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.

279. The wicked man said, Ancient people tried but were unable to do that. The Generation of Separation strove but did not succeed, because they performed the deed but lacked the speech, because their languages became confused and they could not. However, BILAAM, your mouth is sharp and your tongue is equipped with these two aspects: "He whom you bless is blessed" FROM ONE ASPECT and "he whom you curse is cursed" FROM THE SECOND ASPECT (Bemidbar 22:6). The aspect that you wish to raise is uplifted through your mouth and tongue, and that aspect that you wish to curse you can curse with the strength of your mouth. Everything depends on you because the action was already done THROUGH ME. However, all the rest depends on talk. Therefore, I prepare the act of enchantment and you will complete it all with your speech. That aspect that you bless will be blessed and that aspect that you curse will be cursed.

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.