1. "And Balak the son of Tzipor saw" (Bemidbar 22:2). Rabbi Shimon said, He "saw." What did he see? HE RESPONDS: It is definitely a real vision. He perceived through the gaze of Chochmah and he saw with his eyes, MEANING THE EYES OF CHOCHMAH. He noticed through the perception of wisdom, as it says that "Abimelech, king of the Philistines looked out at a window" (Beresheet 26:8). What is the meaning of: "out at a window?" It is as it is written: "The mother of Sisera looked out at the window" (Shoftim 5:28). It is assuredly the window of Chochmah at the rim of the edges of the stars. THAT IS THE WINDOW THAT IS MENTIONED WITH REFERENCE TO SISERA'S MOTHER AND ABIMELECH, and these are the windows TO Chochmah, MEANING THAT THERE EXIST MANY WINDOWS and there is one window where all wisdom are. Whoever looks at the essence of wisdom can look through it. Here too: "And Balak...saw" through his wisdom, MEANING HIS OWN PRIVATE WINDOW.

3. One day, he performed his acts and took the bird. She flew away and left, tarried and did not return TO HIM. Balak was saddened and, before her return, saw a flame of fire that flew AFTER THE BIRD and scorched her wings. He then saw what he saw and was afraid of Yisrael. What is the name of that bird? It is known (Heb. yadua). None of those who make use of and know how to make use of that bird know its witchcraft as well as Balak knew it.

4. All of the wisdom that he acquired came from that bird. This is what he used to do: he bowed down before THE BIRD, burned incense, covered his head, bent over and spoke. He would say, 'The nation,' and the bird would reply to him, 'Yisrael.' He would say, 'Much,' and the bird would respond, 'Many (Heb. rav)' in commemoration of the great one (Heb. rav) that traveled among them. They whispered to each other seventy times, BALAK AND THE BIRD. He would say, 'Poor,' and the bird would say, 'Great (Heb. rav).' He then was afraid, as it is written: "And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many (Heb. rav)" (Bemidbar 22:3), assuredly rav.

6. They place that bird in that one window, OF THE ONES MENTIONED ABOVE, AND DURING THE DAY they open the window in the direction of the sun THAT RULES BY DAY. At night, they open the window in the direction of the moon, WHICH RULES BY NIGHT, and they burn incense and perform witchcraft. DURING THE DAY, they conjure the sun TO BESTOW ITS ABUNDANCE and at night they conjure the moon. And so they perform for seven days. From then on, that tongue is already rattling in the mouth of the bird, BUT IS STILL UNABLE TO SPEAK. THEN they puncture her tongue with a golden needle and she speaks great things on her own. Everything that Balak knew came from that bird. Therefore, HE WAS CALLED 'the son of bird' and he saw what other people were unable to know and could not see.

28. Rabbi Yosi says, If so, Balak was a wise man, SINCE HE WAS AWARE THAT THE SATAN TRANSFORMS INTO THE FORM OF AN OX. He said to him most certainly HE WAS WISE. Similarly, he needed to know all the habits of that ox and if he had not been familiar with them, he would not have been able to perform his witchcraft and magic. Rabbi Yosi said, That is certainly so, and you spoke well. The might of that ox is, when they proclaim about the grain crops... (SOMETHING MISSING) ...all these days that are being proclaimed, and all the days that they proclaim about spirits of people. They are the days of Nissan and the days of Tishrei, as we have already learned.

134. HE RESPONDS: Yet Rabbi Yosi said that from here, it is recognizable that Balak was already aware of the desires of that evildoer, and that he wished to be apportioned great projects; his only ambition is to do evil deeds. THEREFORE, HE WAS EXALTING HIM AS IF THE REINS ARE IN HIS HANDS, AND TO WHOM HE WISHES HE CAN SEND BLESSINGS OR CURSES AND IT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED. ALSO, HE INFORMED HIM OF HIS OWN DESIRE TO CURSE YISRAEL, SINCE HE KNEW THAT HIS ENTIRE WISH WAS ONLY TO DO EVIL AND HARM.

135. Balak performed sorcery and witchcraft and constructed a bird. He was aware that Moses' levels were lofty and precious; he crafted with his witchery, and performed magical sorcery, and was aware that Bilaam's levels were corresponding TO THE LEVELS OF MOSES. Immediately, "he sent messengers to Bilaam the son of Beor."

