S.A.L.T. - Monday

Yesterday, we looked at a verse in Bilam's second blessing to Benei Yisrael: "He looks upon no evil in Yaakov, and sees no falsehood among Yisrael; the Lord their God is with them, and the King's acclaim is in their midst" (23:21). As we saw, two possible explanations exist as to the meaning of this verse. Targum Onkelos and Ibn Ezra understand it to mean that God remains with Benei Yisrael because they refrain from wrongdoing. On account of their loyal adherence to His laws, God offers His people protection. Rashi, however, first cites this explanation and then offers an alternative approach: even when Benei Yisrael sin, God mercifully forgives their misdeeds and remains with them nonetheless.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l outlined several rules that governed Rashi's arrangement of his commentary, among them that Rashi will always present first the interpretation he deems closest to the simple meaning of the text. When he offers a second interpretation, Rashi generally cites an approach that deviates further from the simple meaning of the words.

The Rebbe applies this principle to Rashi's comments in our verse by drawing an interesting distinction between this, second prophecy of Bilam and the preceding one. Through these prophecies, Bilam indicates to Balak the two reasons why he cannot fulfill his request of placing a curse upon Benei Yisrael. First, the Almighty loves His nation and protects them from harm; no curse can thus take effect. Bilam therefore introduces his first prophecy by declaring, "How can I curse whom God has not cursed, how can I doom when God has not doomed?!" (23:8). But secondly, Benei Yisrael themselves deserve only blessings. Their faithful observance of God's laws render them worthy of His bestowal of goodness upon them. This second prophecy thus begins, "My message was to bless: when He blesses, I cannot reverse it" (23:20).

Accordingly, the Rebbe argues, Rashi prefers explaining verses in the first prophecy as related to the theme of God's love for the people and the protection from harm they enjoy as a result. In the second blessing, Rashi shows bias for interpretations focused on Benei Yisrael's own merits. In our verse, then, which appears in Bilam's second prophecy, Rashi first cites the approach of Onkelos, by which Bilam here lauds Benei Yisrael's faithful observance of the Torah and the divine assistance they consequently enjoy. This interpretation perfectly accommodates the theme of this prophecy, Benei Yisrael's self-earned right to God's blessing. Rashi naturally preferred this approach over the second, which speaks of the protection God affords His people even should they disobey Him, an expression of His unconditional love for the people and refusal to allow any curses to take effect against them. Such an explanation of the verse renders it more relevant to the earlier prophecy, which speaks specifically about this notion.

The Rebbe applies this same reasoning to Rashi's comments several verses later. Still in the second prophecy, Bilam declares, "Lo, a people that rises like a lion, leaps up like a lion… " (23:24). Targum Onkelos explains this clause as a prophetic reference to Benei Yisrael's imminent capture of Eretz Yisrael. In this instance, Rashi relegates the Targum to "second place," preferring instead the Midrashic interpretation of this verse, that it alludes to Benei Yisrael's rush to perform mitzvot as soon as they arise in the morning. How does this explanation better accommodate the straightforward meaning of the text, earning it primary mention in Rashi's commentary? In light of the analysis developed by the Rebbe, the answer becomes clear. Since this prophecy focuses on Benei Yisrael's having earned the right to divine blessing, Rashi prefers an interpretation related to their performance of mitzvot, rather than one that speaks of their conquest of Eretz Yisrael. According to the Midrashic approach to the verse, it fits perfectly into Bilam's discussion of the nation's many merits, on account of which they are to be only blessed, rather than cursed.

For "homework": apply this analysis to Bilam's third prophecy in order to identify its nature and theme. Please send comments to [email protected].

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