"Bilaam also, of the son of Beor did...slay with the sword"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar asks how Bilaam was killed, and he receives a superficial explanation from Rabbi Yitzchak that says he was killed by Pinchas and his people. Rabbi Elazar is not satisfied with this, and Rabbi Shimon says that Bilaam was as powerful and wise in the aspect of the left as Moses was in the higher levels; the question is, then, how were they able to kill him? As Bilaam had praised himself so much, Rabbi Shimon speaks about the verse in Mishlei to do with praising oneself, saying that a person should speak about the Torah so that people will know who he is from his words.

Air Balaam Gold Ground Midyan Pinchas Prayer Sorcery Sword Wicked Wickedness Witchcraft

161. Rabbi Elazar asked about Bilaam the wicked, who killed him and how he got killed. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Pinchas and his people killed him, as it says, "And they slew...beside the rest of them" (Bemidbar 31:8). We were taught that in the city of Midian, Bilaam was performing with his witchcraft and that he was flying in the air together with the kings of Midian. If not for the holy gold plate and the prayer of Pinchas that made them drop TO THE GROUND over their slain, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VICTORIOUS OVER THEM. That is what is written: "AND THEY SLEW THE KINGS OF MIDIAN, beside the rest of them" and: "Bilaam also, of the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Yisrael slay with the sword" (Yehoshua 13:22). Rabbi Elazar said to him, I know all this.

161. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, בִּלְעָם חַיָּיבָא מַאן קָטִיל לֵיהּ, וְהֵיךְ אַקְטִיל. א"ר יִצְחָק, פִּנְחָס וְסִיעָתֵיהּ קַטְלוּהוּ. דִּכְתִּיב הָרְגוּ עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם. וְתָנֵינָן, בְּקַרְתָּא דְּמִדְּיָן הֲוָה עָבֵיד בֶּחָכְמְתָא דְּחַרְשׁוֹי, דְּטָאסִין בַּאֲוִירָא הוּא וּמַלְכִּי מִדְיָן. וְאִלְמָלֵא צִיץ דִּקְדוּשָׁא, וּצְלוֹתָא דְּפִינְחָס, דַּאֲפִילּוּ לְהוֹן עַל קְטִילַיָּיא, הה"ד עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם. וּכְתִיב וְאֶת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הַקּוֹסֵם הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב. אָ"ל ר' אֶלְעָזָר, כָּל דָּא יְדַעְנָא.

Balaam Crowns Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Moses Prophets Wicked Wickedness Wisdom

162. Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar, all the sayings of Bilaam the wicked are harsh. The friends already explained them, as it is written: "And there arose not a prophet since in Yisrael like Moses" (Devarim 34:10). They said that one such did arise but not in Yisrael, rather among the nations of the world. Who was he? That was Bilaam. We have already explained this matter that just as there is no one like Moses in the higher crowns, there is no one like Bilaam in the lower crowns, this one in the aspect of holiness and that one in the aspect of the left since he had all this in his power and he was so strong in wisdom, a person who boasted with great power, as it is written: "While I go to the meeting yonder (Heb. coh)" (Bemidbar 23:15). HE MEANT TO SAY, I will uproot coh, WHICH IS MALCHUT, from here. How were they able, then, to kill him?

162. אר"ש, אֶלְעָזָר, כָּל מִלּוֹי דְּבִלְעָם חַיָּיבָא, תַּקִּיפִין אִינּוּן, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, דִּכְתִיב וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה, וְאָמְרוּ, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא קָם אֲבָל באו"ה קָם, וּמַנוּ. בִּלְעָם, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה, מֹשֶׁה לֵית דִּכְוָותֵיהּ, בְּכִתְרִין עִלָּאִין. בִּלְעָם לֵית דִּכְוָותֵיהּ, בְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין. דָּא בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, וְדָא בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא. וְאִי כָּל דָּא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ, וכ"כ תַּקִּיף בְּחָכְמְתָא, גְּבַר דִּיְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּחֵילָא תַּקִּיף, דִּכְתִיב וְאָנֹכִי אִקָּרֶה כֹּה, אַעְקַר לְכֹה מֵהַאי. הֵיאַךְ יָכִילוּ לְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ.

Solomon Wisdom

163. אֶלָּא בְּסִפְרָא דְּחָכְמְתָא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא הָכִי אָמַר, תְּלַת סִימָנִין אִינּוּן. סִימַן לַעֲבֵרָה, יְרָקוֹן. סִימַן לַשְׁטוּת, מִלִּין. סִימַן דְּלָא יָדַע כְּלוּם, שַׁבּוּחֵי. וְדָא אַכְרַע לִשְׁאַר, שׁוֹטֶה בְּכָל עֲבֵירוֹת, כֹּלָּא אִית בֵּיהּ.

Praise Torah

164. HE ASKS: Yet it is written, "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth" (Mishlei 27:2), WHICH MEANS that if there is no stranger to praise you, then let your own mouth. HE RESPONDS: It is not so. However, THE EXPLANATION IS if there is no one who recognizes you, open your mouth to speak in matters of Torah. Inform the true things that are in the Torah and then, by opening your mouth in Torah matters, they will praise your words and they will know who you are. There is nothing in the world that tells as much about a person as when he opens his mouth, and his mouth informs people who he is.

164. וְהָא כְּתִיב יְהַלֶּלְךָ זָר וְלֹא פִיךָ, וְאִם לָא זָר. פִיךָ. לָאו הָכִי. אֶלָּא אִי לָא הֲוֵי מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע לָךְ, אַפְתַּח פּוּמָךְ לְמַלְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּלְאוֹדָעָא מִלֵּי קְשׁוֹט בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וּכְדֵין פְּתִיחוּ דְּפוּמָךְ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, יְשַׁבְּחוּן מִילָךְ, וְיִנְדְּעוּן מַאן אַנְּתְּ, דְּלֵית מִלָּה בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן לֵיהּ לב"נ, אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּאַפְתַּח פּוּמֵיהּ. פּוּמֵיהּ הוֹדַע לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא מַאן הוּא.