154. Come and see: Because Yisrael said, "will we do," they were neither afraid of any deeds that the practitioners of witchcraft of the world were capable of doing nor of any sorcerers in the world. What is the reason? One is THAT THEY SAID, "WILL WE DO" and one is because the Holy One, blessed be He, broke all the witchcraft and sorcery before the children of Yisrael, when He took them out of Egypt, so that they should have no effect on them. When Balak came, he was aware of it. Immediately, "he sent messengers to Bilaam the son of Beor to Petor, which is by the river" (Bemidbar 22:5). What is Petor? It is that he prepared a table (Aram. Ptora) from which to ask for counsel as to what to do. "by the river:" HE ASKS: It should have said 'two rivers (Heb. naharaim),' SINCE HE WAS FROM ARAM NAHARAIM (ENG. 'TWO RIVERS'). HE REPLIES: He certainly dwells at all times on one river, MEANING TO SAY THE TABLE OF THE KLIPAH, WHICH IS MALCHUT OF KLIPAH, STANDS ABOVE ONE RIVER OF THAT KLIPAH, WHICH IS YESOD OF THE KLIPAH.

169. "Who sees the vision of Shadai:" Whoever hears this thinks that he actually used to see what no other visionary saw. HOWEVER, "the vision of Shadai" is one branch of the branches that emerge from the name Shadai. Why IS IT SO? Because among this wisdom OF THEIRS there are seen three BRANCHES, corresponding to the Shin of Shadai that correspond to the three branches OF THE SHIN OF SHADAI, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. There are seen CORRESPONDING to the two prophets TWO twigs of the willows, WHICH ARE NETZACH AND HOD that support TIFERET AND corresponding to the 72 branches of the evil eye, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE NAME OF 72 OF SANCTITY, THAT IS THE SECRET OF THE BENEVOLENT EYE, to block them, AND ALL THIS EXISTS IN CHOCHMAH OF THE KLIPOT. When Balak came, he said to himself, I will be successful against them, since Amalek attacked them with this wisdom and was successful against them.

170. He sent to Bilaam and said to him, I have within my name the two letters of Amalek, which are Lamed Kof, the ending of the name Amalek. I have Lamed Kof, and Amalek's ending is Lamed Kof. I have the ending. And you have the beginning, Bet Lamed. Rabbi Shimon said to him, Here is how I say it. The beginning of THE NAME Balak is Bet Lamed and the beginning of the name of Bilaam is Bet Lamed; hence, the beginning of Balak was with Bilaam. The ending OF THE NAME of Amalek, MEANING LAMED KOF, was in Balak and the ending of Bilaam, WHICH IS AM is in the beginning of Amalek. SO WE FIND THAT THE SUFFIX OF BILAAM WHICH IS AM AND THE SUFFIX OF BALAK, THAT IS LAMED KOF, SPELL AMALEK.

171. You might say that we cannot succeed against them because of the witchcraft of their master Moses, when he extends his hand, MEANING "MOSES STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND OVER THE SEA" (SHEMOT 14:27) AND OTHER INSTANCES. Here, this hand exists among these chiefs, who are more powerful with witchcraft. This is what is written: "Divination in their hand" (Bemidbar 22:7). It is not written, 'in their hands,' but rather: "in their hand," meaning hand against the hand OF MOSES, which is how Balak sent to Bilaam.

212. "And Balak...saw" (Bemidbar 22:1): Rabbi Elazar said, Certainly what Rabbi Chiya said ABOUT THIS VERSE: "BALAK THE SON OF TZIPOR (LIT. 'BIRD')" is a concealed matter. However, it is written: "Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself" (Tehilim 84:4). HE ASKS: Did King David then say this about a mere PHYSICAL bird?

222. Come and see what is written: "And Balak the son of Tzipor saw." Why the difference that his father's name is mentioned rather than the rest of the other kings OF MIDIAN WHO DID NOT HAVE THEIR FATHER'S NAMES MENTIONED? HE RESPONDS: It is only because Jethro drew himself away and was removed from idol worship, and he together with his children approached Yisrael to join with them. The whole world excommunicated him and persecuted him.

