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Hebrew Text
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו בָּלָק לך־[לְכָה־] נָּא אִתִּי אֶל־מָקוֹם אַחֵר אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ תִרְאֶה וְכֻלּוֹ לֹא תִרְאֶה וְקָבְנוֹ־לִי מִשָּׁם׃
English Translation
And Balaq said to him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from whence thou mayst see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from there.
Transliteration
Va'yomer elav Balak lecha-na iti el-makom acher asher tir'enu mi'sham efes katz'ehu tir'eh v'chulo lo tir'eh v'kavno-li mi'sham.
Hebrew Leining Text
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו בָּלָ֗ק (לך) [לְכָה־]נָּ֨א אִתִּ֜י אֶל־מָק֤וֹם אַחֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְאֶ֣נּוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶ֚פֶס קָצֵ֣הוּ תִרְאֶ֔ה וְכֻלּ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִרְאֶ֑ה וְקׇבְנוֹ־לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם׃
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Parasha Commentary
📚 Talmud Citations
This verse is not quoted in the Talmud.
Context of the Verse
This verse (Bamidbar 23:13) appears in the narrative of Balaq, the king of Moav, who seeks to curse the Jewish people through the prophet Bilam. After Bilam's first attempt to curse them fails—resulting instead in a blessing—Balaq takes Bilam to a different vantage point, hoping that a change in perspective might allow the curse to take effect.
Balaq's Strategy
Rashi explains that Balaq believed the Jewish people were protected by their ancestors' merits, but perhaps if Bilam saw only a portion of the nation, their collective merit would be diminished in his eyes, making them vulnerable to a curse. The phrase "אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ תִרְאֶה וְכֻלּוֹ לֹא תִרְאֶה" ("you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all") suggests that Balaq wanted Bilam to focus on a smaller, less representative segment of the nation, rather than their full strength and unity.
Theological Implications
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 20:14) elaborates that Balaq’s tactic reflects a misunderstanding of divine providence. The Jewish people’s protection was not contingent on their visibility but on Hashem’s covenant with them. By attempting to manipulate Bilam’s perspective, Balaq demonstrated his lack of faith in the spiritual reality governing Israel’s destiny.
Bilam’s Perspective
Ramban (Nachmanides) notes that Bilam, despite his prophetic abilities, was constrained by Hashem’s will. Even from a new location, he could not curse what Hashem had blessed. This reinforces the principle that no human or supernatural force can override divine decree when it comes to the Jewish people.
Symbolism of "Another Place"
Lessons for Jewish Thought
The episode teaches that the Jewish people’s survival and blessings are not subject to external forces, but are rooted in their relationship with Hashem. As the Talmud (Berachos 7a) states, "No harm can befall one whom Hashem has blessed." Balaq’s repeated efforts—and failures—highlight the eternal truth of divine protection over Israel.