Balak
בלקBilaam's Blessings
66 translated essays · 66 total
תרל"א(1870)
Balak תרל"א 1· Essay 1
במשנה מי שיש בו ג’ דברים הללו מתלמידיו של א”א ע”ה עין טובה רוח נמוכה נפש שפלה כו’ ולהיפוך בלעם הרשע כו’ מה בין תלמידיו כו’ תלמידי א”א אוכלין בעוה”ז ונוחלין לעוה”ב שנאמר להנחיל אוהבי יש ו…
Humility Cleaving Versus Self Exaltation· Essay 2
In the Mishnah (Avos 5:19) we learn: Whoever possesses these three traits is among the talmidim of Avraham Avinu, alav hashalom — a good eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul. And the opposite — a bad eye, a haughty spirit, and a broad sou…
תרל"ב(1871)
Recorded From Memory· Essay 1
With the help of Heaven. Parshas Balak — I do not recall it in its proper order. This is an introductory editorial note rather than a dvar Torah; the author records that for Parshas Balak he does not remember the teachings in their original…
Seeing The Inner Essence· Essay 2
"They cover [over] the eye of the land" (Bamidbar 22:5). Bilaam describes Bnei Yisrael as covering the "eye of the land," and the Sfas Emes reads this as a clue to their unique spiritual influence. This refers to the earthly, physical way o…
Humility Draws Living Waters· Essay 3
"He shall flow water from his buckets" (Bamidbar 24:7) — Chazal expounded: "Be careful with the children of the poor, for from them Torah goes forth," for true humility before Hashem Yisbarach is the bucket that draws up the water from the …
True Versus False Submission· Essay 4
My grandfather, my teacher of blessed memory, taught regarding the Midrash that Bilam said it would be better to be served by the seventy nations, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, answered him, "Better a dry crust" (Mishlei 17:1). The Sfas …
Nullifying Forces Opposing Kedushah· Essay 5
On the verse "Remember now" (Michah 6:5), and likewise in the Gemara, they sought to establish the parsha of Balak as part of the recitation of Krias Shema each day. The Sfas Emes notes that Chazal considered including the parsha of Balak i…
Uncovering The Hidden Light· Essay 6
"And Balak saw..." (Bamidbar 22:2), "and he became terrified..." (Bamidbar 22:3), exceedingly so, "for they were many." The Sfas Emes opens with the pesukim describing how Balak saw Bnei Yisrael and was overcome with dread, more than usual,…
Balak תרל"ב
כסה כו’ עין הארץ. (Bamidbar 22:5) “Behold the Nation that has left Mitzrayim, behold they have covered the ‘eye’ of the land” היא הסתכלות ארציות שבנ”י האירו להיות הראי’ רק אל הפנימיות בכל דבר. This (idea of the ‘eye of the…
Balak תרל"ב (#5 – essay)
וירא בלק כו’ ויגר כו’ מאוד כי רב הוא. כתיב מה רב טובך כו’ אור הגנוז כו’ כי הקב”ה גנז אור התורה במעשה בראשית וע”ז כ’ וירא אלקים כו’ כל אשר עשה כו’ טוב מאוד ודרשו חז”ל על מה”מ …
תרל"ג(1872)
תרל"ה(1874)
Concealing Kedushah Through Yisrael· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "And Balak saw" — it is better for the wicked to be blind, for their seeing brings evil into the world, etc. The Midrash on "And Balak saw" teaches that for wicked people like Balak, blindness would be better, because the ve…
True Versus False Submission· Essay 2
On the verse, "And Bilaam answered... I cannot transgress... the word of Hashem my God... and now you too, remain here this night..." (Bamidbar 22:18-19). The Sfas Emes opens with Bilaam's reply to Balak's messengers, where he professes tha…
Bilam's Powerless Blessing· Essay 3
On the verse, "I have known... that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed" (Bamidbar 22:6). Balak praises Bilam's reputation by quoting that anyone Bilam blesses is blessed and anyone he curses is cursed. Regarding…
Balak תרל"ה
תרל”ה בבמדרש וְיָרֵא בָּלָק נוֹחַ לָרְשָׁעִים לִהְיוֹת סוֹמִין שֶׁרְאִיָּתָם מֵבִיא רָעָה לְעוֹלָם כּוּ’. The Medrash says that it is preferable for the reshaim to be blind, for their evil looking, brings bad to the world עוֹד ש…
תרל"ח(1877)
תרל"ט(1878)
תר"מ(1879)
Hidden Good in Israel's Separation· Essay 1
בענין פי הבאר שנברא בע”ש דכתיב שתה מים מבורך ונוזלים מתוך בארך דאיתא האומר מטובו חיינו הרי זה בור בטובו חיינו הוא ת”ח. ופרשנו כי מטובו היא חלק מן הטוב ונפרד ממנו, בטובו הוא דביקות בגוף הטוב. דהנה הכל נמשך מן התורה שנק’ טוב…
