359. While still journeying, behold, a raven appeared to them. It cried out and crowed loudly. Rabbi Elazar said, This is your duty, and for that reason you were created, MEANING TO BRING BAD TIDINGS. Get going on your way, I already know. Rabbi Elazar said, Let us go and do an act of kindness for that pomegranate that was full of everything; Rabbi Yosi of Peki'in was his name, who departed from this world and no one is worthy to make an effort for his sake. And he is close by.

458. Rabbi Elazar said that vayikar MEANS THAT Bilaam believed he would be able to harm Yisrael with that gift. The Holy One, blessed be He, eradicated that gift from His presence, expunged Bilaam from such thoughts and uprooted him from that level. That is what is meant by vayiker, as it says, "The ravens of the valley shall pick it up (Heb. yikruha)" (Mishlei 30:17). He said to him, 'Wicked one, you are not worthy to be associated with Me or to enter into My presence. Your gift will be given to the dog.'

472. Come and see, when Bilaam saw that even with all his witchcraft and all that offering, MEANING THE SACRIFICES THAT HE OFFERED, he was unable to uproot that coh, as it says, "While I go to the meeting yonder (Heb. coh)," to uproot coh. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him, 'Wicked one, you are planning to annihilate her. I will extricate you from your chain, MEANING HE WILL UPROOT HIM FROM THE SOURCE. It is written: "And Elohim met (Heb. vayikar) Bilaam," as we explained THAT IT IS DERIVED FROM "THE RAVENS OF THE VALLEY SHALL PICK IT OUT (HEB. YIKRUHA)" (MISHLEI 30:17), PICK HIM OUT OF HIS LEVEL. Following this, when he realized that he could not, he again said, "And he has blessed; and I cannot reverse it (her)." It should have read: 'I cannot reverse him,' but "reverse her" is more precise, because it refers to her about whom the word coh is used, as "And say thus (Heb. coh)," REFERS TO MALCHUT, ABOUT WHOM HE SAID, I cannot reverse her FROM YISRAEL.