Hidden Root Of Blessing

לא תאור את העם כי ברוך הוא

"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.

ובלעם דכתיב בי' אשר תברך מבורך לא הי' רואה שבנ"י ברוכים הם כי ברכת בנ"י היא למעלה מכל הברכות

Bilam, of whom it is written, "the one whom you bless is blessed" (Bamidbar 22:6), could not see that Bnei Yisrael are blessed, for the blessing of Bnei Yisrael is above all blessings.

Bilam was renowned as one whose word could bless or curse, yet he failed to perceive that Bnei Yisrael possess a blessing that transcends every ordinary blessing.

וכל אומה שמקבלת ברכה בעוה"ז על פי המזל

Any nation that receives blessing in this world by way of its mazal —

Other nations draw their worldly success through the channel of their mazal, their astrological fortune.

בזה הי' לו ידיעה

of this he had perception and knowledge.

It was precisely this mazal-driven blessing that Bilam could detect and tap into.

אבל בנ"י הם שורש הברכה

But Bnei Yisrael are the very root of blessing.

Bnei Yisrael, by contrast, are not merely recipients of blessing but are its very source and root.

והוא כמ"ש בשבת ויברך כו' את יום השביעי ובזוה"ק כיון דלא אשתכח בי' מזוני מה ברכתא אשתכח אלא כל ברכאין בשביעאה תליין

This is like that which is written regarding Shabbos, "And He blessed... the seventh day" (Bereishis 2:3), and as the Zohar HaKadosh says: since no food is found on it, what blessing is found in it? Rather, all blessings are suspended upon the seventh.

The Sfas Emes brings the model of Shabbos, the seventh day, which holds no visible food yet is the wellspring from which all blessing flows, as the Zohar HaKadosh teaches.

כמו כך ברכת בנ"י שאין ניכר כלל בעוה"ז

So too the blessing of Bnei Yisrael, which is not at all recognizable in this world —

Just as Shabbos shows no overt material bounty, the blessing of Bnei Yisrael is invisible in the physical world.

אדרבא הם שפלים מכל האומות

on the contrary, they are lowlier than all the nations —

Outwardly they may even appear lowlier than the other nations.

אבל הם דבקין בעצם הברכה

yet they are bound up in the very essence of blessing.

Despite that outward lowliness, they are attached to the essence of blessing itself.

וז"ש כי ברוך הוא כמ"ש והי' ברכה שהברכה היא בעצמותם ובזה לא הי' לו מגע כלל לאותו רשע

And this is the meaning of "for it is blessed," as it is written, "and you shall be a blessing" (Bereishis 12:2), that the blessing is in their very essence, and in this that wicked man had no point of contact at all.

"For it is blessed" means the blessing is woven into their very being, like Avraham who was told "you shall be a blessing"; this essential blessing was beyond Bilam's reach.

והשי"ת נותן ברכה לבנ"י ממקום הגנוז וע"ז כתיב אשר צפנת ליראיך ולכן כ' יברכך ה' וישמרך שנותן לנו הברכה להיות משומר מן עין רע של הרשעים

Hashem gives blessing to Bnei Yisrael from a hidden place, and concerning this it is written, "which You have hidden away for those who fear You" (Tehillim 31:20); and therefore it is written, "may Hashem bless you and guard you" (Bamidbar 6:24), for He gives us the blessing in a manner that it is guarded from the evil eye of the wicked.

Hashem channels blessing to Bnei Yisrael from a concealed reservoir, kept safe from the evil eye of the wicked, which is why the bracha pairs blessing with being guarded.

ובאמת יש בבנ"י ב' הדרכים סתום וגלי'

And in truth there are two pathways within Bnei Yisrael: the hidden and the revealed.

There are two modes within Bnei Yisrael: a hidden, concealed dimension and a revealed, manifest one.

ובכאן בתחילת כניסתם לא"י התחיל התפשט בהתגלות לכן כ' וירא בלק כמ"ש ע"ז במד' נוח לרשעים שיהיו סומין

Here, at the beginning of their entry into Eretz Yisrael, the revealed dimension began to spread forth; therefore it is written, "And Balak saw" (Bamidbar 22:2), as the Midrash comments on this: it would be fitting for the wicked to be blind.

Upon entering Eretz Yisrael their revealed blessing began to shine forth, which is why Balak "saw" it; the Midrash notes such sight would be better lost to the wicked.

וכשרצו להרע לבנ"י הסתירם הקב"ה בבחי' סתום

And when they sought to harm Bnei Yisrael, the Holy One, Blessed is He, concealed them in the aspect of the hidden.

When enemies rose to harm them, Hashem withdrew Bnei Yisrael into the concealed, protected dimension.

וב' המדריגות נזכרו בפסוק צפנת כו' פעלת כו' נגד בני אדם

And these two levels are mentioned in the verse "which You have hidden away... You have wrought... before the sons of men" (Tehillim 31:20).

The verse in Tehillim alludes to both levels: the hidden "treasured away" and the revealed "wrought before the sons of men."

וז"ש והוא יושב ממולי

And this is the meaning of "and he dwells opposite me" (Bamidbar 22:5).

Bilam's phrase "he dwells opposite me" hints at this duality.

הוא לשון נסתר אעפ"כ הוא ממולי קרובין להכריתני

"He" is an expression of the hidden; nevertheless, "he is opposite me," close enough to cut me off.

"He" connotes the hidden aspect, yet even so this hidden nation stands opposite Bilam, near enough that he feared they could destroy him.

כי על זה נבראו בנ"י להיות בחי' סתום וגליא כנ"ל:

For it is for this that Bnei Yisrael were created — to be the aspect of the hidden and the revealed, as explained above.

The entire purpose for which Bnei Yisrael were created is to embody both dimensions — the hidden and the revealed — as the piece has explained.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains why Hashem forbade Bilam to curse Bnei Yisrael: they are not merely recipients of blessing but its very root and essence. While other nations receive worldly success through their mazal — a blessing Bilam could perceive and manipulate — the blessing of Bnei Yisrael lies above all blessings and remains hidden in this world, much as Shabbos holds no visible bounty yet is the source from which all blessing flows. Because this blessing is bound into their very essence and drawn from a concealed place, it is guarded from the evil eye of the wicked, and Bilam had no point of contact with it. The Sfas Emes teaches that Bnei Yisrael contain two pathways, the hidden and the revealed: upon entering Eretz Yisrael their revealed blessing began to shine, yet when enemies sought to harm them Hashem concealed them in the hidden dimension. This very duality of hidden and revealed is the purpose for which Bnei Yisrael were created.