Shevi’i
Balaam’s third set of blessings:
- Balak took Balaam to a third area from which to try to curse the Jewish people from there. Balak took Balaam to the area called Rosh Peor.
- The sacrifices: Balaam instructed Balak to build seven altars and bring seven cows and rams as sacrifices. Balak did as he was instructed and offered the sacrifices on the altar. Balaam saw that Hashem desires to bless the Jewish people and therefore did not go as he did the previous times, and he faced the desert. Balaam saw the Jewish people’s encampment in accordance to tribe and he received the spirit of Hashem and began his third set of blessings:
- The blessings: “Says the man with the closed eye, the one who hears the words of Hashem and sees Him, falling to ground.”
- “How good are the tents of Yaakov, the dwelling places of Israel. They are like streams and gardens and like cedars by water. Water flows from his buckets and his seed is abundant.”
- “His king will be exalted over Agag.”
- “Hashem, who took them out of Egypt will consume their enemies, and their bones He will break and take His portion from the spoils.”
- “They lie like a lion and like a lioness, who can stand them up.”
- “Those who bless them are blessed and those who curse them are cursed.”
- Balak’s response: Balak became enraged with Balaam and clapped his hands and told him “I brought you to curse my enemies and instead you blessed them three times. Now, get out of here and go back to your place. I said I would honor you, but I see Hashem has withheld your honor.” Balaam replied that he already forewarned Balak and his messengers that he must say what Hashem tells him, and that even if he offers him his house filled with gold and silver he cannot transgress the word of Hashem for good or for bad.
- Balaam’s fourth set of blessings and prophecy:
- Prior to his departure, Balaam advised Balak as to what the Jewish people will do to Moav in the end of days.
- Balaam prophesized and said: “Says the man with the closed eye, the one who hears the words of Hashem and knows the knowledge of High falling to ground”
- “I will see it but not now. A star will sprout from Yaakov and a staff from Israel who will destroy Moav and the children of Shes.”
- “Edom and Seir will conquer and their wealth will be inherited by Israel.”
- He saw Amaleik and stated, “The first of the nations is Amaleik and at the end they will be obliterated.”
- He saw the Keni and he said “How strong is your position, and your nest rests on a rock”
- “Ashur will capture you.”
- “Woe, who will live from the decrees of Hashem.”
- “The Kitim/Romans and Ashur will be forever destroyed.”
- Balaam goes home: Balaam got up and returned home and also Balak went on his way.
- The sin with the daughters of Moav:
- The sin: The Jewish people settled in Shitim and were promiscuous with the daughters of Moav. They participated in sacrifices to idolatry and they ate and prostrated to the idols. They attached to the idolatry of Peor and Hashem became very angry with Israel.
- Capital punishment: Hashem told Moshe to gather the leaders and have the violators hung in front of the sun and then His wrath will be extinguished from the Jewish people. Moshe instructed the leaders to kill those who attached to Peor,
- Zimri and Kozbi: There was a certain man who approached Moshe and the entire congregation with a Midyanite woman while Bnei Yisrael were crying in their tent. Pinchas the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron Hakohen took a spear in his hand and speared the man and the woman in their private areas and the plague ended.
- Total number of dead in plague: There were 24,000 people who died in that plague.
Q&A on Rashi
📘 Rashi Q&A — Bamidbar 23:27–24:13
23:27 — Another Attempt
Q1. Why does Balak try again?
A. He hopes that from a different place Hashem might agree to allow the curse.
Q2. What does “וקבתו לי” mean?
A. It means “you will curse them for me” in the future tense, not a command.
23:28 — Peak of Pe’or
Q3. Why bring Bilaam to Pe’or?
A. Balak foresaw that Israel would later stumble there, but did not understand how and thought the curse might succeed from that spot.
Q4. What does this teach about diviners?
A. They may see visions, but they do not fully understand them.
23:29–30 — Altars Again
Q5. What do they repeat?
A. The same pattern of building seven altars and offering sacrifices.
24:1 — Bilaam Changes Approach
Q6. Why does Bilaam stop using divination?
A. He realizes Hashem wants to bless Israel and will not allow a curse.
Q7. What had he hoped before?
A. That by mentioning Israel’s sins, a curse might take effect automatically.
Q8. What does “turned toward the desert” mean?
A. He looked toward the sin of the Golden Calf to try to find fault.
24:2 — Israel’s Camp
Q9. Why did Bilaam lift his eyes?
A. He intended to cast an evil eye upon them.
Q10. What did he see instead?
A. That the tribes were organized separately and modestly.
Q11. What was special about their tents?
A. Their entrances did not face each other, preserving privacy.
Q12. What happened then?
A. The spirit of God rested upon him and he aligned with blessing, not cursing.
24:3–4 — Bilaam’s Description
Q13. What does “שתם העין” mean?
A. He was blind in one eye.
Q14. Why was he described as “fallen”?
A. When prophecy came, he collapsed because he could not stand upright before the Divine.
24:5 — “How Good Are Your Tents”
Q15. Why are the tents praised?
A. Because of modesty and respect for privacy.
Q16. What else can this refer to?
A. The future Mishkan and Beit HaMikdash, which bring atonement.
24:6 — Blessing Like Nature
Q17. What does “like streams” mean?
