Another matter: “These are the words” – Rabbi Aḥa ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The rebukes should have been said from the mouth of Bilam, and the blessings from the mouth of Moses; however, had Bilam rebuked them, Israel would have said: ‘An enemy is rebuking us.’ Had Moses blessed them, the nations of the world would have said: ‘Their beloved is blessing them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let Moses, who loves them, rebuke them, and Bilam, who hates them, bless them, so that it will be unquestionable that the blessings and the rebukes are deserved by Israel.’