Inner Root Of Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash on the verse "For from the top of the rocks I see him" (Bamidbar 23:9): a parable to a clever man who came to the root, and found it hard. The Sfas Emes opens with a Midrash comparing Bilam to a clever man who reached the roo…
Avraham's Humility Versus Bilam· Essay 3
In the Mishnah it is taught: Whoever possesses these three qualities is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him. The Sfas Emes opens with the Mishnah in Avos that lists three traits which mark a person as a talmid of Avraham…
תרמ"א(1880)
תרמ"ב(1881)
Free Will as Divine Concealment· Essay 1
במדרש משגיא לגוים כו’ מי האנשים כו’ אמר יש שעה שאינו יודע כו’. וצריך ביאור איך נביא אוה”ע יחשב כזאת. ויובן הדבר עפ”י ענין הבחירה שניתן לבני אדם. אם כי הקב”ה וב”ש אין כל דבר נעלם ממנו אך זה יותר פלא …
Speech Drawing Life from Creation· Essay 2
בפסוק עתה ילחכו כו’. דיש דצח”מ הצומח ניזון מהדומם והחי מהצומח והמדבר מבע”ח. וכמו כן הנשמה שהיא הצורה ניזונות מפרנסת הגוף. אם כי אין הנשמה צריכה זאת המזון אבל בלי זאת לא יהי’ לה התקשרות אל הגוף. וכן כל ההנהגה להיות ני…
Torah Sustaining Creation Forever· Essay 3
Regarding the verse "Hashem who took them out of Mitzrayim is for them like the soaring strength of the wild ox" (Bamidbar 23:22). The Sfas Emes opens with Bilam's verse describing how Hashem brought Bnei Yisrael out of Mitzrayim with overw…
תרמ"ג(1882)
תרמ"ד(1883)
Bnei Yisrael Sanctifying The Land· Essay 1
"And Balak saw all that Bnei Yisrael had done" (Bamidbar 22:2). The piece opens with Balak seeing all that Bnei Yisrael had accomplished, which sets the stage for his fear. As it is written, "Behold, a people has come out of Mitzrayim; beho…
Shabbos Rest Dwelling Alone· Essay 2
On the pasuk, "Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and is not reckoned among the nations" (Bamidbar 23:9). The Sfas Emes opens with Bilaam's words describing Bnei Yisrael as a people that dwells in solitude, set apart from the other n…
תרמ"ה(1884)
Bittul Unlocks Prophetic Dveikus· Essay 1
In the Midrash, this is the meaning of the verse, "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4), and so on. The piece opens by citing the Midrash's anchor verse, "The Rock, His work is perfect," which it will use to explain how Hashem's cr…
Hashem Fixing Bilam's Words· Essay 2
On the verse "And Hashem placed a word in Bilam's mouth" (Bamidbar 23:5), Chazal expounded that He set a bridle into his mouth, and so on (see there). And one may suggest that "placing" (vayasem) is a term denoting arrangement and ordering,…
Arousing Daily Divine Kindness· Essay 3
The Mishnah teaches: whoever possesses these three qualities is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu, and whoever possesses three other qualities is among the disciples of the wicked Bilaam. Avos contrasts two sets of three character traits…
תרמ"ו(1885)
Holy Tongue And Prophecy· Essay 1
In the Midrash on the verse "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4), the Sages teach that Hashem left no opening for the nations of the world to claim, "You have distanced us," and so forth. The Sfas Emes opens with a Midrash teachin…
Avraham Versus Bilam Daily· Essay 2
And in the Mishnah it is taught: Whoever possesses these three traits is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu — a good eye (a generous spirit), a humble soul, and a lowly spirit, and so forth. The Sfas Emes opens with the Mishnah in Avos de…
תרמ"ז(1886)
תרמ"ח(1887)
Shattered Luchos Awaiting Rectification· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "He who blesses his fellow with a loud voice (Mishlei 27:14)" — that his voice would travel from one end of the world to the other; it is written here "a loud voice," and it is written there "a great voice that did not cease…
Every Grain Awaits Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash it is taught that the 'three regalim' were a hint to Balak that he sought to uproot a nation that celebrates the three pilgrimage festivals (the three regalim). The Midrash reads the unusual phrase about Balak hosting Bilam '…
Bilam Versus Moshe Rabbeinu· Essay 3