223. Balak was from the descendants OF JETHRO and deviated from the ways of his father. When the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, who were friends in their idol worship, saw that Jethro and his descendants adhered to the Shechinah, this one distanced himself from them. They came and crowned him king over them at that time, as it is written: "And Balak the son of Tzipor was king of Moab at that time." At that time, he was the king, something that he was not before then. Therefore, it is written: "the son of Tzipor" THAT ALLUDES TO JETHRO WHO WAS CALLED 'TZIPOR' TO INDICATE that it was not proper to do so, BECAUSE HE WAS FROM THE DESCENDANTS OF JETHRO CALLED 'TZIPOR.' HE INQUIRES: It says, "And Balak...saw," but it should have said 'heard.' What is the meaning here of: "saw?" HE RESPONDS: He saw a vision and he knew that he will fall into the hands of Yisrael. Yisrael will first fall into his hands and only afterward would he fall into Yisrael's hands. That is the reason it says: "And Balak the son of Tzipor saw."

244. Another explanation of: "Besides the shepherds' (Heb. roim) tents:" the Vav is missing IN THE WORD ROIM AND IT IS AS IF IT SAYS RAIM (LIT. 'EVIL ONES'). THIS INDICATES THAT they are evil, meaning the Amorite kings, from whom Yisrael have taken the land to give pasture to their herds. And Yisrael have turned that land to pasture land. Then Balak heard that the land that was so important, Yisrael made battle over it, and so demolished it as to make it into pasture. He then strove in whatever means was at his disposal and joined Bilaam with him.

245. "And Balak...saw:" Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion saying, "Thus says Hashem, 'Keep judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near...'" (Yeshayah 56:1). How beloved are Yisrael before the Holy One, blessed be He. Although they have sinned and are sinning constantly, He accounts their premeditated sins as errors.

255. In spite of all this, the wicked Balak did not abandon his design of sorcery, but rather he gathered up and picked all types of weeds and sorcery of snake heads, and took a cauldron of witchcraft. Balak stuck it 1,500 cubits underground and stored it for the end of days. When David came, he dug to the depth of 1,500 cubits, exposed the water from the depths and poured libations over the altar. At that moment, WHEN THE WATER LIBATIONS WERE POURED, he said, I will cleanse WITH THESE WATERS that cauldron OF SORCERY OF BALAK, as it is written: "Moab is My washpot" (Tehilim 60:10), assuredly My washpot.

264. When Balak took counsel, he said, "That I may drive them out of the land" (Bemidbar 22:6). He figured that the level into which YISRAEL were connected was definitely of the land, WHICH IS MALCHUT REFERRED TO AS EARTH. That is the meaning of: "For they are too mighty for me." The level of whoever could wage battle and stand up to Yisrael is stronger than mine. Therefore: "that I may drive them out of the land," WHICH IS FROM THEIR LEVEL, MALCHUT. If I drive them from that land and drive them from her, MEANING I WILL MANAGE TO HAVE THEM COMMIT SINS, I will be capable of doing WITH THEM as I please. Their power is through what? Through word and deed. Here is your mouth and my deed, AND WE WILL OVERCOME HIM.

276. King David said, "For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow..." (Tehilim 11:2). Although we already explained that this verse is about Shevna and Yoach, the chief ministers of Hezekiah, it is also said, referring to Samael and his retinue, that all his counsels and advice were against Yisrael. Balak and Bilaam tread exactly the same path, THAT OF SAMAEL AND HIS RETINUE and we learned that they formed an evil partnership. They said, Amalek IS SPELLED am lak, meaning a nation (Heb. am) that smote (Heb. lakah) them, like a snake that strikes with his tail. They figured that we are more THAN THEY ARE, because Balak IS SPELLED ba lak, meaning came (Heb. ba), he who smote (Heb. lakah) them as he wishes. Bilaam CONSISTS OF THE LETTERS bal am, meaning there are no (Heb. bal) people (Heb. am) and no shepherd. Our name will cause their destruction and uprooting from the world.

277. The Holy One, blessed be He, has figured their names in a different manner, since there is bal in Balak and in Bilaam. AND WHEN THEYARE JOINED, they form bilbel or confusion. What are the letters that are left WHEN YOU DEDUCT FROM THEM THE LETTERS BILBEL? THEY ARE Ayin Mem Kof; THAT IS, THE AYIN AND MEM FROM BILAAM AND KOF FROM BALAK. THIS COMBINATION WILL CAUSE their deep (Heb. omek) thinking and ideas to become confused, so that they should have no domination in the world and so that they should not remain in the world.

278. Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar, you spoke well. However, let the spirit of Balak burn in Gehenom and let the bones and spirit of Bilaam be ground there, because they made a bad decision to go against the shield OF YISRAEL, meaning that coh, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH REFERRED TO AS COH, and because they thought about uprooting that coh and bringing evil through speech and action.

280. He did not know that the Holy One, blessed be He, "removes the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged" (Iyov 12:20). And everything is at His command. "He removes the speech of the trusty" refers to the Generation of Separation, whose language He confused and who could not have any control of their speech, as it is written: "That they may not understand one another's speech" (Beresheet 11:7). "And takes away the understanding of the aged" refers to Bilaam and Balak, who were of one counsel, as it is written: "And Balak and Bilaam offered (sing.) on every altar a bullock and a ram" (Bemidbar 23:2).

281. Come and see that wicked man, Bilaam. All his activities were designed for evil, with haughtiness of heart. Both sacrificed the offerings, as it says, "And Balak and Bilaam offered." All the altars were prepared by Balak, but the wicked one, BILAAM, took praise and credit for himself, saying, "I have prepared the seven altars, and have offered upon every altar the bullock and the ram" (Ibid. 4). And he didn't include Balak with him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Wicked one, I know everything, however, return to Balak, and you won't have to speak; rather "and say thus (Heb. coh)" (Bemidbar 23:16), MEANING THE SHECHINAH THAT IS REFERRED TO AS COH WILL SPEAK INSTEAD. That is what is meant by: "And takes away the understanding of the aged."

282. Another explanation of, "And takes away the understanding of the aged" is : "And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand" (Bemidbar 22:7). He took away their reasoning powers so they could not control their witchcraft at all "and spoke to him the words of Balak" (Ibid.) loudly and openly, and not quietly BECAUSE HIS HEARING WAS IMPAIRED. He had a blemish in his ear, a blemish in his eye and a blemish in his leg. In these three areas, he had a blemish AND DISABILITY, because he was equipped for the Other Side. That was necessary for the Other Side, WHICH IS a place where there is a blemish. Each kind follows its own kind.

287. "And said, 'What men are these with you'" (Bemidbar 22:9): That was his own level of the left side that needed to ask, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T KNOW. Although the friends remarked on this differently, they indicated that the Holy One, blessed be He, was testing him with His words, because there were three WHO ELOHIM PUT TO A TEST. One was Hezekiah, one was Ezekiel and one was Bilaam. Two of them did not stand up to the test properly and one did. Who was it? That was Ezekiel, as it is written THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ASKED HIM, "Can these bones live?" (Yechezkel 37:3). And he answered, "And I answered, Hashem, Elohim You know" (Ibid.) Hezekiah said: "They are come from a far country, from Babylon" (II Melachim 20:14). Bilaam said, "Balak the son of Tzipor, king of Moab, has sent to me" (Bemidbar 22:10) TO SHOW THAT he is important in the eyes of rulers and kings. HOWEVER, the Holy One, blessed be He, simply asked him in order to mislead him and allow him to err, as it is written: "He makes nations great and destroys them" (Iyov 12:23). And this has been explained.

292. "And Bilaam said to the Elohim, 'Balak the son of Tzipor, king of Moab...'" (Bemidbar 22:10). He mentioned the king of Moab TO SHOW THAT an important king sent for him. "King of Moab," indeed! Look at the arrogance of that wicked man, because it is written THAT HE SAID king of Moab instead of A KING over Moab, WHICH SHOULD HAVE indicated a person who is not worthy to be a king, but became a king over Moab FOR SOME REASON. Of the first KING, it is written: "Who had fought against the former king of Moab" (Bemidbar 21:26). IT DOES NOT REFER TO THE FIRST KING AS A KING OVER MOAB, AS IT IS WRITTEN: "AND BALAK THE SON OF TZIPOR WAS KING OVER MOAB" (BEMIDBAR 22:4), DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE EARLIER KING WAS a king, the son of a king, royalty descended from royalty. However, about this one, IT IS WRITTEN: "BALAK THE SON OF TZIPOR was king over Moab." The scripture testifies, "king over Moab" - THAT HE WAS NOT DISTINGUISHED, BUT BILAAM SAID TO ELOHIM, "BALAK THE SON OF TZIPOR, KING OF MOAB." Here, I remarked that he intended to give pride to his arrogant heart, SAYING LOOK HOW all the royalty of the world send me messengers.

