397. "And Balak the son of Tzipor saw..." Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse: "Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye" (Mishlei 23:6). That applies to Bilaam, WHO WAS EVIL-EYED, and he blessed Yisrael. "Nor desire his dainties" (Ibid.) applies to Balak, for whose burnt offerings that he offered before Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, had no desire.

398. Come and see, when Balak saw that Sihon and Og were killed and their country was taken, he saw ONE MORE THING. HE ASKS: What did he see THAT THE SCRIPTURE says, "saw?" It is only that he saw in his wisdom he and the five top chiefs of Midian and his people were falling into the hands of Yisrael. He saw, yet did not know CLEARLY. Therefore, he first approached Bilaam, whose power was in his mouth TO BLESS AND CURSE, like Yisrael, whose power is in their mouth.

399. Bilaam was even more loathsome than Balak. Whatever he knew, he knew only at night. These lower Sfirot and the asses OF THE KLIPOT prevail only at the first watch of the night. AND ON THE FIRST WATCH, A SHE-MULE BRAYS. Therefore, he had a she-mule of that side, so the donkeys could join with her in the beginning of the night.