Balak: Chapter 18

"Thus says Hashem"

Synopsis

We hear about the three gates or orders of justice: Baba Kama, Baba Metzia and Baba Batra. Rabbi Shimon says that God treats the sins of the children of Yisrael as though they were errors, not intentional acts. He talks about Balak's request to Bilaam to curse Yisrael; Balak knew that many of the people of Yisrael would fall dead because of his own armies, so he felt the time was opportune for the curse. Lastly Rabbi Shimon says that neither Balak nor Bilaam were aware that they themselves would be destroyed afterward.