EFRAT, Israel— “Come now therefore I pray thee, curse me this people, for they are too mighty for me…” (Numbers 22:6).

Who among us wouldn’t like to think of himself as someone with a good eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul? According to the Mishnah Avot, the disciples of Abraham possess the above qualities, while the disciples of wicked Balaam, the dubious ‘hero’ of this week’s portion “Balak”, possesses the reverse traits, “...an evil eye, an arrogant spirit, and a greedy soul...” (Pirkei Avot 5:22).

Why the Mishnah calls Balaam “wicked” requires study. It might seem that at worst, he was absent-minded and impatient particularly when it came to the incident with his “talking donkey” which he beats for refusing to walk ahead. Ironically, the seer’s donkey sees what the seer is blind to— an angel with an outstretched sword obstructing their path. Balaam is Abraham’s perfect opposite: they are both prophets who are presumably close to the Almighty G-d, yet one finds G-d even when He is hidden behind the moon and the sun, while the other cannot see G-d even though He is standing in front of him.  Balaam’s wickedness exists in proportion to his potential. He could have been as great as Abraham, but instead he sells his exalted soul to the highest bidder.

If the power of his poetry is any indication of the power of his prophecy, the Jews would have been in serious trouble when Balak sent his emissaries to hire the famous Balaam to curse the Jews. The text speaks of a frightened King Balak who turns to a powerful Balaam to cast a curse against a vast nation passing through. Unbeknownst to the king, this magician’s curses or blessings cannot be put into effect without permission of the Almighty G-d.

In contrast, not only doesn’t Abraham ever consider cursing anyone, but when G-d con¬fides that He intends to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the first patrician pleads for the doomed city. “Shall the whole world’s judge not act justly?” (Gen. 18:25).

This is what the Mishnah means by Abra¬ham’s good eye: he looks for ways to ameli¬orate the punishment although the Sodom¬ites are drenched in sin. Balaam, on the other hand, seeks to get around G-d’s declaration against cursing the Jews. G-d is against Balak’s plan, but Balaam’s bad eye doesn’t allow him to expel Balak’s plan forever. The Gentile prophet should have sent Balak’s delegation packing but, tempted by wealth, power, and impressive robes, he tells them to stay the night. And when G-d says definitely not, Balaam addresses the delegation: “Go home! God refuses to give me leave to go with you [imachem in Hebrew]”, (Numbers 22:13), leaving a door open so that if a more important delegation were to arrive, who knows...maybe he (Balaam) or He (G-d) could yet be convinced.

The foreign ministry reports back to Balak that Balaam won’t come “with us” and so, without wasting a breath, the next verse records that, “Balak sent yet again princes, this time with a larger number of dignitaries” (Num. 2:14).

And so the higher ranking officials arrive, showering more promises of great honor and the readiness to heed any request of Balaam, who answers: “If Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver, I would not be able to do anything great or small that would violate the word of G-d my Lord”. (22:18).

Presumably, Balaam’s answer sounds noble, but when Balaam speaks of all the gold and silver that could not get him to violate the “word of God,” he once again leaves open the possibility that if G-d were to change His mind, Balaam’s services could still be bought, especially if the monetary offer were more serious.

The greedy side of Balaam’s soul is contrasted with Abraham’s meekness. His tent always open to a passing stranger, Abraham never asks anything for himself. He adopts Lot, his orphaned nephew, and raises him with all the love a childless couple like Abraham and Sarah can give. Yet, when fighting breaks out between the servants of Lot and the servants of Abraham, Abraham fears a bitter end and suggests separation ... “After all we’re brothers. All the land is before you...if you go to the left, I’ll go to the right. If you go to the right, I’ll go to the left” (Gen. 13:8-9) Lot chooses the Jordan plain, “...like G-d’s own garden.”

Later, when the entire region breaks out into an all-out war, Abraham enters the battle when his nephew Lot is captured. Gathering 318 men of his household, he divides his forces, attacks, pursues the invaders, and victoriously saves the lives of Lot and his family. And when the King of Sodom turns to Abra¬ham suggesting the spoils go to the victor, Abraham refuses even a shoelace lest it be said that the King of Sodom made Abraham wealthy.

An arrogant spirit believes he can manip¬ulate anything, and Balaam has emerged as the master manipulator. A humble spirit under¬stands that G-d rules the world according to His vision.  Hence when G-d commands Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and get thee into the Land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering...” (Gen. 22:2).  Abraham obeys without protest. This is true humility, even though Isaac is the miraculous fulfillment of G-d’s promise, the very proof that Abraham’s faith in the one G-d is true. Abraham accepts G-d’s will, no matter how difficult it may be.    

In the case of Balaam, on the other hand, his manipulation continues even in the choice of animals sacrificed on the seven altars Balaam has Balak build. After the account of the talking donkey, G-d’s angel instructs Balaam not to say anything other than “the exact words I declare to you” (22:35).  We soon read of the construction of the seven altars. Not only does it seem that Balaam has gone against the angel’s instructions, having these altars built on his own initiative, but when G-d appears to Balaam, the prophet announces to the Almighty that ... “I have set up seven altars, and I have sacrificed a bull and a ram as a burnt offering on each altar” (23:4).

How are we to understand Balaam’s words given that G-d doesn’t have to be told who is sacrificing what to whom? The Midrash sees the bull and the ram not only as Balaam’s attempt to remind G-d of the sin of the Gold¬en Calf, but also as a manipulative move to ride on the accomplishment of Abraham who successfully sacrificed a ram as a substi¬tute for Isaac. In the most primitive venal sense, Balaam is bribing G-d, offering these two special animals on seven altars. Maybe now he’ll be allowed to curse the Jewish peo¬ple. Balaam doesn’t understand the most fun¬damental message of Abraham: G-d is bey¬ond manipulation. Balaam, the wicked manipulator, retires into penurious ignominy.