]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Hor. 10b. ');">²³</span> R. Jose b. Huna said: Ruth was the daughter of Eglon, the grandson of Balak, king of Moab.

דאי לא תימא הכי (שופטים ה, כד) תבורך מנשים יעל אשת חבר הקיני מנשים באהל תבורך נשים באהל מאן נינהו שרה רבקה רחל ולאה אורח ארעא למימר הכי אלא מעין קאמר הכא נמי מעין קאמר

Raba said to Rabbah b. Mari: It is written, [And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying] God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings I, 47. ');">²⁴</span> is it mannerly to speak thus to a king? — He replied: They meant, according to the nature of [thy throne etc.].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e.. God make the name of Solomon illustrions (lit., 'good') even as the nature of thine own, and make his throne great, according to the character of thy throne. [The [H] in [H] is taken as partitive.] ');">²⁵</span>

ופליגא דרב יוסי בר חוני דאמר רב יוסי בר חוני בכל אדם מתקנא חוץ מבנו ותלמידו בנו משלמה ותלמידו איבעית אימא (מלכים ב ב, ט) ויהי נא פי שנים ברוחך אלי ואיבעית אימא (במדבר כז, כג) ויסמוך את ידיו עליו ויצוהו

For should you not say thus, [consider:] Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judges V, 24. ');">²⁶</span> Now who are the 'women in the tent'? — Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. Is it then meet to say thus? — But it means according to the nature of [their blessedness].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'Blessed shall she be, with the blessedness of women in the tent.' [The [H] in [H] is likewise treated as partitive.] ');">²⁷</span>

(במדבר כג, ה) וישם דבר בפי בלעם ר"א אומר מלאך ר' יונתן אמר חכה

So here too, it bears the same meaning. Now, this conflicts with R. Jose b. Honi. For R. Jose b. Honi said: Of everyone a man is jealous, except his son and disciple. 'His son' — this is deduced from Solomon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., from the passage under discussion; David's servants were not afraid to wish Solomon a greater name than his own, knowing that he would not be jealous of his own son. He thus translates the verse literally. ');">²⁸</span> 'His disciple — [is deduced] if you like, say, from Let a double quantity of thy spirit be upon me;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings II, 9. Elisha asked this of his master Elijah. ');">²⁹</span>

א"ר יוחנן מברכתו של אותו רשע אתה למד מה היה בלבו ביקש לומר שלא יהו להם בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות (במדבר כד, ה) מה טובו אהליך יעקב לא תשרה שכינה עליהם ומשכנותיך ישראל לא תהא מלכותן נמשכת כנחלים נטיו לא יהא להם זיתים וכרמים כגנות עלי נהר לא יהא ריחן נודף כאהלים נטע ה'

or if you like, say, from And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVII, 23. This alludes to Moses' giving of his spirit to Joshua. ');">³⁰</span> And the Lord put a thing in the mouth of Balaam.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIII, 5. ');">³¹</span>

לא יהיו להם מלכים בעלי קומה כארזים עלי מים לא יהיה להם מלך בן מלך יזל מים מדליו לא תהא מלכותן שולטת באומות וזרעו במים רבים לא תהא עזה מלכותן וירם מאגג מלכו לא תהא אימת מלכותן ותנשא מלכותו

R. Eleazar said, An angel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., put an angel at his mouth, to curb his speech. ');">³²</span> R. Jonathan said: a hook.

אמר רבי אבא בר כהנא כולם חזרו לקללה חוץ מבתי כנסיות ומבתי מדרשות שנאמר (דברים כג, ו) ויהפוך ה' אלהיך לך את הקללה לברכה כי אהבך ה' אלהיך קללה ולא קללות

R. Johanan said: From the blessings of that wicked man you may learn his intentions:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Every blessing is the reverse of the curse he wished to utter. ');">³³</span> Thus he wished to curse them that they [the Israelites] should possess no synagogues or school-houses — [this is deduced from] How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIV, 5.'Tents' is interpreted 'synagogues'. etc. ');">³⁴</span>

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