A. Israel will grow and spread widely.
Q18. What are “אהלים”?
A. Fragrant plants (aloes/spices), symbolizing goodness.
24:7 — Kingship
Q19. What does abundant water symbolize?
A. Success and flourishing.
Q20. Who is “raised above Agag”?
A. King Shaul, who defeats Amalek.
Q21. What follows his reign?
A. Greater kings like David and Solomon.
24:8 — Power of Hashem
Q22. Who gives Israel strength?
A. Hashem, who brought them out of Egypt.
Q23. What happens to their enemies?
A. They are completely destroyed.
24:9 — Final Blessing
Q24. What does “like a lion” mean here?
A. Israel will dwell securely with strength in their land.
Q25. What promise is repeated?
A. Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse them will be cursed.
24:10–11 — Balak’s Anger
Q26. How does Balak react?
A. He becomes furious and claps his hands in frustration.
Q27. What does he tell Bilaam?
A. To leave without reward, since he failed.
24:12–13 — Bilaam’s Defense
Q28. How does Bilaam respond?
A. He reminds Balak that he always said he could only speak Hashem’s words.
Q29. Why does he stop saying “my God”?
A. Because he realizes Hashem has distanced Himself from him.
Rashi Q&A — Bamidbar 24:14–25:9
24:14 — Bilaam’s Final Words
Q1. What does “going to my people” mean?
A. That Hashem’s presence had left him, and he was returning to his former state.
Q2. What advice did Bilaam give Balak?
A. To cause Israel to sin through immorality, since Hashem hates such behavior.
Q3. How do we know this advice was carried out?
A. Because later it says the Midianite women acted on Bilaam’s advice.
Q4. What else did Bilaam say?
A. He also foretold what Israel would do to Moav in the future.
24:15–16 — Bilaam’s Claim
Q5. What did Bilaam claim about himself?
A. That he knew how to identify the exact moment of Hashem’s anger.
24:17 — Future King
Q6. What does “I see it, but not now” mean?
A. The greatness of Israel will come later, not immediately.
Q7. What is “a star will shoot forth”?
A. It refers to a king arising from Israel.
Q8. Who does this refer to?
A. Primarily King David.
Q9. What does “a staff will arise” mean?
A. A ruling king with authority.
Q10. What will he do?
A. Defeat Moav and other nations.
24:18–19 — Continued Rule
Q11. Who inherits Edom and Se’ir?
A. Israel will conquer them.
Q12. What is meant by “a ruler from Jacob”?
A. Another future leader, ultimately referring to Mashiach.
Q13. What is “the city”?
A. A major city of Edom, interpreted as Rome.
24:20 — Amalek
Q14. What does it mean Amalek is “first”?
A. They were the first nation to attack Israel.
Q15. What is their fate?
A. Total destruction.
24:21–22 — The Keinite
Q16. Who are the Keinites?
A. Descendants of Yitro.
Q17. Why are they mentioned?
A. Because they lived near Amalek but had a different fate.
Q18. What is said about them?
A. They have a strong position and will ultimately survive exile.
24:23–24 — Future Nations
Q19. What is Bilaam describing here?
A. Future empires and wars involving Assyria and Rome.
Q20. What are “ships of Kittim”?
A. Powerful nations (Rome) that will defeat others.
Q21. What is the final outcome?
A. Even those powerful empires will eventually be destroyed.
24:25 — End of Bilaam
Q22. What happens to Bilaam?
A. He returns home, and his role in the story ends.
📘 Bamidbar 25 — Sin at Shitim
25:1 — Sin Begins
Q23. What happened at Shitim?
A. Israel began sinning with Moabite women.
Q24. Why did this happen?
A. It was part of Bilaam’s plan.
25:2 — Idolatry
Q25. How did the women lead Israel to sin?
A. They invited them to feasts and then led them to worship idols.
Q26. How did they persuade them?
A. They used seduction and demanded idolatry first.
25:3 — Baal Peor
Q27. What is Peor?
A. An idol worshiped through degrading acts.
Q28. What was the consequence?
A. Hashem became angry and sent a plague.
25:4–5 — Punishment
Q29. What were the leaders told to do?
A. Judge and execute those who sinned.
Q30. What does “hang them” mean?
A. After execution, the guilty were displayed publicly.
Q31. Why “facing the sun”?
A. So their sins would be publicly visible.
25:6 — Zimri’s Act
Q32. What did the Israelite man do?
A. He publicly brought a Midianite woman.
Q33. Who was she?
A. Kozbi, daughter of Tzur.
Q34. What challenge did he make?
A. He questioned Moshe’s authority and comparison to his own marriage.
Q35. Why were the people crying?
A. Moshe momentarily forgot the law, and they were distressed.
Q36. Why did Moshe forget?
A. So Pinchas would take action and earn merit.
25:7–8 — Pinchas Acts
Q37. What did Pinchas do?
A. He acted zealously and killed both sinners.
Q38. Why was his act justified?
A. It followed the law that zealots may punish such public sin.
Q39. What miracle occurred?
A. He struck both at once in a way proving their guilt clearly.
25:9 — The Plague
Q40. How many died?
A. 24,000 people.