Balak - Numbers 22:2-25:9

Preamble: The Problem with Parroting

After decades of listening to sermons and students, I now realize that most people don't learn or teach Scripture - they simply parrot it as they had it parroted to them.

I can go into any synagogue on any given Saturday, and pretty much tell you what parts of the Torah portion will be discussed, what parts will be avoided, and which famous commentator will be quoted, and which Midrash or Talmudic saying will be inserted.

On rare occasions I am wrong, but, for the most part, I am spot on.

For a long time now, there is a policy of sticking to traditional interpretations of the text. Granted, there are a refreshing number who don't, but they are the minority.

And that brings me to one of this week's major characters: Balaam.

I can count on most sermons next week mentioning him in some way, and it will be something negative. The Midrash that he had sex with his she-ass is pretty common for the adult audience (some will say "girlfriend"), or that she was smarter or more spiritually adept than he was, since she saw the angel first.

The main sources for speaking badly about Bilaam are The Neophyti and Pseudo-Jonathan Targums, Philo, and, of course, the Mishna and most of the Talmud. The writings of Josephus and Numbers Rabbah, which pulls him down are also negative texts to support a negative view.

But it wasn't always that way.

The Virtues of Balaam

There was a time when teachers and students extolled the virtues of that character.

Pseudo-Philo presents Balaam as a tragic hero. According to that author, Bilaam didn't hate the Israelites, wasn't interested in any money for his services, and wasn't all that interested in helping out King Balak except that, on the one hand, it seems to have been God's will, and, on the other, Balak deceived Balaam to bring him on-board. Once Balaam realizes he is caught in a web from which there was no escape, he plays his role as God's pawn.

Sifrei, which is a collection of Midrashim, not only speaks highly of Balaam, but puts him at a higher spiritual level than Moses! The additional abilities that Sifrei assigns to Balaam is to know when Yahweh spoke to him, and he had knowledge when this would happen, and he could speak with Yahweh even when lying down! This is repeated in Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar 14:20.

The Talmud normally speaks badly about Balaam, but there is the occasional tidbit that seems to be in his favor. In one case, it is said that he was the only man in the world who could tell, at the exact moment, when Yahweh would lose His temper, momentarily, each day, and could give Him a command to wreak havoc on anyone of his choosing. That's a pretty awesome superpower! Although, to be honest, nowhere in Scripture does Balaam ever use this power.

Targum Onkelos is pretty even-handed with the text and occasionally softens it to give Balaam a more positive image, especially during his interaction with the she-ass, complaining about her mocking, rather than the more accurate, "you acted ruthlessly". Onkelos also inserted the word "prophecy" into the text, giving Balaam an ability that would put him on par with Moses. 

Avot d'Rabbi Natan (2:5) calls Balaam wicked, but he also wrote that Balaam was born circumcised, something that is often assigned to the greatest prophets, such as Moses (indicating that God performed the rite Himself).

Other Quotes

There never arose philosophers the likes of Balaam the son of Beor - (Eichah Rabbah Pesikta 2)

Balaam was the last of the prophets of the [gentile] nations. There was nothing in the world that [God] did not reveal to Balaam, who surpassed Moses in wisdom. - (Tanna d'Bei Eliyahu Rabbah 28)

He was of the family of Kemual, father of Aram. He spoke through ruach haKodesh (prophecy) - (Lekach Tov, Bamidbar 22:5)

Some say that he was, at first, a dream interpreter, then he became a sorcerer, and then he attained prophecy. - (Bamidbar Rabbah 20:77)

Seven prophets prophesied to the [gentile] nations of the word: Balaam and his father, [Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Barachel] - (Bava Batra 15b)

Balaam was greater than his father in prophecy; secrets that were hidden from the [other] prophets were revealed to [Balaam] - (Targum Yonaton, Bamidbar, 24:3)

What prophet did the [gentile] nations of the word have who was like Moses? Balaam. (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:20)