"Come now therefore, I pray you, curse me this people"

252. "For they are too mighty for me" (Bemidbar 22:6). HE INQUIRES: Until that time, where had YISRAEL done battle with them, and beaten them? At which location had they met up with the sword OF YISRAEL and showed their strength like mighty men to display their power, SO THAT HE ALREADY KNEW THAT YISRAEL WAS TOO MIGHTY FOR HIM? What is the meaning of, "For they are too mighty for me?" HE RESPONDS: It is only that this wicked one was wise and foresaw in the distant future that King David, who stemmed from Ruth the Moabite, had the valor and strength of a lion. He will conduct and wage difficult wars and be victorious over Moab, and place him under his feet. THEREFORE, he said "(lit.) he is mighty" IN A SINGULAR FORM, meaning he who inherited that power, one of their kings who will stem from us, FROM RUTH THE MOABITE, to destroy Moab.

253. "Perhaps I shall prevail, that we mignt smite them" (Ibid.): HE ASKS: This verse should have read: 'Perhaps I shall prevail, that I may smite them' or 'perhaps we shall prevail, that we may smite them.' WHY DOES IT SAY: "I SHALL PREVAIL, THAT WE MAY SMITE?" HE RESPONDS: It is only that this wicked man was wise. He said, I see here one hand, MEANING ONE POWER, a powerful lion extending its paw. Maybe I can prevail with you, meaning that if we join together and cut off that lion's paw, THAT IS, THROUGH A CURSE, before that king comes into the world, he will not drive out Moab from its location. THEREFORE IT SAYS, "I SHALL PREVAIL" IN SINGULAR FORM AND "WE MAY SMITE" IN THE PLURAL FORM, BECAUSE THE MEANING IS, PERHAPS I COULD JOIN WITH YOU AND WE WILL BOTH SMITE IT.

254. HE INQUIRES: What is "curse me?" Rabbi Aba said, That wicked man said to Bilaam using two expressions, "Curse (Heb. ara) me" (Bemidbar 22:6) and he also said, "Curse (Heb. kava) me" (Ibid. 17). What is the difference between these? HE RESPONDS: It is only that he first said to him, "Curse (Heb. ara) me," MEANING GATHER UP FOR ME weeds and sorcery of heads of snakes to place in the cauldron of witchcraft. When he observed that his strength was greater by the power of his speech, he said again, "Come therefore, I pray you, curse (Heb. kavah) me."

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.

256. "Over Edom will I cast My shoe" (Ibid.). HE INQUIRES: What is the meaning of: "Will I cast My shoe?" HE RESPONDS: It also refers to the one who had distant VISION, as it is written: "And Esau said to Jacob, 'Give me to swallow, I pray you, of that red pottage; for I am faint'" (Beresheet 25:30). "Give me to swallow" MEANS actually stuffing down the throat, opening wide the mouth and throat to swallow. David said to that swallower who stuffs himself, I will dump on him, THAT IS ON HIS MOUTH, "my shoe" to shut his throat. THEREFORE, "OVER EDOM WILL I CAST MY SHOE."

257. "Over Philistia I will cry in triumph" (Tehilim 108:10). This too, David saw with distant vision. He said, Canaan is the bad side of the Other Side and the Philistines stem from there, FROM CANAAN (YEHOSHUA 13). What is there TO BE DONE against the Other Side? It is the blowing of the horn (Heb. truah), as it says, "if you go to war in your land...then you shall blow an alarm..." (Bemidbar 10:9). TRUAH MEANS BREAKING in order to break down his power and strength. Therefore, "over Philistia I will cry (blow) in triumph," MEANING HE WILL BREAK THEM, because that is what they deserve.

258. "Come now therefore, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me." Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse: "And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness, the girdle of his loins" (Yeshayah 11:5). This verse is all the same. What new insight does it come to teach us, seeing that righteousness is faithfulness and faithfulness is righteousness? THEY ARE MERELY TWO NAMES OF MALCHUT. The girdle of his hips is also the girdle of his loins, and we do not find a verse like that.

259. HE RESPONDS: It is that righteousness is not the same as faithfulness. Even though they are all one and the same, and are of one level, MEANING MALCHUT, she is considered righteousness, which is the actual Judgment, during a period WHEN MALCHUT PERTAINS TO harsh Judgment and receives from the left side. That is: "For when Your judgments (lit. 'justices') are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness" (Ibid. 26:9). This level THAT IS CALLED 'justice' pertains to Mercy, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. When that justice is approaching righteousness, WHICH IS JUDGMENT, then THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is established and the world's inhabitants can withstand the Judgment of righteousness.