336. He opened the discussion with the verse: "O My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab devised" (Michah 6:5). "My people;" how much is the Holy One, blessed be He, compassionate to His children, even though they sinned against Him. All His words to them are with love, like a father to his son. If a son sins against his father and he beats him yet as much as he beats him he doesn't repent his ways; if he scolds him with words but he does not accept from him, his father then says, I do not wish to continue to do to my son as I have done until now. If I beat him, his head will hurt and his pain will be upon me. If I scold him, his expression will be strange. What shall I do? I can only go and beg of him and speak to him softly, so he should not get saddened.

338. "O My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab devised, and what Bilaam, the son of Beor answered him." "Remember now:" Remember, I pray you, "what...devised." Now we should observe what the advice of Balak was against the holy people. The Torah did not consider Balak as anything in comparison to Laban, as it says, "An Arammian wished to destroy my father" (Devarim 26:5). (THE REST IS MISSING)

397. "And Balak the son of Tzipor saw..." Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse: "Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye" (Mishlei 23:6). That applies to Bilaam, WHO WAS EVIL-EYED, and he blessed Yisrael. "Nor desire his dainties" (Ibid.) applies to Balak, for whose burnt offerings that he offered before Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, had no desire.

398. Come and see, when Balak saw that Sihon and Og were killed and their country was taken, he saw ONE MORE THING. HE ASKS: What did he see THAT THE SCRIPTURE says, "saw?" It is only that he saw in his wisdom he and the five top chiefs of Midian and his people were falling into the hands of Yisrael. He saw, yet did not know CLEARLY. Therefore, he first approached Bilaam, whose power was in his mouth TO BLESS AND CURSE, like Yisrael, whose power is in their mouth.

399. Bilaam was even more loathsome than Balak. Whatever he knew, he knew only at night. These lower Sfirot and the asses OF THE KLIPOT prevail only at the first watch of the night. AND ON THE FIRST WATCH, A SHE-MULE BRAYS. Therefore, he had a she-mule of that side, so the donkeys could join with her in the beginning of the night.

400. You may wonder why we find written: "And Elohim came to Bilaam at night" (Bemidbar 22:9). That is certainly how it is and we already explained that this is the minister that was appointed over them. And he approached him. Similarly, "Elohim came to Laban the Aramean..." (Beresheet 31:24) and it all was the same meaning. IT REFERS TO THEIR APPOINTED MINISTER, BECAUSE ELOHIM IS A COMMON NAMESAKE USED EVEN FOR PEOPLE. Therefore, he said to the princes of Balak, "Lodge here this night" (Bemidbar 22:8).

407. Instantly, "Bilaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his she-mule" (Bemidbar 22:21) to do his desire with her and the desire of Balak. Therefore, "Elohim's anger burned because he went" (Ibid. 22), "he" precisely, because he has removed himself from His authority, WITH THE HELP OF HIS SHE-MULE, AS MENTIONED EARLIER from what he was told: "but only that word WHICH I SHALL SAY TO YOU, SHALL YOU DO" (Ibid. 20). Come and see that this is how it was: because he was granted permission at first and was told to "stand up and go with them," now that he was going, why did "Elohim's anger burned?" It is because "he" in his own authority was going to exclude himself from the One who said to him, "But only that word..."

422. People that know the location OF AZA AND AZAEL visit them. They teach people witchcraft, enchantments and divinations. These dark mountains are referred to as the mountains of old. What is the reason? Because the darkness preceded the light. That is why the dark mountains are called "Mountains of old." Laban and Bilaam learned witchcraft from them and that is what Bilaam said, "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of old" (Bemidbar 23:7).

425. During that time, there was nobody in the world who was with them, AZA AND AZAEL, except for him, BILAAM, who would daily shut himself with them in those mountains. That is why it says, "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of old," surely from "the mountains of old," WHICH ARE THE MOUNTAINS OF THE DARKNESS, AS MENTIONED, and not from the land of the people of the east (also: 'of old').

