Concealed Light Illuminating Nations
וירא בלק במד' נוח לרשעים להיות סומין כו' הענין הוא כי אמרו כסה את עין הארץ שבנ"י אין מניחין לאומות לקבל ההארות הבאים משמים
On the verse "And Balak saw" (Bamidbar 22:2), the Midrash comments that it is better for the wicked to be blind. The meaning is that they said, "It covers the eye of the land" (Bamidbar 22:5) — that Bnei Yisrael do not allow the nations to receive the illuminations that come down from Heaven.
Balak claimed that Bnei Yisrael block the nations from receiving the spiritual light flowing down from Heaven; the Midrash notes it would be better for the wicked to be blind, meaning their perception was distorted.
אבל לא אמרו אמת ולא רצו האמת
But they did not speak the truth, and they did not want the truth.
Balak's accusation was simply false, and beyond that, he had no genuine desire for the truth.
כי אדרבא ע"ז נבראו בנ"י שיקבלו הם ההארות וע"י זה ימשיכו קצת הארות גם לכל אומה כפי חלקה
For on the contrary, it is precisely for this purpose that Bnei Yisrael were created — that they should receive the illuminations, and through this they draw down a measure of illumination even to each nation according to its portion.
In reality, Bnei Yisrael were created to be the channel that receives Heaven's light and passes a portion of it onward to every nation according to its share.
וגם זה נכלל בפי' מחדש בטובו בכל יום מעשה בראשית
And this too is included in the meaning of "He renews in His goodness each day the work of Creation."
This idea is hinted at in the daily blessing that Hashem renews Creation "in His goodness" each day.
בטובו אלו בנ"י כמ"ש יבוא טוב ויקבל טוב מטוב לטובים וכל אלו נכללו בפי' בטובו
"In His goodness" — these are Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "Let the good one come and receive the good, from the Good One, for the good ones" — and all of these are included in the meaning of "in His goodness."
The word "goodness" alludes to Bnei Yisrael, who are called "good" and who receive and transmit the good from Hashem, the source of all good.
וכן כתיב וירא אלקים את האור כי טוב כו' ואין כדאי לרשעים כו' ויבדל כו'
And so it is written, "And Hashem saw the light, that it was good" (Bereishis 1:4) — and since it was not fitting for the wicked, "He separated" (Bereishis 1:4).
The Torah's account of the light of Creation being "good" and then "separated" teaches that the light was hidden away because the wicked were unworthy of it.
שע"י ההבדל יכולין להשתמש באור וע"י ההסתר שבנ"י מסתירין האור מאיר גם להם
For through the separation one is able to make use of the light, and through the concealment by which Bnei Yisrael conceal the light, it shines even upon them.
The very act of concealing the light is what makes it usable; and because Bnei Yisrael hide the light, it ends up shining even onto the nations.
וכשנתגלו בנ"י במיתת אהרן וישמע הכנעני וירא בלק עי"ז נסתר האור כי אין הרשעים כדאי' ומפסידין לכל
And when Bnei Yisrael became revealed at the death of Aharon — "And the Canaanite heard" (Bamidbar 21:1) and "Balak saw" — through this the light became concealed, for the wicked are not fitting for it and they cause loss to everyone.
When Bnei Yisrael lost the protective cover at Aharon's death and became exposed, enemies like the Canaanite and Balak attacked, and the light was withdrawn because the wicked ruin it for all.
ואח"כ הודה בלעם האמת דכ' וירא כו' שוכן לשבטיו עי"ז ותהי עליו רוח אלקים הוא כנ"ל שראו שכשבנ"י מתאספין ומקבלין ההארות מאיר גם להם
And afterward Bilam admitted the truth, as it is written, "And he saw... dwelling according to its tribes" (Bamidbar 24:2), and through this "the spirit of Hashem came upon him" — this is as explained above, for they saw that when Bnei Yisrael gather together and receive the illuminations, it shines even upon them.
Bilam himself ultimately conceded the truth: seeing Bnei Yisrael encamped tribe by tribe drew Hashem's spirit upon him, confirming that when Bnei Yisrael unite to receive the light, it radiates to the nations as well.
