Balaam Goes Alone and Loses His Ease in Parashat Balak

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Balak 16:2

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Numbers 23:2-3:) "Then Balak did as Balaam had {said} [commanded]" and so forth. "Then Balaam said: Stand beside" and so forth, "and he went to a bare height (shefi)." He had been at ease (shafui) about cursing; for until that moment he had been at ease (shafui), but from that moment on he was driven off.

Themes

HeresyWisdomSin

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Book of JubileesMarriage of PelegIn chapter 10, we find a fascinating little snippet about a character named Peleg. Her name was Lômnâ, and she was the daughter of Sînâ’ar. A bit of a mouthful,Introduction to Sulam CommentaryHidden Wisdom of Yisrael SabbaThat's a feeling the Kabbalists knew well, and it's at the heart of what Specifically, Remember we talked earlier about Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna (section 35)? TKalach Pitchei ChokhmahHow the Sefirot Manifest in Opposing Ways at OnceIn Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a foundational text of Kabbalah, we find a mind-bending idea: the Sefirot, these divine attributes or energies, can manifest in oppoKalach Pitchei ChokhmahAdam's Sin and Its Impact on the Highest RealmsIn the interplay of Kabbalah, we find layers upon layers of divine personas, each with its own role to play in the cosmic drama. One of the most fascinating of The Midrash of PhiloWhy God Cursed the Earth Instead of the IntellectThe Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations and expansions on the Hebrew Bible attributed to the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, offers a fascMidrash Tanchuma Buber, VayigashWhy Judah Alone Spoke for Benjamin as SuretyWhen Judah stepped forward to plead, Joseph, still unrecognized, pressed him with a question that cut: Why do you, of all your brothers, pour out so many words?