336. He opened the discussion with the verse: "O My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab devised" (Michah 6:5). "My people;" how much is the Holy One, blessed be He, compassionate to His children, even though they sinned against Him. All His words to them are with love, like a father to his son. If a son sins against his father and he beats him yet as much as he beats him he doesn't repent his ways; if he scolds him with words but he does not accept from him, his father then says, I do not wish to continue to do to my son as I have done until now. If I beat him, his head will hurt and his pain will be upon me. If I scold him, his expression will be strange. What shall I do? I can only go and beg of him and speak to him softly, so he should not get saddened.

337. In all these ways, the Holy One, blessed be He, conducted Himself towards Yisrael. He began by hitting them but they did not submit. He scolded them but they did not submit. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said, I see about My children that, due to the beatings they had from Me, their heads hurt. Woe is their pain which I also feel, as it says, "In all their afflictions He was afflicted" (Yeshayah 63:9). If I scold them, their expression will change, as it says, "Now their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets" (Eichah 4:8). Woe, when I gaze at them and I do not recognize them. Now, I will just beseech them, "O My people, what have I done to you? and wherein have I wearied you?" (Michah 6:3). My only son, My soul's beloved, look what I have caused you. I have set you up to rule over all the members of the palace. I have set you up to dominate over all the kings of the world. And if I have done any other things, answer Me. You can testify against Me.

338. "O My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab devised, and what Bilaam, the son of Beor answered him." "Remember now:" Remember, I pray you, "what...devised." Now we should observe what the advice of Balak was against the holy people. The Torah did not consider Balak as anything in comparison to Laban, as it says, "An Arammian wished to destroy my father" (Devarim 26:5). (THE REST IS MISSING)