446. "And Hashem opened the mouth of the she-mule..." (Ibid. 28): That is one of those things that were created on the eve of Shabbat at twilight. Rabbi Yitzchak said, What benefit is there from this, to Bilaam or to the she-mule or to Yisrael, in these speeches OF THE SHE-MULE? Rabbi Yosi said, The princes that were with him had a good laugh at him. When they reached Balak, they said to him, You will not find any substance in the speeches of this fool you sent us to call on; CONSEQUENTLY, with the utterances of his she-mule, he was disgraced. Rabbi Chiya said, If the she-mule was not spoken up with this, Bilaam would not have abandoned what was his. It is only through the utterances of his she-mule that he realized his power had been broken.

452. "And it came to pass on the morrow, when Balak took Bilaam..." (Bemidbar 22:41). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Balak was wiser in magic than Bilaam, except that he was unable to figure out the most opportune time to curse, LIKE BILAAM. Therefore, "Balak took Bilaam." He was preparing him and holding to him in everyway.

453. "And brought him up into the high altars of Ba'al" (Ibid.). What is the meaning of: "And brought him up into the high altars of Ba'al?" HE RESPONDS: It is that he observed which aspect OF YISRAEL he should grasp on to with his witchcraft. And he discovered that Yisrael were going to build altars and serve the Ba'al, as it says, "And served the Ba'al" (II Melachim 17:16). "That thence he might see the utmost part of the people" (Bemidbar 22:41): he noticed the chiefs of the people and their king worshipping him, as it is written: "And they called on the name of the Ba'al" (I Melachim 18:26) and: "If Hashem be Elohim..." (Ibid. 21). As soon as Bilaam saw that Yisrael were going for it in the future, immediately "Bilaam said to Balak, 'Build me here seven altars'" (Bemidbar 23:1).

460. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Wicked one, do you really think that it depends on you if the blessings will be fulfilled in My children or not? They do not need you. They say to a bee: NOT FROM YOUR STING AND NOT FROM YOUR HONEY, but rather "go back to Balak" (Bemidbar 23:16). When you open your mouth, it will not be in your control and it will not depend on your mouth, but only "say thus (Heb. coh)." For coh, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, is prepared to bless them and coh will express the blessing of My children. When you open your mouth, She will speak the words that will come true in My children, and I will not leave these matters in your hand.'

461. Come and see that this is how it was. As soon as BILAAM came to Balak and Balak heard all these things, WITH WHICH HE BLESSED YISRAEL, Balak first thought that they emerged from Bilaam's mouth. He said, "I called you to curse my enemies..." and Bilaam replied, Take this witchcraft into your hand to restrain here this coh, WHICH IS MALCHUT. If you will be capable of holding her back with this sorcery, I will expunge all these words that She said from her, MEANING HE WILL NULLIFY THE BLESSINGS THAT SHE SAID, AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

462. It is written: "Stand thus (Heb. coh) by your burnt offering" (Bemidbar 23:15). Through this and through these magical practices, you will restrain Her Coh, WHICH IS MALCHUT, "while I go to the meeting yonder (lit. 'meet coh')," meaning to say I will uproot Her from these words THAT WERE SAID BY HER. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Wicked one, I will uproot you.' It is said afterwards: "And Elohim met Bilaam" (Bemidbar 23:16). That matter will raise its voice with the speeches of coh and that is what is written: "And said, 'Go back to Balak, and say thus (Heb. coh)'." "And say thus (coh)" is exact.

482. "And when Bilaam saw that it pleased Hashem to bless Yisrael, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments..." (Bemidbar 24:1). HE INQUIRES: What is the meaning of: "to seek for enchantments?" Rabbi Yosi said, The first two times, he approached with all the implements of his witchcraft and desired to curse Yisrael. Then he realized the wish of the Holy One, blessed be He, who said, '"Go back to Balak," because My children have no need of your utterances. Another speech is forthcoming from this Coh, as it says, "And say thus (Heb. coh)." That means Coh will be speaking and not you. "And say thus (coh)," (or: 'coh will speak'), because she governs all the rulers of witchcraft and sorcery and the variety of evils, so they are not able to harm My children.' He then wished to gaze at them with the evil eye.

499. Come and see: When Bilaam realized that he was incapable of harming Yisrael, he returned to Balak and gave him advice in order to harm Yisrael, something he did not ask him to do. And his advice was regarding the Midianite women, who were beautiful. If not for the fact that Moses TOLD THIS TO US, we would not have known of it, because it is written: "Behold, these caused the children of Yisrael, through that counsel of Bilaam" (Bemidbar 31:16).