260. MALCHUT IS CALLED 'Faith' at the time that she is joined with truth, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, for happiness. All the faces are bright. Then MALCHUT is called 'Faith' and there is absolution for all, MEANING FORGIVENESS FOR INIQUITIES. She returns to all the souls of the wicked, WHICH ARE encumbered with many debts, with compassion and has mercy on them when they ascend and rise through committing, MEANING WHEN THEY SAY BEFORE THEIR SLEEP "INTO YOUR HAND I COMMIT MY SPIRIT" (TEHILIM 31:6). Then she is considered Faith and there is no Faith without truth, MEANING TO SAY THAT MALCHUT IS NOT CONSIDERED FAITH EXCEPT WHEN JOINED WITH ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED 'TRUTH.'

261. Now, what two girdles are here when it says the girdle of his loins and the girdle of his hips? HE RESPONDS: Even though hips and loins are similar, they are two levels. One is above and one is below. Above at the top OF THE HIPS, it is called 'hips.' At the lower end OF THE HIPS, they are called 'loins,' as it says, "And gird sackcloth upon your loins" (Yeshayah 32:11), WHICH MEANS TO COVER THE GENITALS. THEREFORE, HE CALLS THEM LOINS BECAUSE THEY ARE at the end OF THE HIPS and at the top of the thighs. When a woman is in the pain OF LABOR, these loins are disconnected from the tops of her thighs and she places her hands on them BECAUSE OF that pain.

262. Because of that, for strength and war, IT IS SAID, "And righteousness shall be the girdle of his hips." That is how it should be, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE VIRILITY OF A MAN IS. For compassion and goodness, it is said, "And faithfulness, the girdle of his loins." In one level, MESSIAH will judge the world, MEANING WITH MALCHUT, and it dominates both sides. One, WHICH IS FAITH, THE GIRDLE OF HIS LOINS, is compassion for Yisrael and one, WHICH IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE GIRDLE OF HIS HIPS, is judgment for the rest of the nations.

263. You may wonder WHY righteousness is harsh judgment, since we find written: "But in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor" (Vayikra 19:15) and "Justice (lit. 'righteousness'), only justice shall you pursue" (Devarim 16:20). There are many such VERSES. HE RESPONDS: It is definite that there is no compromise in righteousness, ONLY ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. Anyone who judges his neighbor must not compromise any laws for him, but judge according to righteousness, that love should not be a consideration. The scales of justice MEANS without compromise to one side or the other, neither to the one who will have to pay nor to the one who will receive. Because of this, it is one level that is divided into two directions. And these two directions THAT WE MENTIONED WHICH ARE two girdles are one for the rest of the nations and one for Yisrael. When Yisrael went out from Egypt, they were supported by these two girdles: one of war, WHICH IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE GIRDLE OF HIS HIPS, and one of peace, WHICH IS FAITH, THE GIRDLE OF HIS LOINS.

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.

265. "For I know that he whom you bless is blessed" (Ibid.). HE ASKS: From where did he know that? HE RESPONDS: It was already explained and it is written: "Who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land, out of his hand" (Bemidbar 21:26), since he hired Bilaam TO CURSE HIM. However, "for I know" MEANS that he had this knowledge through his wisdom. FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN: "He whom you bless is blessed," what was the need TO MENTION blessing here, since his aim was to curse? If his prior knowledge of Bilaam was in relation to the curse, what is the intention of: "He whom you bless is blessed?"

266. HE RESPONDS: However, there is something implied here. I did not know it and I did not merit it until Rabbi Elazar arrived and interpreted the verse, "I will bless (et) Hashem at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Tehilim 34:2), and: "I bless (et) Hashem who gives me counsel" (Tehilim 16:7). Who is it that needs blessings from the lower beings? That is the particle Et, WHICH IS MALCHUT, that is jointly connected to them, TO YISRAEL, as a flame to the wick. David, who knew it, said, "I will bless Et." The wicked man said TO BILAAM, that level of theirs, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is connected to them, because of their blessings that they bestow on her daily. IF SO, you have the power to bestow blessings on that level and you will uproot her from them. That is why it says, "For I know that (Et) he whom you bless is blessed." THAT IS, HE TOO COULD BESTOW BLESSINGS ON MALCHUT REFERRED TO BY ET. That way, we will succeed against them. Bless that level and curse the wick THAT IS YISRAEL, TO WHICH MALCHUT IS ATTACHED LIKE A FLAME TO THE WICK. About this, he said, "While I go to the meeting yonder (Heb. coh)" (Bemidbar 23:15); that is, I will uproot MALCHUT THAT IS REFERRED TO BY COH from them, so that she should not unite with them.

267. Furthermore, "go to the meeting (Heb. ikareh) yonder (Heb. coh)" MEANS I will lead and pull that level down with transgressions, defilement, nightly uncleanness (Heb. keri) and the defilement that will be caused by His children. And she will destroy them. HE DEFINES IKAREH AS DERIVED FROM KERI. Immediately, "And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divinations in their hand" (Bemidbar 22:7) in order to avoid the excuses of the wicked one who says that he does not possess the particular magic which he may need, and who will thereby be able to restrain himself from joining them.