“Balak son of Tzipor saw all that Israel had done to the Emorites” (Numbers 22:2). “Balak son of Tzipor saw” – this is what the verse said: “The Rock, His actions are perfect, as all His ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4). The Holy One blessed be He did not leave the nations of the world recourse in the future to say: ‘You distanced us.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do?
Just as He established kings, sages, and prophets for Israel, so He established for the idolaters. He established Solomon king over Israel and over all the earth, the same He did for Nebuchadnezzar. This one built a Temple and recited several songs and paeans; that one destroyed it, cursed, blasphemed, and said: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, [I will be comparable to the Most High]” (Isaiah 14:14).
He gave David wealth and he purchased a Temple1This is a reference to the wealth that David set aside for the purpose of building the Temple. to His name, and he gave wealth to Haman and he purchased an entire nation, to slaughter it. Every prominence that Israel took, you find that the nations took a corresponding prominence. He established Moses for Israel and Bilam for the idolaters. Look at what distinguishes between the prophets of Israel and prophets of idolaters: The prophets of Israel cautioned Israel to refrain from transgressions, as it is stated: “You, Son of man, I have appointed you as a sentinel [for the house of Israel.
You shall hear a matter from My mouth and you shall warn them from Me]” (Ezekiel 33:7). But a prophet that stood from the gentiles established a breach in order to eliminate people from the world.2Bilam plotted to have Moavite women corrupt Israel. Moreover, all the [Jewish] prophets were with the attribute of mercy toward Israel and toward the idolaters, as Jeremiah says: “Therefore, my heart will sigh like flutes for Moav” (Jeremiah 48:36).
And likewise Ezekiel: “You, son of man, raise a lament for Tyre” (Ezekiel 27:2). But that one [Bilam] was cruel; he stood to uproot an entire nation gratuitously. That is why the portion of Bilam was written; to inform why the Holy One blessed be He removed the Divine Spirit from the idolaters, as this one stood from them, and look at what he did.