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by Rav David Silverberg

After beholding Benei Yisrael "dwelling according to their tribes," Bilam is inspired to bless Benei Yisrael with the eternal blessing, "How good are your tents, Yaakov, your dwelling places, Israel." Rashi, citing Chazal, explains that Bilam observed how "the openings to their tents were not facing one another." He was impressed by the high standards of privacy and mutual respect that the people afforded one another, to the extent that they ensured that no one would be able to glance into his neighbor's home.

The Gaon of Tchibin suggested an added, symbolic level of interpretation to Chazal's explanation of the verse. He claims that the image of the tents whose openings specifically do not face one another represents the "openings" of the "tents" of God and Benei Yisrael. His approach is based upon the well known comment of Chazal that God offers the Jewish people, "Open up for yourselves an opening the size of a pinhole, and I will open up for you an opening the size of the Sanctuary." In other words, we are bidden to take only the first step, to initiate the process of return and adherence to the mitzvot. After that, God Himself does His part, as it were, and provides us with the wherewithal to continue.

Thus, suggests the Gaon, these "openings," that of the Jewish people and that of God Himself, do not "face each other," meaning, they do not at all correspond to one another. What God demands of us is minuscule compared to what we expect and require of Him. This is what Bilam saw. He realized the immense love God has for His people and understood that he could not possibly utter a curse against Benei Yisrael.

Appropriately enough, this message of the disproportionate and unbalanced system of mutual obligation between God and the Jewish people is echoed by the prophet Mikha in the haftora for Parashat Balak:

True, it is no simple matter to "do justice, love goodness, and walk modestly with your God." However, it is the very least we can do considering the unending kindness that the Almighty bestows upon us.

Parashat Balak opens with Balak's request that Bilam come and place a curse on Benei Yisrael. In the aftermath of Benei Yisrael's stirring victory over the regional superpowers - Sichon and Og, Balak feared the threat of destruction at the hands of the threatening nomads. He therefore summoned the renowned sorcerer to assist him by cursing the enemy.

The Seforno asks a rather frank, straightforward question. Why didn't Balak ask Bilam to bless his nation, Moav, with protection from potential aggressors, rather than cursing Benei Yisrael? Especially after the difficulties Bilam encountered cursing Benei Yisrael, why couldn't he place a blessing upon the nation of Moav? Would that not have yielded, in Balak's eyes, the same desired result?

The Seforno's answer may give us some insight into the personality of Bilam and why he is viewed by our tradition with such utter contempt. Bilam's magical powers were limited to cursing. More specifically, as Chazal posit, Bilam has the ability to capitalize upon inauspicious moments of divine wrath. He was able to identify when the Almighty's anger was triggered and then fuel the flames of wrath with his curses. Bilam had no ability to bless; all he knew was how to curse. When Balak sent for Bilam and said, "… for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed," he said so only out of respect for Bilam. In truth, however, Bilam had no power over blessings.

As we know, Bilam was viewed by Chazal as representative of the negative quality of "ayin hara," the "evil eye" (Avot 5:19). Meaning, he looked at others askance, if not with outright hostility. The mishna contrasts Bilam with Avraham, the bastion of "ayin tova," an eye that sees the good in everyone. Both these prophets were unwaveringly committed to God's law and would not deviate one iota from the divine command. The difference, however, was manifest in their "eyes" - their overall outlook upon others. Bilam was incapable of blessing; he knew only curses. Avraham, by contrast, is known as the pillar of "chesed." He always sought to help others, to give to others, and to reach out to others. As the mishna tells us, herein lies the difference between the students of Avraham and the students of Bilam.

As heirs to, and students of, the great tradition of Avraham, we bear the responsibility of coordinating our "eyesight" accordingly. At the most basic level, "ayin hara" and "ayin tova" refer to the attitude people have towards a certain individual. We are bidden to look at others with an "ayin tova," to sincerely wish them well and not harbor any jealousy towards them. This perspective stands at the very core of the attribute of "chesed." One who does not wish well upon others cannot possibly integrate the value of kindness into his life. Conversely, one who genuinely years for the good fortune of others will do all that he can to further this wish, to stretch out his hand and lend some assistance to his fellow Jew.

