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.

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.

188. HE INQUIRES: What is the reason? HE REPLIES: Because the poor man is broken-hearted and it is written: "Hashem is near to them who are of a broken heart" (Tehilim 34:19). The destitute always quarrels with the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Holy One, blessed be He, listens and pays attention to his words. As soon as the poor man says his prayer, He opens all the windows of the firmament, and all the rest of the prayers rising above are pushed away by that destitute, broken-hearted man, as it is written: "A prayer of the afflicted, when he faints (Heb. ya'atof, also: 'delays')..." It should have said, 'When he is faint (Heb. yit'ataf).' Why "when he delays?" THE MEANING IS THAT he causes the delay, because all other prayers do not enter in until his prayer enters.

191. Moses poured forth his prayer and was held up for several days due to this prayer, BECAUSE OF THE BESEECHING OF THE POOR MAN. David saw that all the windows and gates of heaven were ready to open to the prayer of the poor. There exists no other prayer in the world to which the Holy One, blessed be He, will give His immediate attention as to the poor man's prayer. As soon as he noticed this, he made himself poor and destitute, removed his royal attire, sat on the ground like the destitute, and said the prayer as it is written: "A prayer of David. Incline Your ear, Hashem, hear me" (Tehilim 86:1). If you ask why, it is "for I am poor and needy" (Ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied to him, 'David, aren't you king and ruler over mighty kings? yet you make yourself out to be poor and needy.' Immediately, he prayed again in another manner and left out the words poor and needy, and said, "Preserve my soul; for I am pious" (Ibid. 2) despite all this everything was in David, BOTH POOR AND DEVOUT.

209. Then is the opportune period for prayer, because they, THE OTHER SIDE, go to loiter in the dark mountains and Mount Nishpe. At that moment, the windows of the upper lights are opened and leave to dwell upon the houses of worship on the heads of those who say prayers. And the lights are dispersed over their heads. The Holy One, blessed be He, inquires about the one who isn't there and declares, It is a pity about so-and-so who used to come here. Now, he "walks in darkness," is removed from the lights and has gone to wander in the mountains in the world, BECAUSE HE FINDS HIMSELF UNDER THE DOMINION OF THE OTHER SIDE THAT IS IN THE DARK MOUNTAINS. He left that brightness, which is the lamp that gives light IN THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP, and he has no part in it. This is what is written: "And has no light," as it was spread and laid upon the others that are there, IN THE SYNAGOGUE. How much benefit was lost to him. If he were there, "let him trust in the name of Hashem," meaning he would be included in the first servant THAT IS BEFORE THE PRAYER SERVICE "and rely upon his Elohim" in the secret meaning of the second servant, THAT IS, AFTER THE PRAYERS IN THE AMIDAH PRAYER.