It is taught that there never arose again in Bnei Yisrael a prophet like Moshe Rabbeinu (Devarim 34:10), yet among the nations of the world there did arise one like him, namely Bilam. Moshe Rabbeinu was the greatest prophet within Bnei Yisr…
תרמ"ט(1888)
Prophecy as Israel's Mouth· Essay 1
The Midrash expounds on the verse "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4) — that Hashem left the nations of the world no opening to complain, etc., for He set up prophets for them as well. The Sfas Emes opens with a Midrash teaching …
Shabbos Foretaste Of Olam Haba· Essay 2
Regarding the pasuk, "How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling-places, O Yisrael" (Bamidbar 24:5). The Sfas Emes opens with Bilam's blessing praising Yaakov's tents and Yisrael's dwelling-places, and reads the two terms as pointin…
תר"נ(1889)
Rectifying Thought Speech Action· Essay 1
On the pasuk, "Behold, it has covered the eye of the land" (Bamidbar 22:5). The Sfas Emes opens with Balak's words describing Bnei Yisrael as having "covered the eye of the land," which he will use as his springboard. For it is brought down…
Prophecy And Israels Wholeness· Essay 2
In the Midrash on the verse, "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4) and so forth — so that they should have no opening to complain, and so forth. The piece opens by citing two verses the Midrash draws together — "The Rock, His work …
תרנ"א(1890)
Hidden Root Of Blessing· Essay 1
"You shall not curse the nation, for it is blessed" (Bamidbar 22:12). Hashem warns Bilam not to curse Bnei Yisrael because they already carry an inherent blessing. Bilam, of whom it is written, "the one whom you bless is blessed" (Bamidbar …
Three Traits Three Festivals· Essay 2
It is stated in the Mishnah (Avos 5:19): whoever possesses these three traits is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu — a good eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul; and whoever possesses three other traits is among the disciples of the wi…
תרנ"ב(1891)
Selecting Holiness From Chaos· Essay 1
The Midrash on the verse "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4) teaches that the Holy One, Blessed is He, left the nations of the world no room to claim, "You distanced us," and so forth. The Midrash stresses that Hashem arranged hi…
Wholehearted Trust Over Divination· Essay 2
On the verse, "There is no divination among Yaakov... at the proper time it shall be said to Yaakov and to Yisrael what Hashem has wrought" (Bamidbar 23:23). The Sfas Emes opens with Bilaam's prophecy that there is no divination among Yaako…
Rising Daily For Hashem· Essay 3
In the name of my grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory, regarding the matter that the Chachamim wished to fix the parsha of Balak as part of Krias Shema, since it is written within it, "Behold, a nation that rises up like a lioness" (…
Witnessing Above Nature· Essay 4
Furthermore, it appears that there is something to be understood in why the Sages wished to establish the recital of Parashas Balak as part of Krias Shema. The Sfas Emes opens by asking why Chazal wanted the episode of Balak read together w…
תרנ"ד - תרנ"ה(1893)
Speech and Deed Defenses· Essay 1
"And Balak saw" (Bamidbar 22:2) — the Midrash explains that he saw with the same vision by which the wicked inherit their portion, for their eyes bring evil upon them, etc. The Midrash reads Balak's "seeing" as a flawed vision, like that of…
Upright Stature Through Milah· Essay 2
Regarding the prophets of the nations of the world, the Baal Akeidah writes that the term 'prophet' is for them merely a borrowed, secondary title, just as the word 'king' is applied to the lion among the wild beasts. The Baal Akeidah teach…
Foiling Bilam Preserves Redemption· Essay 3
In the language of the pasuk, "the people that has come out of Mitzrayim" (Bamidbar 22:5) — for Bilam was among Pharaoh's advisors who counseled to enslave Bnei Yisrael, and now too he wished, through his sorcery, to return them to Mitzrayi…
Bnei Yisrael Above Time· Essay 4
It is brought down that they hinted to him: You seek to uproot a nation that celebrates three Festivals each year. The Midrash teaches that Bnei Yisrael's keeping of the three Yamim Tovim was itself a defense against Bilam, who came to upro…