לכן בחג הסוכות שהוא בחי' ענני הכבוד דג' מתנות נתן הקב"ה
Therefore on the festival of Sukkos, which is the aspect of the Clouds of Glory — for the Holy One, Blessed is He, gave three gifts:
Sukkos embodies the Clouds of Glory, one of three gifts Hashem granted Bnei Yisrael in the wilderness.
מן בזכות משה
the mann in the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu,
The mann was given in the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu.
באר בזכות מרים
the well in the merit of Miriam,
The well of water was given in the merit of Miriam.
ענני כבוד בזכות אהרן
the Clouds of Glory in the merit of Aharon.
The Clouds of Glory were given in the merit of Aharon.
הם נגד ג' מועדות
These correspond to the three festivals:
These three gifts align with the three pilgrimage festivals.
שבועות תורה מן השמים
Shavuos — Torah from Heaven;
Shavuos corresponds to the giving of the Torah from Heaven.
סוכות ענני כבוד וכיון שיש פריסת שלום והגנה על בנ"י לכן מקריבין ע' פרים נגד האומות להודיע כי אדרבה ע"י ההסתר ואור המקיף לבנ"י שלא יוכל עין רע של האומות להסתכל אז מאירין בנ"י לכל העולם
Sukkos — the Clouds of Glory; and since there is a spreading of peace and protection over Bnei Yisrael, therefore we offer seventy bulls corresponding to the nations, to make known that on the contrary, through the concealment and the encompassing light over Bnei Yisrael — that the evil eye of the nations cannot gaze upon them — then Bnei Yisrael shine forth to the entire world.
Sukkos corresponds to the Clouds of Glory; because they spread peace and protection over Bnei Yisrael, the seventy bulls offered on Sukkos correspond to the nations, teaching that the protective encompassing light shielding Bnei Yisrael from the nations' evil eye is precisely what lets them illuminate the whole world.
וכן איתא לעתיד יחזיקו אלפים בכנפי הציצית של בנ"י כדדרשו חז"ל בשבת ע"פ יחזיקו שבע כו' בכנף איש יהודי כו'
And so it is brought down that in the future thousands will grasp hold of the corners of the tzitzis of Bnei Yisrael, as Chazal expounded in Shabbos on the verse "Seven... shall take hold... of the corner of the garment of a Jewish man" (Zechariah 8:23).
In the future the nations will literally take hold of the tzitzis of Bnei Yisrael, as Chazal derive from the verse in Zechariah about grasping the corner of a Jew's garment.
ולמה דוקא בציצית ע"י שמצוה זו היא בטלית בחי' אור מקיף והסתר פריסת סוכת שלום עי"ז יכולין להמשיך קצת הארה גם לאומות כנ"ל
And why specifically with the tzitzis? Because this mitzvah is in the tallis, the aspect of the encompassing light and the concealment of the spreading of the sukkah of peace; through this they are able to draw down a measure of illumination even to the nations, as explained above.
It happens specifically through tzitzis because the tallis represents the encompassing light and the protective covering of the sukkah of peace, which is the very means by which a measure of light reaches the nations.
וכן אמרו במד' אלו היו יודעין האומות כמה המשכן יפה להם כו' ע"ש:
And so they said in the Midrash: had the nations known how much the Mishkan was beneficial for them, etc. — see there.
Likewise the Midrash teaches that the nations themselves benefited from the Mishkan, had they only realized how much it accomplished on their behalf.
Summary: The Sfas Emes explains that Balak falsely accused Bnei Yisrael of blocking the nations from the heavenly light, when in truth Bnei Yisrael were created precisely to receive that light and channel a portion of it to every nation according to its share. The light of Creation had to be concealed because the wicked are unworthy of it, and it is specifically through this concealment by Bnei Yisrael that the light becomes usable and ultimately shines even upon the nations. This is why, when Bnei Yisrael lost their protective cover at Aharon's death, enemies attacked and the light was withdrawn, while Bilam himself eventually admitted that the gathered tribes of Bnei Yisrael draw down the Divine spirit. Sukkos embodies this theme through the Clouds of Glory, one of three wilderness gifts paralleling the three festivals, and the seventy bulls offered correspond to the nations, teaching that the encompassing light shielding Bnei Yisrael is exactly what enables them to illuminate the whole world. In the end of days the nations will grasp the tzitzis of Bnei Yisrael — the tallis being that same encompassing, protective light through which a measure of illumination flows out to all.