Incidentally, the Chafetz Chayim is quoted as offering an explanation similar to that of the Seforno, only with one slight difference. Balak's request that Bilam curse Benei Yisrael rather than bless Moav resulted not from Bilam's limitations, but rather from Balak's own skewed outlook. As opposed to Benei Yisrael, who when confronted with danger raise their eyes and hearts upward to the heavens in prayer, Balak sought to destroy the enemy. Similarly, Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say that one can elevate himself either by working on his own character or by denigrating others. Needless to say, Balak and other followers of Bilam adopt the latter approach, while we, the children of Avraham Avinu, are bidden to work on ourselves, rather than seek to destroy others.

This d'var Torah relates to both this week's parasha as well as the general topic of peace negotiations between Jews and gentiles, keeping in the spirit of the week. No political stance whatsoever is taken by the author in this piece.

The Rema in Shulchan Arukh Y.D. 236:6 cites an interesting ruling of Rabbenu Yerucham relating to the laws of "shavuot" - vows. If two people vow to each other on a given matter, then the moment one party violates its end of the deal, the second party is no longer bound by the terms of the vow. This issue was particularly relevant when families would arrange a marriage and vow to each other to go through with the match. Rabbenu Yerucham rules that should one party betroth someone else or not arrive at the set date for the wedding, then the other party is free to marry anyone he/she pleases. One source (among others) cited by Rabbenu Yerucham, as noted by the Shakh in his "Nekudot Hakesef," is a Midrash involving Bilam. The Midrash considered Bilam's arrival to Moav for the expressed purpose of cursing Benei Yisrael a direct violation of the agreement struck between his ancestor (according to some, grandfather), Lavan, and Yaakov Avinu. Recall that at the end of Parashat Vayetze, Lavan and Yaakov vow to each other that neither they nor their offspring will ever cross the Gilad region to harm the other party. When Bilam traveled west from Aram to curse Benei Yisrael, he effectively breached this treaty. Chazal comment that later in history, when David's general Yoav waged war against Aram, he invoked Bilam's violation of the treaty as justification fohis current campaign against Aram. From here Rabbenu Yerucham concludes that when one party breaches the oath, the other party is no longer bound.

This Midrash calls into question a startling expansion of Rabbenu Yerucham's halakha by Rav Chayim Alapandri, in his work, "Eish Dat" (Parashat Korach). He suggests that since gentiles are not subject to the formal halakhot of vows, insofar as they do not violate the prohibition of "bal yachel" that Jews transgress when violating a vow, therefore, when a Jew and gentile vow to one another, the Jew's oath is automatically unbinding. Just as when one party violates his oath the other party is relieved of his end of the deal, similarly, the Jew's oath is at once revoked, since the other party, the gentile, is not bound by the Torah's regulations regarding oaths. Rav Chayim adds that when Avraham vowed peaceful relations to the Philistine kingdom of Avimelekh, he took a separate oath beyond the standard, mutual agreement made by the two parties. Otherwise, his vow would have been automatically null and void, since Avimelekh, a gentile, was not included in the Torah's prohibition of violating oaths.

Rav Chayim does not, however, point to any similar phenomenon regarding the agreement between Lavan and Yaakov. If so, then Benei Yisrael were never under any obligation as a result of Yaakov's oath, a notion apparently contradicted by the aforementioned Midrash, that points to Bilam's breach of the agreement as the only justification for Yoav's military operation. Another question may be raised against this position, as well. Although the formal prohibition of "bal yachel" does not apply to gentiles, they are nevertheless required to fulfill their promises to others. The Mishneh L'Melekh (Hilkhot Melakhim 10) addresses the precise source and nature of this prohibition; whereas the list of the seven Noachide laws does not include breaching promises, why would it be prohibited for gentiles? The Avnei Neizer (Y.D. 306) explains that even without any explicit divine command, people must follow through on their vows. One who makes a promise to another must fulfill his promise, even before or without the formal prohibitions issued at Mount Sinai. (The Mishneh L'Melekh already alludes to this notion, which appears as well in the Meshekh Chokhma, Parashat Yitro.) In any event, gentiles, as well as Jews, are required to keep their promises. Therefore, the very foundation of Rav Chayim's contention seems to crumble.

These may be the reasons why Rav Akiva Eger, after citing this position of Rav Chaim Alapandri in his treatise on the Shulchan Arukh, expresses doubt as to the halakhic validity of such a view.

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