Parshat Balak 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Gemara in Baba Basra 14B teaches Moshe Kasav Sifro V'Parshas Bilam, Moshe wrote his sefer, i.e. the Torah, and the parsha of Bilam. Rashi explains that the Gemara is teaching that Moshe wrote the prophesies of Bilam even though they weren't connected to Moshe and the laws of Hashem in the Torah. Rav Tzadok asks two questions on this. Firstly, the prophesies of Bilam are not the only things brought in the Torah not directly related to the laws of the Torah; there are also the stories in sefer Bereishis. And further, why does the Gemara call it parshat Bilam? The name of the parsha is Balak. And the Gemara itself calls the parsha Balak when it teaches in Brachos 12B Bikshu Likbo'a Parshat Balak B'Keriyas Shema, Chazal wanted to include the parsha of Balak in Keriyas Shema. Why does the Gemara here refer to our parsha as parshat Bilam?
The Sifre on the pasuk in V'Zos HaBerachah quotes the pasuk (Chapter 34, Pasuk 10), V'Lo Kam Navi Od B'Yisrael K'Moshe, there was never another prophet like Moshe. Adds the Medrash, there was never B'Yisrael a prophet like Moshe, but among the nations of the world there was a prophet like Moshe. And that prophet was Bilam.
How could the Medrash claim that Bilam was on a level similar to Moshe?
Rav Tzadok explains the idea in the following manner. There is another Sifre which Rashi quotes in the beginning of parshat Matos distinguishing between the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu and the other Jewish prophets. The other prophets prophesied with the words Ko Amar while Moshe prophesied with the words Zeh HaDavar. Zeh HaDavar indicates a prophesy whereby Moshe repeated the prophesy exactly as he received it without any interpretation. Just as the word Zeh expresses pointing at a specific object, when Moshe prophesied it was the exact prophesy as if the Shechinah was speaking through the mouth of Moshe. But the other prophets saw their prophecy in a dream and repeated it to the best of their ability.
The prophecy of Bilam was similar to Moshe in that Hashem put the words directly into his mouth. This is indicated a number of times in the pasukim in our parsha. For example, Hashem tells Bilam (Chapter 22, Pasuk 20), V'Ach es HaDavar Asher Adaber Eleicha Oso Sa'ase. Hashem tells Bilam that which I will tell you, you shall do. The pasuk should read, that which I tell you, you shall say! Rather the action of doing referred to is just moving the lips; the words were put into his mouth and Bilam physically moved his lips to enable the words to come out. And this is mentioned explicitly later on when the pasuk says (Chapter 23, Pasuk 5), Vayasem Hashem Davar B'Fi Bilam, Hashem put the words into the mouth of Bilam.
In this regard their prophesies were the same. They both spoke words which came directly from Hashem. However, Moshe knew what he was saying while Bilam was unaware of what he was saying.
The reason the Gemara refers to our parsha as parshat Bilam is because it is referring to specifically the prophesies of Bilam. When the Gemara teaches that Chazal wanted to incorporate parshat Balak into Keriyas Shema, they meant the entire parsha of Balak. And the reason that the stories from Bereishis are not mentioned is because when Moshe wrote them down they became Toras Moshe and are included in what the Gemara says that Moshe Kasav Sifro. And this includes the rest of parshat Balak as well. But parshat Bilam are the words Hashem put directly into the mouth of Bilam and are not considered as having been impacted directly by Moshe Rabbeinu.
The Mishnah in Avos (Chapter 5, Mishnah 8) teaches that ten things were created Erev Shabbos Bein HaShemashos and one of them is Pi Ha'Ason, the mouth of the donkey which opened up and spoke to Bilam. The Zohar Hakadosh lists three things which were created Erev Shabbos Bein HaShemashos and includes the first three mentioned in the Mishnah, Pi Ha'Be'er, Pi Ha'Aretz, and Pi Ha'Ason. But the Zohar continues and teaches that after Bein HaShemashos, when it became Shabbos, that which rules over all, Pi Hashem, rose up.
Rav Tzadok explains based on a different Zohar that Bilam's ability to speak came from the Pi Ha'Ason. And when the Zohar quoted above teaches that Pi Hashem rules over all, it is teaching that there is holiness from Hashem found in all "mouths"; the words of the donkey and the words of Bilam, as we explained. The Pi Hashem which rises up on Shabbos is the power of Torah Shebe'alpeh which can be found everywhere even in the mouth of Bilam and his donkey.
The pasuk says in sefer Yeshayahu (Chapter 30, Pasuk 21), V'Aznecha Tishmana Davar M'Acharecha, your ears should hear that which is behind you. The Gemara in the end of Megillah, 32B, derives from here that one can learn things from all sources, even an offhand comment from someone who is not intending to teach you anything. This is the lesson of parshat Bilam; the Pi Ha'Ason and Pi Bilam all come from Hashem. Pi Hashem overrides all and there is wisdom and Torah to be learned from all, as the pasuk in sefer Nechemia teaches (Chapter 9, Pasuk 6), V'Atah Mechayeh es Kulam, you sustain and give life to all.
Good Shabbos
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