Balaam Boasts He Can Outdo Israel's Offerings

The Lord spoke, and so forth, "Command Aaron," and so forth (Leviticus 6:1-2). This is what Scripture says: "For who in the sky can be compared to the LORD, who among the divine beings is like the LORD" (Psalms 89:7). Balaam the wicked was the defending advocate of the nations of the world, and he said, "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?" (Micah 6:7). He desires what you offer Him, a single log of oil — how much more what we offer Him, ten thousand rivers of oil! What did Abraham offer before Him? One ram, as it is said, "He looked, and behold, a ram," and so forth (Genesis 22:13). If He desires it, we will offer Him thousands of rams. And what did Abraham offer Him? His son. I will offer Him my son and my daughter, as it is said (Micah 6:7), "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression" — this is his firstborn son; "the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul" — this is his daughter. See how cunning Balaam the wicked was. He began saying, "I have arranged the seven altars" (Numbers 23:4). He did not say "altars" but "the altars." He said: from the time Adam was created until now, seven altars have been built, and I offer seven to match them all. To what was that wicked man like? To a butcher who sold meat, and his shop was full of meat, and he saw the chief steward staring at the meat. He said to him, "My lord, I have already sent provisions to your house." So too Balaam. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Wicked one, what are you doing?" He said to Him, "I have arranged the seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on the altar." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Wicked one, if I sought an offering from you, I would say so to Michael and Gabriel and they would offer before Me, as it is said, 'For who in the sky can be compared to the LORD, who among the divine beings is like the LORD' (Psalms 89:7) — among the sons of Abraham and Isaac, who are the mighty ones of the world. I accept offerings only from Israel, as it is said, 'Command Aaron and his sons, saying,' and so forth."