Festivals Channeling Priestly Blessings· Essay 5
There is a further hint within the Three Festivals, through which the blessings descend for the entire year, and these correspond to the three blessings of Birkas Kohanim, which are in the aspect of the three Avos. The Three Festivals are c…
Unconditional Love Disarming Curses· Essay 6
On the pasuk, "And Hashem placed a matter in Bilaam's mouth" (Bamidbar 23:5). The Sfas Emes opens with the pasuk describing how Hashem put words into Bilaam's mouth, and he will examine the precise wording of "placed." The word "placed" (va…
Rejecting Bilams Twisted Blessing· Essay 7
Rashi comments that Bilam said, "If so, let me bless them," and Hashem answered him, "For he is blessed, and they have no need of your blessing" — like one who says to the bee, "Neither from your honey nor from your sting." Now, did that ra…
Sin Cannot Sever Bnei Yisrael· Essay 8
Regarding the pasuk, "He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov... Hashem his God is with him" (Bamidbar 23:21). The Sfas Emes opens with Bilam's blessing that Hashem sees no iniquity in Yaakov, because Hashem their God remains with them. The ex…
Clinging Above The Knowledge· Essay 9
The Gemara teaches regarding the verse "and he knows the knowledge of the Most High" (Bamidbar 24:16): Now, Bilaam did not even know the mind of his own animal, etc.; rather, he was able to calculate the precise moment when the Holy One, Bl…
תרנ"ו(1895)
Unconditional Love Through Mesirus Nefesh· Essay 1
Chazal said that they sought to fix the parsha of Balak as part of Krias Shema, because it is written, "Behold, a people that rises up like a lion (and lifts itself up like a lion's whelp)" (Bamidbar 23:24). Chazal considered including the …
Kedushah Follows Bnei Yisrael· Essay 2
Regarding the verse "How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Yisrael" (Bamidbar 24:5). The piece opens with Bilam's praise of Bnei Yisrael's dwellings, drawn from the verse "How goodly are your tents." Kedushah follows …
תרנ"ח(1897)
תרנ"ט(1898)
Bnei Yisrael As Witnesses· Essay 1
It is brought down in the Gemara that they wished to fix the parsha of Balak as part of Krias Shema, and only because of the burden it would place on the tzibbur did they refrain. Krias Shema is so central to bearing witness about Hashem th…
Truth Bonds Yaakov To Hashem· Essay 2
And concerning the pasuk, "Hashem is not a man that He should lie" (Bamidbar 23:19). The Sfas Emes opens with the pasuk that Hashem does not lie, setting up the theme that truth is the defining attribute of Hashem. For it is written, "Hashe…
תר"ס(1899)
Parshas Balak Seventeenth Tammuz· Essay 1
With the help of Heaven. From Parshas Balak, and the seventeenth of Tammuz. This is the opening heading of the piece, noting that it was said with siyata diShmaya, on Parshas Balak, which fell during the period of the seventeenth of Tammuz,…
Bnei Yisrael Eternal Witnesses· Essay 2
On the verse "You shall not curse... for he is blessed" (Bamidbar 22:12), Chazal expounded that Bilam said, "If so, let me bless them," and Hashem answered him, "They have no need of your honey nor of your sting" (i.e., neither your blessin…
Eternal Light Of Luchos· Essay 3
On the seventeenth of Tammuz, Moshe Rabbeinu came down with the first Luchos, and even though they were broken, we find that the fragments of the Luchos were placed in the Aron, for all the gifts that the Holy One, Blessed is He, gave to Bn…
תרס"א(1900)
Blessing Above This World· Essay 1
It is brought in the Midrash on the verse 'Eikev' (as a reward): That which Bnei Yisrael eat in this world comes from the blessing of Bilam, but their true reward is in the 'eikev' (the ultimate end) — see there. The Midrash teaches that th…
Three Middos Of Avraham· Essay 2
It is brought in the Mishnah (Avos 5:19): Whoever possesses these three traits is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu — a good eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul; and they eat the fruits of their good deeds in this world while inheriti…