"Lodge here this night"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon continues with the story of Bilaam, and tells us that the Midianites would have acted appropriately if they had separated from Moab and not taken Bilaam's advice to send their women to confuse Yisrael. The Moabites who remained to hear what God had to say were not killed, and yet the Midianites who left were later killed because they didn't care. We are told that in the night Bilaam whispered and performed witchcraft, and brought on himself a higher spirit from the other side, the Elohim that was his own level.

Evil Other Side

283. "And he said to them, 'Lodge here this night, and I will bring you back'" (Bemidbar 22:8). About them, it says, "And spoke to him" (Ibid. 7), MEANING SPEECH OF LOUD WORDS, BECAUSE HE WAS IMPAIRED IN HIS EAR. About him it says, "And he said to them," WHICH IS SAYING WITH SOFT WORDS, THE USUAL SORT OF LANGUAGE. "Lodge here this night:" that is because the night is the opportune period of the Other Side and of sorcerers, because it is the time during which evil aspects are prevalent and are in control, spreading about in the world. "As Hashem shall speak to me" (Ibid. 8): he was priding himself with the name of Hashem.

283. וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה וַהֲשִׁיבוֹתִי, אִינּוּן כְּתִיב, וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו. וְאִיהוּ כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם. לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה, בְּגִין דְּלֵילְיָא אִיהוּ שַׁעֲתָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא הֲוֵי, לְחַרְשַׁיָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי וְשַׁלְטֵי סִטְרֵי בִּישִׁין וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטָן בְּעָלְמָא. כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֵלָי. שַׁבּוּחֵי קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא דַּיְיָ.'

Balaam Daughter Midianites Midyan Moab Sin Women

284. "And the princes of Moab abode" (Ibid.). However, the princes of Midian left them and did not want to remain there, although the ministers of Moab did stay, as it is written: "And the princes of Moab abode" on their own. Midian would have acted appropriately IF THEY WOULD HAVE separated from them altogether, if in the end they would have caused no harm, and not eventually been in the counsel of Bilaam that sent their wives and women to Yisrael at Shitim to lead them astray. The scripture points out their sin, as it is written: "For they vex you with their wiles, with which they have beguiled you in the matter of Pe'or, and in the matter of Kozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister..." (Bemidbar 25:18). With these two things they sinned, WITH PE'OR AND KOZBI and their iniquity was great. And with their tail, THAT IS, EVENTUALLY, they struck later. Therefore, they remained with him and the Midianites left on their own.

284. וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב, וְשָׂרֵי מִדְיָן אִתְפְּרָשׁוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא בָּעוּ לְמֵיתַב תַּמָּן. וְסָבֵי מוֹאָב אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ, דִּכְתִּיב וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב, בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ. יָאוּת עַבְדֵי מִדְיָן, דְּאִתְפְּרָשׁוּ מִכָּל וְכָל מִנַּיְיהוּ. וְאִלְמָלֵא לָא הֲווֹ מָחָאן בְּסוֹפָא דַּהֲווֹ בְּעֵיטָא דְּבִלְעָם, לְשָׁלְחָא נְשֵׁיהוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים לְמִטְעֵי לוֹן. וְקְרָא אוֹכַח חוֹבָא דִּלְהוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי צוֹרֲרִים הֵם לָכֶם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר נִכְּלוּ לָכֶם עַל דְּבַר פְּעוֹר וְעַל דְּבַר כָּזְבִּי בַּת נְשִׂיא מִדְיָן אֲחוֹתָם וְגוֹ.' בִּתְרֵין אִלֵּין חָאבוּ. וַהֲוָה חוֹבָא דִּלְהוֹן סַגִּי. מָחוּ בִּזְנָבָא לְבָתַר. ובג"כ אִלֵּין אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְאִלֵּין אַזְלוּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ.

Balaam Midianites Midyan Moab

285. ד"א וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם, כַּמָה יָאוּת הֲוָה לוֹן לִבְנֵי מִדְיָן דְּאַזְלֵי, אִי רְעוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן הָכִי. אֲבָל יְשִׁיבָה דְּיָתִיבוּ אִינּוּן דְּמוֹאָב, גַּרְמָא לוֹן טַב, בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ תַּמָּן. וּמַאן דְּאָזְלוּ אִינּוּן דְּמִדְּיָן, גַּרְמֵי לוֹן בִּישׁ. מ"ט. אִלֵּין חַשְׁשׁוּ לִיקָרָא דְּמִלָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְיָתִיבוּ. וְאִלֵּין לָא חַשְׁשׁוּ לָהּ כְּלוּם. וְאָזְלוּ לְאָרְחַיְיהוּ.

Balaam Grades Midyan Moab Other Side Sorcery Wicked Wickedness Witchcraft

286. HE EXPLAINS HIMSELF: At the time, that wicked one said: "And I will bring you back word, as Hashem shall speak to me" (Bemidbar 22:8), instantly, those of Moab were shook up to hear this and stayed there, and those of Midian did not care at all and left. THEREFORE, they were punished afterward, which is why the ministers of Moab remained with Bilaam. That night, this wicked one was whispering whispers and performed witchcraft, and brought upon himself a spirit from above. Instantly, "Elohim came to Bilaam," simply Elohim, meaning his own level, of the Other Side, that is in the left.

286. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָמַר הַהוּא רָשָׁע, וַהֲשִׁיבוֹתִי אֶתְכֶם דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְיָ.' מִיַּד אִזְדַּעֲזָעוּ אִינּוּן דְּמוֹאָב לְמִלָּה דָּא, וְיָתִיבוּ תַּמָּן. וְאִינּוּן דְּמִדְּיָן לָא חַשְׁשׁוּ לְדָא כְּלוּם, וְאָזְלוּ לוֹן, וְאִתְעֲנָשׁוּ לְבָתַר. וְעַל דָּא וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם. בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא, הַהוּא רָשָׁע לָחִישׁ לְחִישִׁין, וְעֲבִיד בְּלָטִין, וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא מִלְעֵילָּא, מִיַד וְיָבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם, אֱלֹהִים סְתָם, דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא.