Parshiyot Mattot and Mas’ei 5770 - Half of Menashe

Parshiyot Mattot and Mas’ei 5770

Rabbi Ari Kahn

Half of Menashe

As the Book of Bamidbar comes to an end, preparations for the conquest and settlement of the Land of Israel come to the fore. The Land they will conquer must be divided among the tribes; how will the lines be drawn? Although questions of this nature have already been broached, the issue looms ever-larger at this particular juncture.[1] In this context, a request is put forward by two tribes who prefer to remain east of the Jordan, in the territories that had recently been conquered and occupied by the Israelite army and people.

במדבר לב: א-ה

וּמִקְנֶה רַב הָיָה לִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וְלִבְנֵי גָד עָצוּם מְאֹד וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ יַעְזֵר וְאֶת אֶרֶץ גִּלְעָד וְהִנֵּה הַמָּקוֹם מְקוֹם מִקְנֶה: וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶל נְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה לֵאמֹר: עֲטָרוֹת וְדִיבֹן וְיַעְזֵר וְנִמְרָה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵה וּשְׂבָם וּנְבוֹ וּבְעֹן: הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה ה’ לִפְנֵי עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶרֶץ מִקְנֶה הִוא וְלַעֲבָדֶיךָ מִקְנֶה:  

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִם מָצָאנוּ חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ יֻתַּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לַעֲבָדֶיךָ לַאֲחֻזָּה אַל תַּעֲבִרֵנוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן:

The children of Reuven and the children of Gad had abundant livestock -- very great. They saw the land of Yaazer and the land of Gil’ad, and behold! -- it was a place for livestock:  The children of Gad and the children of Reuven came and said to Moshe, to Elazar the Kohen, and to the leaders of the assembly, saying: “Atarot, and Divon, and Yaazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sevam, and Nevo, and Be’on: The land that G-d smote before the Assembly of Israel -- it is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock”. They said, "If we have found favor in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants as a heritage; do not bring us across the Jordan.” (Bamidbar 32:1-5)

Moshe responds to their request with incredulity:

במדבר לב: ו-ט

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן הַאַחֵיכֶם יָבֹאוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתֶּם תֵּשְׁבוּ פֹה: וְלָמָּה תְנִיאוּן אֶת לֵב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֲבֹר אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָהֶם ה’ כֹּה עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם בְּשָׁלְחִי אֹתָם מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ לִרְאוֹת אֶת הָאָרֶץ: וַיַּעֲלוּ עַד נַחַל אֶשְׁכּוֹל וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וַיָּנִיאוּ אֶת לֵב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבִלְתִּי בֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָהֶם ה’:

Moshe said to the children of Gad and the children of Reuven, "Shall your brothers go out to battle while you settle here? Why do you dissuade the heart of the Children of Israel from crossing to the Land that G-d has given them? This is what your fathers did, when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see the Land: They went up to the valley of Eshkol and saw the Land and they dissuaded the heart of the Children of Israel, not to come to the Land that G-d has given them.” (Bamidbar 32:6-9)

Moshe has two objections, one factual, the other psychological. He objects to the idea of separation from the larger community, and he objects to the ramifications and possible repercussions of such a separation.  The very thought that part of the nation will remain behind is outrageous to him. Moshe recognizes that such a separation would ultimately run counter to their collective dream of returning to the land promised to Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov.  Moshe’s comparison of their request to the behavior of the spies is a stinging rebuke: the dissident spies of the previous generation rejected the Land of Israel, and preferred to remain outside her boundaries. That episode was disastrous for the Israelites, bringing upon them 39 years of wandering in the desert. In this light, the first statement of Moshe’s response to their request is not merely a factual rejoinder; it belies Moshe’s moral outrage. “How can you remain behind in comfort while you brothers battle?” Moshe accuses. Such a position is in dissonance with Jewish history, Jewish destiny, Jewish ethics and Jewish law.[2]

Separating oneself from the Jewish community is spiritually devastating; the punishment is a Divine quid pro quo –physical separation is answered by metaphysical separation from the community. The first instance of such a separation may serve as a prototype: As early as the days of Avraham, one member of the “tribe” - a member Avraham treated like a son, resorted to a similar solution to “flock problems”:

בראשית יג: א-י"א

וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם מִמִּצְרַיִם הוּא וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וְלוֹט עִמּוֹ הַנֶּגְבָּה: וְאַבְרָם כָּבֵד מְאֹד בַּמִּקְנֶה בַּכֶּסֶף וּבַזָּהָב: וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו מִנֶּגֶב וְעַד בֵּית אֵל עַד הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה שָׁם אָהֳלֹה בַּתְּחִלָּה בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעָי: אֶל מְקוֹם הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שָׁם בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם אַבְרָם בְּשֵׁם ה’: וְגַם לְלוֹט הַהֹלֵךְ אֶת אַבְרָם הָיָה צֹאן וּבָקָר וְאֹהָלִים: וְלֹא נָשָׂא אֹתָם הָאָרֶץ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו כִּי הָיָה רְכוּשָׁם רָב וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו: וַיְהִי רִיב בֵּין רֹעֵי מִקְנֵה אַבְרָם וּבֵין רֹעֵי מִקְנֵה לוֹט וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי אָז יֹשֵׁב בָּאָרֶץ: וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל לוֹט אַל נָא תְהִי מְרִיבָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיךָ וּבֵין רֹעַי וּבֵין רֹעֶיךָ כִּי אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים אֲנָחְנוּ: הֲלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ לְפָנֶיךָ הִפָּרֶד נָא מֵעָלָי אִם הַשְּׂמֹאל וְאֵימִנָה וְאִם הַיָּמִין וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה:  וַיִּשָּׂא לוֹט אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת כָּל כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה לִפְנֵי שַׁחֵת ה’ אֶת סְדֹם וְאֶת עֲמֹרָה כְּגַן ה’ כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בֹּאֲכָה צֹעַר: וַיִּבְחַר לוֹ לוֹט אֵת כָּל כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן וַיִּסַּע לוֹט מִקֶּדֶם וַיִּפָּרְדוּ אִישׁ מֵעַל אָחִיו:

And Avram went up from Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the Negev.  And Avram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the Negev to Bet-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bet-El and Ha’Ai, to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first; and there Avram called on the name of God. And Lot also, who went with Avram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might live together; for their possessions were great, so that they could not live together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Avram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived then in the land. And Avram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I beg you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself, I beg you, from me; if you will take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before God destroyed Sdom and Amora, like the garden of God, like the land of Egypt,[3] as you come to Zo’ar. And Lot chose for himself the valley of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves, one from the other. (Bereishit 13:1-11)

Our present parsha has echoes of that episode: Perhaps, like Lot, these tribes pined for Egypt, conveniently forgetting the slavery and hardship and remembering only the greenery, the idyllic “good life” enjoyed there – by others. Here, as in the case of Lot, an abundance of flock leads to a search for grazing land and a separation eastward, away from the spiritual hub.[4] More importantly, that separation thrust Lot out of the spiritual community, never to return. Could these tribes be requesting the same? After some explanations are offered, a deal is brokered whereby these tribes will aid in the conquest of the Land of Israel, and only then return to their inheritance east of the Jordan. When Moshe eventually agrees, a third tribe becomes involved:

במדבר לב: לג

וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וְלַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יוֹסֵף אֶת מַמְלֶכֶת סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן הָאָרֶץ לְעָרֶיהָ בִּגְבֻלֹת עָרֵי הָאָרֶץ סָבִיב:

So Moshe gave to them -- to the children of Gad, and the children of Reuven, and half the tribe of Menashe son of Yosef -- the kingdom of Sihon, King of the Amorite, and the kingdom of Og, King of the Bashan; the land with its cities in the boundaries, and the cities of the surrounding land. (Bamidbar 32:33)

The first two tribes, Reuven and Gad, were involved in the negotiations with Moshe from the outset. How did the tribe - or part of the tribe - of Menashe get themselves involved in this? The text itself is silent; therefore the commentaries feel free to offer different interpretations.

The Ibn Ezra[5] provides a quantitative explanation, theorizing that they did not merit mention until this point because they were so few– even though they were involved in this request from the outset. When one looks at the numbers involved, it becomes clear that the term “half the tribe of Menashe” is imprecise: Of eight families of Menashe, two joined Reuven and Gad in Transjordan while the other six entered the Land of Israel.[6]

Similarly, the Ramban suggests that two families of Menashe became involved only at this point: When they saw the deal that had been negotiated by the other tribes they jumped on the proverbial bandwagon, hoping to negotiate similar terms.[7] The Ramban explains that numerically they were the smallest group in the tribe of Menashe, and thought that on the other side of the Jordan they would get larger tracts of land.[8]

Despite the practical temptation of remaining on the captured side of the Jordan, we cannot help but be surprised when the tribe of Menashe joins the ranks of the “expatriates”. After all, they are the children of Yosef, the only tribal forebear who asked that his remains be returned for burial to the Land of Israel[9]. Furthermore, in last week’s parsha, we saw how the women of Menashe, the daughters of Zelofhad, fought for their right to inherit the Land. It seems strange that members of the tribe with such a strong bond to the Land of Israel would prefer to remain in trans-Jordan.

Perhaps they never did ask to remain. The Torah does not record such a request; only Moshe’s directive is recorded. One could postulate that it was for this precise reason that Moshe requested that they stay behind with the two “secessionist” tribes: Because of their particularly strong love for the Land, perhaps they could serve as a role model for the tribes of Reuven and Gad.

The Netziv[10] suggested that the tribe of Menashe was not interested in staying outside Israel. Rather, Moshe asked them to do so because he knew that the other tribes would need Torah leadership. Menashe’s inheritance east of the Jordan was not allotted to them in response to their own request; Moshe initiated the move in an attempt to insure the spiritual health and Jewish identity of the other two tribes.

This opinion is supported by a halachic opinion found in the Jerusalem Talmud[11] regarding the question whether the mitzvah of First Fruits applies to Transjordan – or if this land is considered Diaspora. A distinction is made between the area allotted to the tribes of Reuven and Gad in response to their request, and the land assigned to Menashe by Moshe - without their having made such a request. The Talmud explains that the recitation at the First Fruits Offering ceremony was only true in the case of Menashe: Only in their case was the phrase “the land which you have given me” (Devarim 26:10) accurate, while the members of Reuven and Gad would have to say “the land we took”, and would therefore be exempt from the mitzvah of first fruits.

The Midrash[12] has a completely different approach to Menashe’s remaining in the land east of Israel. According to this approach, they were punished for something that had taken place generations earlier.

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת וישב פרשה פד:כ

ויקרע יעקב שמלותיו, ר' פנחס בשם רבי הושעיא אמר שבטים גרמו לאביהם לקרוע והיכן נפרע להם במצרים, שנאמר (בראשית מד) ויקרעו שמלותם וגו', יוסף גרם לשבטים לקרוע, עמד בן בנו ונפרע לו, שנאמר (יהושע ז) ויקרע יהושע שמלותיו, בנימין גרם לשבטים לקרוע והיכן נפרע לו בשושן הבירה שנאמר (אסתר ד) ויקרע מרדכי את בגדיו, מנשה גרם לשבטים לקרוע לפיכך נתקרעה נחלתו חציה בארץ הירדן וחציה בארץ כנען, וישם שק במתניו,

“And Ya’akov rent his garments.” (Bereishit 37: 34) R. Pinhas said in R. Hoshaya's name: The tribal ancestors caused their father to rend his garments; and where were they requited? In Egypt: “Then they rent their clothes.” (Bereishit 44:13). Yosef caused the tribal ancestors to rend their clothes, and his grandson was requited therefore: “And Yehoshua rent his clothes.” (Yehoshua 7:6) Binyamin caused the tribal ancestors to rend their garments, and where was he requited? In Shushan the capital: “And Mordechai rent has clothes.” (Esther 4:1) Menashe caused the tribal ancestors to rend their garments, therefore his heritage was rent [divided], and he received half in Transjordan and half in Eretz Yisrael. (Bereishit Rabbah  84:20)

According to this approach, remaining on the east bank - or more precisely, the division of the tribe between the two banks of the Jordan--was punishment for the behavior of their tribal ancestor.[13] This punishment is one more reverberation of the tragic sale of Yosef, a ripple of the dynamic unleashed by the enmity between the brothers.

When they stand before him, at the mercy of the Prince of Egypt, Yosef may have had the right to test his brothers to see if they were repentant, if they had learned anything about mutual responsibility for their brother - or if they would abandon their brother Binyamin when it became expedient to do so.[14] The brothers passed the test, paving the way for a reunification. According to the Midrash, Yosef used his most trusted confidant, his eldest son Menashe, to set the plot in action, to orchestrate the situation, to relay messages and reconnaissance.[15]

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת מקץ פרשה צא סימן ד

ויוסף הוא השליט וגו', שלש גזירות גזר שלא יכנס עבד למצרים, ושלא יכנס אדם בשני חמורים, ושלא יוליכו חמרים תבואה ממקום למקום, שלא יכנס אדם עד שלא יכתוב שמו ושם אביו ושם זקינו, והוה תמן מנשה קאים מקבל פתקין.

“And Yosef was the governor over the land.” (42:6) He instituted three decrees: (i) That no slave should enter it; (ii) That a man should not enter with two donkeys; and (iii) That no man should enter without furnishing the names of his father and grandfather. Menashe was stationed there to receive each man's form. (Midrash Rabbah - Bereishit Rabbah - 91:4)

There were times that Menashe became actively involved in the abuse of his uncles:

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת מקץ פרשה צא סימן ו

באותה שעה שלח לו והיו מסתכלים אחי יוסף מה היה מבקש לעשות אמר יוסף לאותן גבורים הכניסו את זה בבית האסורין כיון שקרבו אצלו צווח בהם כיון ששמעו קולו נפלו על פניהם ונשתברו שיניהם, שנאמר (איוב ד) שאגת אריה וקול שחל ושני כפירים נתעו, והיה מנשה יושב לפני אביו אמר לו אביו קום אתה, מיד עמד מנשה והכהו מכה אחת והכניסו בבית האסורים ונתן עליו כבלים ואמר להם זה יהיה חבוש עד שתביאו את אחיכם ויאמנו דבריכם,

When he sent them, Yosef's brethren looked to see what he would do. 'Throw this man into prison,’ Yosef ordered them. But as they approached him, he [Shimon] cried out aloud at them; on hearing his voice they fell on their faces and their teeth were broken, as it says, ‘When the lion roars and the fierce lion howls, the teeth of the young lions are broken’ (Iyov 4, 10). Now Menashe was sitting before his father, and his father said to him, ‘Rise thou.’ Immediately Menashe arose, gave him [i.e., Shimon] one blow, threw him into prison, and put him in fetters. He [Yosef] then said to them: ‘He will remain imprisoned until you bring your brother and your statement is verified.’ (Bereishit Rabbah 91:6)

The punishment meted out is the division that would endure in the tribe of Yosef. There is a certain degree of irony involved in this punishment: Ephraim and Menashe may have been the only two siblings to “get along”[16] in the entire book of Bereishit. Presumably Yosef, having suffered as he did at the hands of his brothers, must have gone to great lengths to impress upon his own sons the importance of fraternal devotion. And yet, it is Yosef’s descendents who are divided: The Midrash teaches us that even if Yosef had the right to act as he did, putting his son Menashe in this position, dragging him into the conflict, was inappropriate. Even in the case of a justified grievance, one must be careful about the educational message children will receive if they are drawn into the conflict. Menashe’s long-term lesson seems to have been an exaggerated sense of dedication to immediate family at the expense of unity with his extended family. Clearly this was not Yosef’s intention, but the unintentional message filtered its way down through the generations and was revisited upon Yosef’s descendents when the time came for inheriting the Land of Israel.

This puts Moshe’s response to the secessionist tribes in a different perspective:

במדבר לב: ו

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן הַאַחֵיכֶם יָבֹאוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתֶּם תֵּשְׁבוּ פֹה:

Shall your brothers go out to battle while you settle here? (Bamidbar 32:6)

In Moshe’s mind, all of Israel are, indeed, brothers. Every tribe should feel brotherhood with every other tribe, as much as with their own. This principle is strengthened by an easily overlooked verse at the end of the parsha:

במדבר לב: לג-מא

וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וְלַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יוֹסֵף אֶת מַמְלֶכֶת סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן הָאָרֶץ לְעָרֶיהָ בִּגְבֻלֹת עָרֵי הָאָרֶץ סָבִיב: וַיִּבְנוּ בְנֵי גָד אֶת דִּיבֹן וְאֶת עֲטָרֹת וְאֵת עֲרֹעֵר:… וְיָאִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת חַוֹּתֵיהֶם וַיִּקְרָא אֶתְהֶן חַוֹּת יָאִיר:

And Moshe gave to them, to the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Reuven, and to half the tribe of Menashe the son of Yosef, the kingdom of Sihon, King of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, King of Bashan, the land, with its cities in the borders, even the cities of the country around. And the sons of Gad built Divon, and Atarot, and Aroer… And Yair the son of Menasheh went and took its small towns, and called them Havot-Yair. (Bamidbar 32:33-41)

Moshe apportions the land; Yair from the family of Menashe built small towns, and then proceeded to name them after himself. The midrash reveals his motivation: he had no children and he was building for his extended family:

במדבר רבה (וילנא) פרשת נשא פרשה יד

ויאיר בן מנשה הלך וילכד את חותיהם ויקרא אתהן חות יאיר ג' מיני עולה שהקריב היו כנגד בני מכיר בן מנשה ושעיר החטאת היה כנגד יאיר שלא הוריש חלקו לבניו כי לא היו לו בנים ולכך קראן על שמו שלא הי' לו זכר וירשו חלקו בני מכיר אחיו.

And Yair the son of Menashe went and took the villages thereof, and called them Havot-Yair (Bamisbar 32:41). The three kinds of burnt-offerings therefore which the prince sacrificed were in allusion to the sons of Machir the son of Menashe, while the male of the goats for a sin-offering was in allusion to Yair who did not bequeath his portion to his sons since he had no sons. The reason why he called [the villages] by his own name was because he had no male child and his portion was inherited by his brothers, the sons of Machir. (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:7, cited by Rashi 32:41)

In fact we are told that Yair was not even a member of the tribe of Menashe; he was a distant cousin who felt a sense of brotherhood and built something for his cousins:[17]

דברי הימים א ב: כא-כג

וְאַחַר בָּא חֶצְרוֹן אֶל בַּת מָכִיר אֲבִי גִלְעָד וְהוּא לְקָחָהּ וְהוּא בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת שְׂגוּב: וּשְׂגוּב הוֹלִיד אֶת יָאִיר וַיְהִי לוֹ עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ עָרִים בְּאֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד: וַיִּקַּח גְּשׁוּר וַאֲרָם אֶת חַוֹּת יָאִיר מֵאִתָּם אֶת קְנָת וְאֶת בְּנֹתֶיהָ שִׁשִּׁים עִיר כָּל אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי מָכִיר אֲבִי גִלְעָד:

And afterwards Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Seguv. And Seguv fathered Yair, who had twenty three cities in the land of Gilead. And he took Geshur, and Aram, and Havot Yair, from them, with Kenat, and its towns, sixty cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. (Divrei Hayamim 1 Chapter 2:21-23)

Yair was a descendant of Hezron who in turn was from the tribe of Yehuda;[18] Yair’s grandmother was from the tribe of Menashe, nonetheless he felt close enough to build these areas up for his cousins. Here we see the complete antithesis to the attitude of the two- and- a- half tribes who valued possessions more than nationhood, immediate family over national solidarity.

It is this lack of brotherhood, otherwise known as sinat chinam – baseless hatred – that causes destruction and exile. Those who focused only on their own children and turned their backs on the larger Jewish nation remained outside of the land. Their “exile” was self-imposed, and immediate. Ultimately, these were the first tribes carried off into exile when foreign forces destroyed the Jewish Commonwealth..

במדבר רבה (וילנא) פרשת מטות פרשה כב סימן ז

וכן אתה מוצא בבני גד ובני ראובן שהיו עשירים והיה להם מקנה גדול וחבבו את ממונם וישבו להם חוץ מארץ ישראל לפיכך גלו תחלה מכל השבטים שנא' (דברי הימים א, ה:כו) ויגלם לראובני ולגדי ולחצי שבט המנשה ומי גרם להם על שהפרישו עצמם מן אחיהם בשביל קנינם מנין ממה שכתוב בתורה ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן וגו'.

Likewise in the case of the children of Gad and the children of Reuven, you find that they were rich, possessing large numbers of cattle, but they loved their money[19] and settled outside the Land of Israel. Consequently they were the first of all the tribes to go into exile, as is borne out by the text: “And he carried them away, even the Reuvenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Menashe.” (I Divrei Hayamim 5:26). What brought it on them? The fact that they separated themselves from their brethren because of their possessions. Whence can we infer this? From what is written in the Torah: “Now the children of Reuven... had a very great abundance of cattle.” (Midrash Rabbah – Bamidbar 22:7)

The behavior of the tribe of Menashe was complex: In the past they had conflicting attributes: they were devoted to family, yet abused strangers who were also family. Which attribute would win out? It seems both impulses were carried down through the generations, and this was what caused the split, expressed by the inheritances on either side of the Jordan: Those whose connection was to their own personal interests, to their own biological children and the land they would bequeath to their heirs remained outside the land; those who felt brotherhood and a sense of nationhood entered the land and the Shechina dwelled in their midst.

Yet this division is not the final chapter: We are told that one day a cousin of Yair from the tribe of Yehuda (the Davidic line also comes from Hezron) will usher in an era of peace: The messianic age will be introduced by a prophet whose own tribal affiliation is completely blurred; only such a prophet can reunite families and recreate the core of the Jewish community.

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת ויצא פרשה עא סימן ט

אליהו משל מי ר' אליעזר אמר משל בנימין, דכתיב (דברי הימים א, ח) ויערשיה ואליה וזכרי בני ירוחם כל אלה בני בנימין, ר' נהוראי אמר משל גד היה, הה"ד (מלכים א יז) ויאמר אליהו התשבי מתושבי גלעד, א"ר פליפי בר נהוראי מאן חזית למימר כן, א"ל דכתיב (יהושע יג) ויהי להם הגבול יעזר וכל ערי הגלעד, מה מקיים ר' אלעזר קרא דר' נהוראי מתושבי גלעד מיושבי לשכת הגזית הוה, ומה מקיים ר' נהוראי קרא דר' אלעזר ויערשיה ואליהו אלא מדרשות הן, בשעה שהיה הקדוש ברוך הוא מרעיש עולמו היה מזכיר זכות אבות בני ירוחם והקב"ה מתמלא רחמים על עולמו, פעם אחת נחלקו רבותינו בדבר אלו אומרים משל גד ואלו אומרים משל בנימין בא ועמד לפניהם, א"ל רבותינו מה אתם נחלקים עלי אני מבני בניה של רחל אני.

The Rabbis debated: To which tribe did Eliyahu belong? R. Eleazar said: To Binyamin, for it is written, “And Yaareshiah, and Eliyah, and Zichri, were the sons of Yeruham... All these were the sons of Benyamin.” (I Divrei Hayamim 8, 27- 40). R. Nehorai said: To Gad, for it says, “And Eliyah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said…” (I Melachim 17:1). Said R. Philippi to R. Nehorai: What reason have you for saying so? Because it is written, “And their [sc. the Gaddites’] border was Yaazer, and all the cities of Gilead,” (Yehoshua 13:25), he replied. How does R. Eleazar interpret the verse quoted by R. Nehorai? ’Of the inhabitants of Gilead’ means, of those who sat in the Hall of Hewn Stones. And how does R. Nehorai interpret the verse quoted by R. Eleazar, ’And Yaareshiah and Eliyah’? These names are meant for allegorical interpretation: when He [G-d] would shake (mar'ish) the world [in His wrath], Eliyah recalls (mazkir) the merit of the ancestors, whereupon, lo, ’The sons of Yeruham,’ which means, G-d is filled with compassion (rahamim) for His world. On one occasion our Rabbis were debating about him [Elijah], some maintaining that he belonged to the tribe of Gad, others, to the tribe of Benyamin. Whereupon he came and stood before them and said, 'Sirs, why do you debate about me? I am a descendant of Rachel.’ (Bereishit Rabbah 71:9)

Many tribes took credit for Eliyahu, but his mission clearly transcended tribal affiliation. One of our most central prophecies of the End of Days refers to this mission: Eliyahu will return, and unite the people, thus ushering in the return of the Shechina to our land:

מלאכי ג: כג-כד

הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא לִפְנֵי בּוֹא יוֹם ה' הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא: וְהֵשִׁיב לֵב אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים וְלֵב בָּנִים עַל אֲבוֹתָם …

Behold, I will send you Eliyah the Prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of God. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers… (Malachi 3:23-24)

---

[1]  See Bamidbar 27:15-23.

[2]  See Rambam Laws of Teshuva 3:11, where he explains that an individual who does not feel the pain of the community forfeits his share in the World to Come, even if he is not a sinner per se.

רמב"ם הלכות תשובה פרק ג הלכה יא

הפורש מדרכי צבור ואף על פי שלא עבר עבירות אלא נבדל מעדת ישראל ואינו עושה מצות בכללן ולא נכנס בצרתן ולא מתענה בתעניתן אלא הולך בדרכו כאחד מגויי הארץ וכאילו אינו מהן אין לו חלק לעולם הבא,

[3]  Lot, too, had come back to Canaan from a sojourn in Egypt, just as these tribes had. The land he chose for himself and his flocks awakens in him some strange nostalgia for Egypt. Perhaps these tribes suffered from the strange selective memory that afflicted the people throughout their years in the desert. Additionally, we cannot help but notice the moral connection between the behavior of the Sodomites and the Egyptians, both hot-blooded descendants of Cham: As soon as Sarah arrives, Paroh takes her. When Yosef arrives, he is accosted by the wife of Potifar. In Sodom, as soon as the angels arrive and are greeted by Lot, the local Sodomite welcoming committee arrives, wanting to get to “know” the guests in a biblical sense.

[4]  In fact, a civil war nearly broke out when, upon returning from battle, the dissenting tribes realized that they were so far from the spiritual center of Israel that they built an altar on their territory. In retrospect, they explained that this altar was not intended for offerings, but designed to be a testimony to their adherence to the God of Israel, and a concrete symbol of their devotion. They explained that their concern was that their children, living so far from Israel, will be made to feel as if they have no connection with the God of Israel. Yehoshua 22:9-29: And the sons of Reuven and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menashe returned, and departed from the people of Israel from Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they possessed according to the word of God by the hand of Moses.  And when they came to the borders of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuven and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menashe built there an altar by the Jordan, a great and conspicuous altar. And the people of Israel heard say, Behold, the sons of Reuven and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menashe have built an altar opposite the land of Canaan, in the borders of the Jordan, on the side of the people of Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the people of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them…

Then the sons of Reuven and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Menashe answered, and said to the chiefs of the thousands of Israel. Almighty God, the Lord God of gods, he knows, and let Israel know. If it is in rebellion, or if it is in transgression against God, save us not this day for building an altar to turn away from following God, or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or meal offerings, or peace offerings on it, let God himself take vengeance;  And if we did not do it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, What have you to do with the Almighty, God of Israel?  For God has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuven and sons of Gad; you have no part in God; so your children might make our children cease from fearing God. Therefore we said, Let us now build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of God before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, You have no part in God.  Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of God, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.

יהושע כב: ט-כ"ט

וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי גָד וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַמְנַשֶּׁה מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשִּׁלֹה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן לָלֶכֶת אֶל אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָם אֲשֶׁר נֹאחֲזוּ בָהּ עַל פִּי ה’ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה: וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל גְּלִילוֹת הַיַּרְדֵּן אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וַיִּבְנוּ בְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי גָד וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַמְנַשֶּׁה שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ עַל הַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְבֵּחַ גָּדוֹל לְמַרְאֶה: וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה בָנוּ בְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי גָד וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַמְנַשֶּׁה אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶל מוּל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֶל גְּלִילוֹת הַיַּרְדֵּן אֶל עֵבֶר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁלֹה לַעֲלוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם לַצָּבָא:

...וַנֹּאמֶר נַעֲשֶׂה נָּא לָנוּ לִבְנוֹת אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא לְעוֹלָה וְלֹא לְזָבַח: כִּי עֵד הוּא בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶם וּבֵין דֹּרוֹתֵינוּ אַחֲרֵינוּ לַעֲבֹד אֶת עֲבֹדַת ה’ לְפָנָיו בְּעֹלוֹתֵינוּ וּבִזְבָחֵינוּ וּבִשְׁלָמֵינוּ וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ בְנֵיכֶם מָחָר לְבָנֵינוּ אֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בַּה’: וַנֹּאמֶר וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֵינוּ וְאֶל דֹּרֹתֵינוּ מָחָר וְאָמַרְנוּ רְאוּ אֶת תַּבְנִית מִזְבַּח ה’ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לֹא לְעוֹלָה וְלֹא לְזֶבַח כִּי עֵד הוּא בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֵיכֶם: חָלִילָה לָּנוּ מִמֶּנּוּ לִמְרֹד בַּיקֹוָק וְלָשׁוּב הַיּוֹם מֵאַחֲרֵי ה’ לִבְנוֹת מִזְבֵּחַ לְעֹלָה לְמִנְחָה וּלְזָבַח מִלְּבַד מִזְבַּח ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכָּנוֹ: פ

[5] Ibn Ezra Bamidbar 32:32.

אבן עזרא, במדבר לב: לב

נחנו - הוא העיקר, ואל"ף 'אנחנו' נוסף. ולא הזכיר עד עתה חצי שבט מנשה, בעבור היותו חצי השבט:

[6] This point is made by Ramban, Bamidbar 32:33.

רמב"ן, במדבר לב: לג

והענין, כי בני מנשה היו שמונה בתי אבות ככתוב בפרשת הפקודים (לעיל כו כט - לב), ומשפחת המכירי ומשפחת הגלעדי ירשו בארץ הזאת כי היו אנשי חיל ולכדו אותה לעצמם ונתן להם חלק רב מהם, ושש המשפחות עברו את הירדן, דכתיב ביהושע (יז ב) ויהי לבני מנשה הנותרים למשפחותם לבני אביעזר ולבני חלק ולבני אשריאל ולבני שכם ולבני חפר ולבני שמידע, וזהו מה שכתוב שם (פסוק ה) ויפלו חבלי מנשה עשרה לבד מארץ הגלעד והבשן אשר מעבר לירדן. והטעם, כי עשו מן הארץ תשעה חלקים שוים לתשעת המטות, ולא יכלו לתת למטה מנשה הנותרים חלק שלם, ולא חצי חלק כי רובם נשארו. והנה עשו מן השבט כולו חלקים, ומצאו כי עשירית השבט בלבד נחלו בארץ הבשן ועשר הידות נשארו, ונתנו לו מחלק שבט שלם עשרה חבלים והאחד נשאר.

[7] Ibid.

רמב"ן, במדבר לב: לג

ולחצי שבט מנשה בן יוסף - מתחלה לא באו לפניו שבט מנשה, אבל כאשר חלק הארץ לשני השבטים ראה שהיא ארץ גדולה יותר מן הראוי להם ובקש מי שירצה להתנחל עמהם, והיו אנשים משבט מנשה שירצו בה, אולי אנשי מקנה היו, ונתן להם חלקם.

[8] Ibid.

רמב"ן, במדבר לב: לג

ואולי בעבור היות שתי המשפחות האלה המכירי והגלעדי המועטות בשבט רצו להפרד משבטם כדי שתהיה להם נחלה רבה מהם כי ילכדוה בחרבם, וכמו שנאמר (יהושע יז א) כי הוא היה איש מלחמה ויהי לו הגלעד והבשן. על כן הזכיר בשבט הזה חבלים, ולא הזכיר כן בשאר השבטים. כך נראה לי פירוש הכתוב הזה על דרך הפשט:

[9] See Bereishit 50:25.

[10]  Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, Ha’amek Davar, Dvarim 3:16.

העמק דבר, דברים ג: טז

 הן אמת שהלכו בני מכיר מנשה גלעדה וילכדוה מכ"מ אין זה טעם ליתן להם משביל זה. כמו שלא נתן לשלוחי ישראל לרגל את יעזר ולכדו בנותיה ומכ"מ לא ניתן להם בנות שיעזר דבשליחות ישראל נעשה ואמאי ניתן הגלעד למכיר וחבל ארגוב ששים עיר ליאיר. וע"כ היה בזה כונה פנימית שנוגע לכלל ישראל שישבו בעה"י. ונראה דבשביל שראה משה רבינו דבעה"י כח התורה מעט כמש"כ לעיל בשם אדר"נ. ע"כ השתדל להשתיל בקרבם גדולי תורה שיאירו מחשכי הארץ באור כח שלהם. וכתיב מני מכיר ירדו מחוקיים. היינו גדולי תורה ראשי ישיבות כמו שמפורש בסנהדרין ד"ה על הא דכתיב לא יסור שבט מיהודה ומחוקק מבין רגליו. אלו בני בניו של הלל שמלמדים תורה ברבים. וכן היה בכל דור. וכבר פירשו ביבמות דס"ב ב' דמיני מכיר ג"כ היה משבט יהודה היינו זרע יאיר בן מנשה היו מבני יהודה כמבואר בדה"א ב' שהיה בן שגוב בן חצרון בן פרץ. ועי' להלן ל"ג כ"ג והשתדל משה שיתרצו המה לשבת בעה"י. ומשום זה הרבה להם נחלה עד שנתרצו. והכי אי' בירושל' ביכורים פ"א שאין מביאין ביכורים מעה"י משום דכתיב ארץ זבת חו"ד ולא עה"י. תני אשר נתת לי ה' ולא שנטלתי לי לעצמי מאי ביניהון א' ר' אבין חצי שבט מנשה ביניהון מ"ד אשר נתת לי ולא שנטלתי לי מעצמי חצי שבט מנשה לא נטלו מעצמן כו'. פי' שלא נטלו כ"א ע"י בקשת משה ומסתמא עשה ע"פ ה'. וזהו סדר הפ' שהוכיח שמה לישראל שהחל לחלוק נחלת ב"ג וב"ר ולא יכול לגמור עד שדבר עם חצי שבט מנשה וגמר עמם ונתרצו בחלקם. אז ידע משה לגמור חילוק נחלת ב"ג וב"ר. ודבר זה היה ידוע לכל ישראל באותה שעה. ואח"כ סיפר להם הענין כמה השתדל להשתיל בקרבם גדולי תורה. ומזה ילמדו לדורות להשתדל לדור במקום תורה דוקא כי בזה תלוי חיי ישראל וכדאי' בכתובות דקי"א א' כשם שאסור לצאת מא"י לבבל כך אסור לתא מבבל לחו"ל ופרש"י לפי שיש שם ישיבות המרביצות תורה תמיד. ואפי' לענין קבורה אמרו חז"ל שם שטוב להקבר במקום תורה כמו במעלת א"י. כ"ז הראה משה רבינו לדורות מה שעשה בזמנו:

[11] Yerushalmi Bikkurim 1:12 cited by the Haamek Davar, ibid.

תלמוד ירושלמי מסכת ביכורים פרק א דף סד טור ב /ה"ח

תני אשר נתתה לי לא שנטלתי לי מעצמי מה ביניהון אמר רבי אבין חצי שבט מנשה ביניהון מאן דאמר אשר נתת לי ולא שנטלתי מעצמי חצי שבט מנשה לא נטלו מעצמן מאן דאמר ארץ זבת חלב ודבש אפילו כן אינה ארץ זבת חלב ודבש

[12]  There is another Midrash which states that the land only had “room” for 10 tribes. Shmot Rabbah 20:14: R. Joshua b. Levi said: It can be compared to a king who had twelve sons and ten estates. The king thought to himself: ' If I give them to my sons, I will create strife between them: I had better wait till I purchase another two estates and then divide them equally between them.’ This is what God said: ‘If I bring them now into the Land, there will not be enough portions for all the twelve tribes; I had better delay them in the wilderness until they have inherited the other side of the Jordan, and until the sons of Reuven and Gad and half the tribe of Menashe have taken their portions, and then I will bring them into the Land.’

שמות רבה (וילנא) פרשת בשלח פרשה כ סימן יד

ריב"ל אמר משל למלך שהיה לו י"ב בנים והיה לו י' אוסיות אמר המלך אם אתן אותם לבני נמצא אני עושה ביניהן מריבה, אלא הריני ממתין עד שאקנה עוד שתים ואח"כ אחלקם ביניהם, כך אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא אם אני מכניסן עכשיו לארץ אין בה חלק לי"ב שבטים אלא הריני מעכבן במדבר עד שירשו את עבר הירדן ויטלוהו בני ראובן ובני גד וחצי שבט המנשה ואח"כ אני מכניסן לארץ לכך נאמר ולא נחם אלהים.

[13]  The Ariz”al states that the tribes of Reuven and Gad suffered from a spiritual blemish and therefore could not enter the Land. This blemish only affected ¼ of the tribe of Yosef – half of Menashe. See Likutei Torah, Shaar Hapsukim, Igra D’kallah 293b. For a discussion of this source, see http://arikahn.blogspot.com/2009/07/parshiot-matot-masay-5769.html .

[14]  In Explorations (Targum Publishers, 2000) this theme is studied in depth, and I have revisited this theme in Echoes of Eden (Gefen Publishers, forthcoming).

[15] According to rabbinic tradition (Tanhuma Buber ed. Bereishit 13) it was Menashe who put the cup into Binyamin’s sack. Furthermore it was Menashe who served as his father’s interpreter. Bereishit Rabba 91:8.

מדרש תנחומא (בובר) פרשת מקץ סימן יג

וישא עיניו וירא את בנימן אחיו בן אמו (בראשית מג כט), שמח שהיה דומה לאמו, שכך כתיב בן אמו, מיד ויצו את אשר על ביתו לאמר מלא את אמתחות האנשים אוכל וגו' (שם /בראשית/ מד א) אמר למנשה, מלא את אמתחות, ואת גביעי גביע הכסף וגו' (שם שם /בראשית מ"ד/ ב),

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת מקץ פרשה צא סימן ח

 “כי המליץ”, זה מנשה…

[16]  See Bereishit Rabbah 97.

[17] See comments of Ramban and Chizkuni, Bamidbar 32:41.

[18] See Divrei Hayamim 1, 2: 9-10.

דברי הימים א, ב: ט-י

וּבְנֵי חֶצְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר נוֹלַד לוֹ אֶת יְרַחְמְאֵל וְאֶת רָם וְאֶת כְּלוּבָי: וְרָם הוֹלִיד אֶת עַמִּינָדָב וְעַמִּינָדָב הוֹלִיד אֶת נַחְשׁוֹן נְשִׂיא בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה:

[19] When the Tosefta describes the sin of sinat chinam it couples it with “loving money.” See Tosefta Menachot 13:22.

תוספתא מסכת מנחות (צוקרמאנדל) פרק יג הלכה כב

אמר ר' יוחנן בן תורתא מפני מה חרבה שילה מפני בזיון קדשים שבתוכה ירושלם בניין הראשון מפני מה חרבה מפני עבודה זרה וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים שהיה בתוכה אבל באחרונה מכירין אנו בהן שהן עמלין בתורה וזהירין במעשרות מפני מה גלו מפני שאוהבין את הממון ושונאין איש את רעהו ללמדך שקשה שנאת איש את רעהו לפני המקום ושקלה הכתוב כנגד עבודה זרה וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים:

Parshat Balak 5770 - Friends and Family

Parshat Balak 5770

Rabbi Ari Kahn

                             

                              Friends and Family

In Parshat Balak, a catastrophe is narrowly averted: A professional hit-man of sorts is hired to curse the People of Israel. In the end, his nefarious plan is thwarted and the curses are turned into blessings. In order to fully understand this episode we must appreciate the context: What happened prior to this episode, and more importantly, who are the protagonists?

The forty years of wandering are all but over. Those who have been sentenced to death have perished; the survivors, their children, march on. As they near the Land, the exact route must be clarified: As many travelers know, the shortest distance is not always the best route. In Parshat Chukat, Moshe plots out the most direct route to the Land of Israel, and sends messengers to some of the locals along this route, seeking permission to pass through their land. The first to be approached is Edom, descendents of Esav. Right of passage is denied: Perhaps still smarting over the stolen blessings, the children of Esav respond that if the Israelites even attempt to approach there will be war. The Children of Israel may wish to return home, but Edom has no interest in helping them.

The next nation along the proposed route, the Canaanites, does not even wait for Moshe’s messengers and send troops as soon as they hear that the Israelites are near; to avoid confrontation, a bypass route is chosen to the north:

במדבר כא: י – י"ג 

וַיִּסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּאֹבֹת: וַיִּסְעוּ מֵאֹבֹת וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּעִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי מוֹאָב מִמִּזְרַח הַשָּׁמֶשׁ: מִשָּׁם נָסָעוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּנַחַל זָרֶד: מִשָּׁם נָסָעוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ מֵעֵבֶר אַרְנוֹן אֲשֶׁר בַּמִּדְבָּר הַיֹּצֵא מִגְּבֻל הָאֱמֹרִי כִּי אַרְנוֹן גְּבוּל מוֹאָב בֵּין מוֹאָב וּבֵין הָאֱמֹרִי:

And the Children of Israel traveled, and camped in Ovot. And they journeyed from Ovot, and camped at Iye haAvarim, in the wilderness which is before Moav, toward the sunrise. From there they traveled, and camped in the Valley of Zared. From there they traveled, and camped on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Emorites; for Arnon is the border of Moav, between Moav and the Emorites. (Bamidbar 21:10-13)

The Israelites now find themselves between two tribes, the Moavites and the Emorites. Once again, their messengers of peace are rebuffed, but these tribes go further than the others: they attack. In defending themselves, the Israelites capture the enemy’s cities; the conquest of the Promised Land has begun:

במדבר כא: כא-כו

וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי לֵאמֹר: אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ לֹא נִטֶּה בְּשָׂדֶה וּבְכֶרֶם לֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מֵי בְאֵר בְּדֶרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ עַד אֲשֶׁר נַעֲבֹר גְּבֻלֶךָ: וְלֹא נָתַן סִיחֹן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבֹר בִּגְבֻלוֹ וַיֶּאֱסֹף סִיחֹן אֶת כָּל עַמּוֹ וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּדְבָּרָה וַיָּבֹא יָהְצָה וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל: וַיַּכֵּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִי חָרֶב וַיִּירַשׁ אֶת אַרְצוֹ מֵאַרְנֹן עַד יַבֹּק עַד בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן כִּי עַז גְּבוּל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן: וַיִּקַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל עָרֵי הָאֱמֹרִי בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן וּבְכָל בְּנֹתֶיהָ: כִּי חֶשְׁבּוֹן עִיר סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי הִוא וְהוּא נִלְחַם בְּמֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ עַד אַרְנֹן:

And Israel sent messengers to Sihon, King of the Emorites, saying, “Let me pass through your land; we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well; but we will go along by the king’s highway, until we are past your borders.” And Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness; and he came to Yahaz, and fought against Israel. And Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon to Yabbok, to the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon was strong. And Israel took all these cities; and Israel lived in all the cities of the Emorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the King of the Emorites, who had fought against the former king of Moav, and taken all his land out of his hand, up to Arnon. (Bamidbar 21:21-26)

The text alludes to some intrigue regarding the land captured in this battle against Sihon and the Emorites: certain tracts had previously belonged to the neighboring tribe, Moav. All this information-military, territorial, tribal - provides the backdrop for this week’s parsha.

במדבר כב: א-ד

וַיִּסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב מֵעֵבֶר לְיַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ: (סוף פרשת חוקת)

(פרשת בלק) וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֱמֹרִי: וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב מִפְּנֵי הָעָם מְאֹד כִּי רַב הוּא וַיָּקָץ מוֹאָב מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר מוֹאָב אֶל זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן עַתָּה יְלַחֲכוּ הַקָּהָל אֶת כָּל סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר אֵת יֶרֶק הַשָּׂדֶה וּבָלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב בָּעֵת הַהִוא:

And the Children of Israel traveled, and camped in the plains of Moav on this side of the Jordan by Jericho. (End of Parshat Chukat)

(Parshat Balak)And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Emorites. And Moav was very afraid of the People, because they were many; and Moav was distressed because of the People of Israel. And Moav said to the elders of Midian, “Now shall this company lick up all who are around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moavites at that time. (Bamidbar 22:1-4)

The larger picture has various tribes in the mix: Edom, Canaan, Emori, Moav and Midian. Edom was approached with words of peace; they responded with venom. Canaan waged a preemptive strike but were foiled. The Emori were also approached in peace - but chose war. Now Moav feels that they are next. Apparently, they believe battle will be futile, yet they still wish to resist in some way.

Moav, who most likely were waiting for the opportunity to regain the lands first taken by the Emorites, find that someone else has beaten them to it. Rather than taking pleasure in the defeat of their enemies, the Moavites adopt a different strategy: they reach out to Midian, forming a confederation with the tribe that had been their bitter enemy and erstwhile conqueror, against their new common enemy, the Israelites. Anyone familiar with biblical history can appreciate the irony of this union; these two tribes had a long history of bad blood between them:

רש"י, במדבר כב: ד

אל זקני מדין - והלא מעולם היו שונאים זה את זה, שנאמר (בראשית לו: לה) 'המכה את מדין בשדה מואב', שבאו מדין על מואב למלחמה. אלא מיראתן של ישראל עשו שלום ביניהם.

“And Moav said to the elders of Midian”: But did not these (Moav and Midian) always hate one another, as is stated, [Bereishit 36:35] "who had smitten Midian in the country of Moav", from which it is evident that Midian had come against Moav in war? But out of fear of Israel they now made peace between themselves. )Rashi, Bamidbar 22:4)[1]

Midian’s motivation to join the fray at this juncture is interesting: Even a cursory glance at a map of the region makes it clear that while Moav may have been the next tribe Israel would encounter, the Midianites were at least one tribe removed, and would meet the Israelites only after Moav. Thus, it is in Midian’s interest to head off the Israelites, to bring their advance to a halt before it reaches their own soil. The mode of action they choose to accomplish this goal is intriguing; they attempt to “curse” the Jewish People rather than fight them. This choice of action displays certain insight into the community of Israel. Rashi explains:

רש"י, במדבר כב: ד

ומה ראה מואב ליטול עצה ממדין, כיון שראו את ישראל נוצחים שלא כמנהג העולם, אמרו מנהיגם של אלו במדין נתגדל, נשאל מהם מה מדתו. אמרו לו אין כחו אלא בפיו. אמרו אף אנו נבא עליהם באדם שכחו בפיו:

And what induced Moav to take counsel of Midian? When they saw that Israel was victorious in a supernatural manner they said, “The leader of these people grew up in Midian; let us ask them what is his chief characteristic.” They replied to them; "His power lies only in his mouth (in prayer)"; Whereupon they said, "Then we must come against them with a man whose power lies in his mouth" (Rashi, Bamidbar 22:4)

Moav has done excellent intelligence-gathering; they discover that Moshe spent many years in Midian, and had lived with the “priest” of Midian. They perceive the challenge they face as spiritual, and therefore seek a solution in the occult.

However, the issues may run even deeper. Who are the Moavites, and who are the Midianites? Where did they come from? Are these tribes well-established in the lands in question? What is their belief system? Are they simply generic pagans, or do they both come from a more evolved heritage? When we consider the other tribes mentioned --the Canaanites and Emorites—certain differences begin to catch our attention: The Canaanites and the Emorites have been living in the region for generations; they are ‘locals’ who resist the infiltration of this (or any) new tribe. In fact, Canaan is as far removed from the Israelites as anyone could be in those days. Canaan was the son of the Cham, a family line cursed for all time:

בראשית ט: כב-כה

וַיַּרְא חָם אֲבִי כְנַעַן אֵת עֶרְוַת אָבִיו וַיַּגֵּד לִשְׁנֵי אֶחָיו בַּחוּץ: וַיִּקַּח שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת אֶת הַשִּׂמְלָה וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ אֲחֹרַנִּית וַיְכַסּוּ אֵת עֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם וּפְנֵיהֶם אֲחֹרַנִּית וְעֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם לֹא רָאוּ: וַיִּיקֶץ נֹחַ מִיֵּינוֹ וַיֵּדַע אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לוֹ בְּנוֹ הַקָּטָן: וַיֹּאמֶר אָרוּר כְּנָעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו: וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ ה’אֱלֹקֵי שֵׁם וִיהִי כְנַעַן עֶבֶד לָמוֹ:

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. And Shem and Yafet took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him.  And he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers". And he said, “Blessed be the God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his slave.” (Bereishit 9:22-26)

Beyond the security and economic concerns, Canaan could not have been overjoyed by the prospect of the descendants of Shem making their way to their land; they now had to worry about the fruition of Noah's curse, as well. The Emorites shared this concern: They are none other than the sons of Canaan:

בראשית י טו-יח

וּכְנַעַן יָלַד אֶת צִידֹן בְּכֹרוֹ וְאֶת חֵת: וְאֶת הַיְבוּסִי וְאֶת הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֵת הַגִּרְגָּשִׁי: וְאֶת הַחִוִּי וְאֶת הַעַרְקִי וְאֶת הַסִּינִי: וְאֶת הָאַרְוָדִי וְאֶת הַצְּמָרִי וְאֶת הַחֲמָתִי וְאַחַר נָפֹצוּ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי:

And Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn, and Het, And the Yevusite, and the Emorite, and the Girgashite, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite; and afterwards the families of the Canaanites spread. (Bereishit 10:15-18)

Despite whatever strife there was between these families, they shared a common ancestral heritage and, as a result, a common enemy against whom they were willing to fight. Moreover, the Emori had an even greater vested interest in keeping the Israelites at a safe distance: They had received special mention in the Covenant between God and Avraham in which the Land of Israel was promised to Avraham's descendents:

בראשית טו: יג

וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה: וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל: וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶל אֲבֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם תִּקָּבֵר בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה: וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי יָשׁוּבוּ הֵנָּה כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמֹרִי עַד הֵנָּה:

And he said to Avram, “Know for a certainty that your descendents shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great wealth. And you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come here again; for the iniquity of the Emorites is not yet full. (Bereishit 15:13-16)

The Land of Israel does not tolerate wickedness, though God apparently allows sinners a certain degree of latitude, giving them ample opportunity to mend their ways. Only in cases of extreme behavior does collective punishment follow; hence, the unfolding of the intertwined histories of the descendants of Shem, through Avraham, and the Canaanites, descendants of Ham. The Emorites understood that every step the Israelites took towards the Promised Land signified another tick of the clock that counted down the time to the final reckoning for their own iniquity. The "grace period" God had given them was almost over; the approach of the Israelites was a sure sign. If only they could push back the Israelites, they reasoned, they could push off the inevitable end.

Who were the Moavites and Midianites? Moav was the son of Lot, the product of his incestuous liaison with his daughter. Lot was Avraham’s nephew, an orphaned child whom Avraham took under his wing.  Lot was raised under Avraham’s roof; he was well-acquainted with Avraham's moral and spiritual greatness. He and his descendents knew of the promise made by God to Avraham. They knew that the power of the Israelites went beyond the physical plane. Why did they turn to specifically to Midian to combat the descendents of Avraham, their own forefather's great-uncle? The answer lies in the identity of Midian, a tribe even more closely related to Avraham:

בראשית כה: א-ב

וַיֹּסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וּשְׁמָהּ קְטוּרָה: וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת זִמְרָן וְאֶת יָקְשָׁן וְאֶת מְדָן וְאֶת מִדְיָן וְאֶת יִשְׁבָּק וְאֶת שׁוּחַ:

Then Avraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, and Yokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Yishbak, and Shuah. (Bereishit 25:1-2)

Lot, father of Moav, was Avraham's nephew, but Midian was Avraham's son! In his old age, when Avraham put his affairs in order before his death, he gave his children gifts:[2]

בראשית כה: ה-ז

ויתן אברהם את כל אשר לו ליצחק: וְלִבְנֵי הַפִּילַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לְאַבְרָהָם נָתַן אַבְרָהָם מַתָּנֹת וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם מֵעַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ בְּעוֹדֶנּוּ חַי קֵדְמָה אֶל אֶרֶץ קֶדֶם: וְאֵלֶּה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי אַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר חָי מְאַת שָׁנָה וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים:

And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzhak. But to the sons of the concubines, Avraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Yitzhak his son, while he yet lived; eastward, to the east country. And these are the years of Avraham's life that he lived, one hundred years and seventy years and five years. (Bereishit 25:6,7)

Avraham saw Yitzchak as his only true son – he being the son of his soul-mate Sarah - and he bequeathed to him all he had. To his other sons he gave no land, only “gifts”, and sent them away,[3] to the east of Israel. What were these gifts?

תלמוד בבלי מסכת סנהדרין דף צא עמוד א

מאי מתנות? אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא: מלמד שמסר להם שם טומאה.

What gifts [did he give them]? — R. Yirmiyah b. Abba said: This teaches that he imparted to them [the secrets of] the unhallowed arts (impure names). (Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 91a)[4]

As the Israelites march back toward the land bequeathed to them by Avraham, Midian appears. They have been "squatting" on this land for several generations, knowing full well that it was the rightful property of the descendents of Yitzhak and Yaakov. Aware that their possession of the land is a feeble claim when compared to the birthright of the Israelites, they understand that to defeat the Israelites they will need more than physical power or tactical military prowess; they will need spiritual weapons as well. These children of Ketura are aware of their own spiritual powers, and know that these powers are inadequate for the task at hand; they seek spiritual power in numbers, and create a confederation of the larger Avrahamic family. Armed with the magical powers[5] bequeather to them by Avraham, they undertake a strategy of non-conventional warfare to defeat the Israelites, turning to a prominent spiritual figure, Bil’am the son of Beor, an outsider to the conflict from a more distant territory:

במדבר כב: ה

וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר פְּתוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר עַל הַנָּהָר אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹ לִקְרֹא לוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם הִנֵּה כִסָּה אֶת עֵין הָאָרֶץ וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב מִמֻּלִי:

He sent messengers therefore to Bil’am, the son of Beor, to Petor, which is by the river of the land of the sons of his people, to summon him, saying: "Behold, a nation has come from Egypt and has covered the eye of the earth, and is situated across (my border). (Bamidbar 22:5)

The geographical reference is obscure: Where is Petor? Which river is this? From the context, the river in question seems well-known. The Ibn Ezra[6] takes this entire reference to be none other than Aram Naharaim, the Aramite “city between the rivers” (i.e., in the delta formed by the meeting of the Tigris and Euphrates: Mesopotamia). The Ibn Ezra utilizes another verse to make this identification:

דברים פרק כג: ד-ה

לֹא יָבֹא עַמּוֹנִי וּמוֹאָבִי בִּקְהַל ה’ גַּם דּוֹר עֲשִׂירִי לֹא יָבֹא לָהֶם בִּקְהַל ה’ עַד עוֹלָם: עַל דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדְּמוּ אֶתְכֶם בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמַּיִם בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַאֲשֶׁר שָׂכַר עָלֶיךָ אֶת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר מִפְּתוֹר אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם לְקַלְלֶךָּ:

An Ammonite or Moavite shall not enter into the congregation of God; to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of God forever; Because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt; and because they hired against you Bil'am the son of Beor of Petor of Aram Naharaim, to curse you. (Dvarim 23:4,5)

Bil’am's place of origin is described as Aram Naharaim, which is also Avraham’s birthplace. When asking his servant to bring back a wife for his son from his hometown, Avraham sends his servant to this same place, Aram Naharaim:[7]

בראשית כד: ג-י

וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בּה' אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּקִרְבּוֹ: כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי תֵּלֵךְ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי לְיִצְחָק:... וַיִּקַּח הָעֶבֶד עֲשָׂרָה גְמַלִּים מִגְּמַלֵּי אֲדֹנָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ וְכָל טוּב אֲדֹנָיו בְּיָדוֹ וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם אֶל עִיר נָחוֹר:

And I will make you swear by the Almighty, the God of Heaven and Earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live; But you shall go to my country, and to my family, and take a wife for my son Yitzhak."...And the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, with the best of his master's goods in his hand; and he arose, and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor. (Bereishit 24:3-10)

In fact, the river that appears in the description of Bil'am's home is actually an important element of Avraham’s identity, a defining characteristic: Avraham is described as having come from “the other side of the river”: he is "Avraham “haIvri” (Latinized, this term has become a familiar name for Avraham and his  Israelite descendents - "Hebrew").[8] This description has always been understood as more than a geographic quirk; it describes a very basic and essential element of Avraham's faith.

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת לך לך פרשה מב

"ויגד לאברם העברי", רבי יהודה ורבי נחמיה ורבנן, רבי יהודה אומר כל העולם כולו מעבר אחד והוא מעבר אחד, … ורבנן אמרי שהוא מעבר הנהר

“…and told Avram ha’Ivri…” R. Yehudah said: [ha'Ivri signifies that] the whole world was on one side (’ever) while he was on the other side (’ever)… The Rabbis said: It means that he came from across the river. (Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 42:8)

The children of Lot and the children of Keturah knew of the spiritual power of the People of Israel; they knew that a conventional attack would be futile. They conjectured that the only way to defeat those who bore the blessing of Avraham would be to procure a new “Avraham”, to supplant Avraham, and thus break the connection between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel. To this end, they return to the same breeding ground, Avraham’s hometown beyond the river, and seek out the legendary Bil’am, known for his spiritual prowess, in the hope that he might be capable of undoing the blessings and merit accrued by Avraham.

Unfortunately for them and fortunately for us – Bil’am was merely an “Avraham wannabe”[9]. He was a counterfeit. The careful reader will note numerous literary references to Avraham in Bil’am’s soliloquies, as well as narrative parallels between the Torah’s discussion of Avraham and the story of Bil’am. These are not accidental: they are part of the image Bil’am carefully cultivated as the “second coming”[10] of Avraham.

בראשית יב: ג

וַאֲבָרֲכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה:

And I will bless those who bless you, and he that curses you I will curse; and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' (Bereishit 12:3)

במדבר כב: ו

וְעַתָּה לְכָה נָּא אָרָה לִּי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי עָצוּם הוּא מִמֶּנִּי אוּלַי אוּכַל נַכֶּה בּוֹ וַאֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאֹר יוּאָר:

Come now therefore, please curse this People for me; for they are too mighty for me; perhaps (thus) I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.' (Bamidbar 22:6)

בראשית כב: ג

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים:

And Avraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Yitzhak his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. (Bereishit 22:3)

במדבר כב: כא

וַיָּקָם בִּלְעָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת אֲתֹנוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ עִם שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב:

And Bil'am rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moav. (Bamidbar 22:21)

Bil’am, like Avraham, rises early in the morning and mounts his donkey, though while Avraham prayed for his enemies,[11] Bil’am hopes to curse his enemies. The plan hatched by Moav and Midian did not work, could never work: There was only one Avraham, though all of mankind are invited to follow his ways and teachings. Bil’am was a fake, despite his efforts in cultivating an Avraham-like persona and mystique; those who hired him were taken in by his reputation, and were sorely disappointed when there was nothing behind his self-made facade. The irony is that when he had the opportunity to curse the people he was not allowed to do so, and in the end he blessed them – just as Avraham would have wanted. This conclusion is equally fitting: God forces Bil’am to bless the Israelites, leaving him (and us) with some important lessons: If you wish to be like Avraham, be a person of substance, not of hollow reputation. See the People of Israel through Avraham's eyes, and bless them - as he would have.

Avraham’s power lay in his essence as a blessing to the Jews and to all of humanity, the source of spiritual enlightenment that cannot be twisted or perverted. The truth Avraham sought and found, the direct and continuous relationship with God he established, will always shine through the darkness spread by spiritual pretenders, false messiahs, bankrupt philosophies. This truth, and the spiritual stature that enable and empower those who cling to it, are the legacy inherited by Avraham’s son Yitzchak, and his grandson Ya’akov, and their descendents. It is a legacy available to any of the descendents of Shem, Cham and Yefet who seek it in earnest.

---

[1] See Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin:105a.

[2] See Midrash Rabbah - Bamidbar 20:14.

[3] According to the Talmud, the descendents of Avraham's other sons did come back during the reign of Alexander to stake their claim (Sanhedrin 91a): "On another occasion the Yishmaelites and the Ketureans came for a lawsuit against the Jews before Alexander of Macedon. They pleaded thus: ‘Canaan belongs jointly to all of us, for it is written, “Now these are the generations of Yishmael, Avraham's son”; and it is [further] written, “And these are the generations of Yitzhak, Avraham's son.” Thereupon Gebiha b. Pesisa said to the Sages: ‘Give me permission to go and plead against them before Alexander of Macedon. Should they defeat me then say, "You have defeated one of our ignorant men; whilst if I defeat them, say, "The Law of Moshe has defeated you."’ So they gave him permission, and he went and pleaded against them. ‘Whence do ye adduce your proof?’ asked he. ‘From the Torah,’ they replied. ‘Then I too,’ said he, ‘will bring you proof only from the Torah, for it is written, 'And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzhak. But unto the sons of the concubines which Avraham had, Avraham gave gifts': if a father made a bequest to his children in his lifetime and sent them away from each other, has one any claim upon the other?

תלמוד בבלי מסכת סנהדרין דף צא עמוד א

ושוב פעם אחת באו בני ישמעאל ובני קטורה לדון עם ישראל לפני אלכסנדרוס מוקדון. אמרו לו: ארץ כנען שלנו ושלכם, דכתיב (בראשית כ"ה) ואלה תלדת ישמעאל בן אברהם, וכתיב +בראשית כ"ה+ ואלה תולדת יצחק בן אברהם. אמר להן גביהא בן פסיסא לחכמים: תנו לי רשות ואלך ואדון עמהם לפני אלכסנדרוס מוקדון. אם ינצחוני - אמרו הדיוט שבנו נצחתם, ואם אני אנצח אותם, אמרו להם: תורת משה רבינו נצחתכם: נתנו לו רשות, הלך ודן עמהן. אמר להם: מהיכן אתם מביאין ראייה? - אמרו לו: מן התורה. - אמר להן: אף אני לא אביא ראייה אלא מן התורה, שנאמר (בראשית כ"ה) ויתן אברהם את כל אשר לו ליצחק ולבני הפילגשים אשר לאברהם נתן אברהם מתנת. אב שנתן אגטין לבניו בחייו, ושיגר זה מעל זה, כלום יש לזה על זה כלום?'

[4] See Rashi, Bereishit 25:6.

[5] Bamidbar 22:7. "And the elders of Moav and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Bil'am, and spoke to him the words of Balak."

במדבר כב:ז

 וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי מוֹאָב וְזִקְנֵי מִדְיָן וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל בִּלְעָם וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו דִּבְרֵי בָלָק:

[6]  Ibn Ezra Bamidbar 22:5; this idea is also found in Rabbenu Bahya.

אבן עזרא, במדבר כב: ה

ארץ בני עמו והם ארמים, וכן מפתור ארם נהרים (דבר' כג: ה).

[7] There is some contention regarding Avraham’s birth place; see Ramban, Bereishit 12:1.

רמב"ן, בראשית יב

…ועוד יקשה עליהם, כי אברהם בצוותו את אליעזר לקחת אשה לבנו אמר לו כי אל ארצי ואל מולדתי תלך (להלן כד ד), והוא הלך אל ארם נהרים אל עיר נחור (שם כד י), אם כן היא ארצו ומולדתו, ושם נאמר (בפסוק לח) אם לא אל בית אבי תלך ואל משפחתי, כי שם בית אביו ומשפחתו שהיא מולדתו, לא כאשר השתבש רבי אברהם לומר אל ארצי חרן, ומולדתי אור כשדים. והנה הוא האומר כאן כי באור כשדים נאמר לו לך לך מארצך וממולדתך ומבית אביך, והנה לו ארצות רבות:

[8] Bereishit 14:13.

בראשית יד: יג

וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט וַיַּגֵּד לְאַבְרָם הָעִבְרִי וְהוּא שֹׁכֵן בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא הָאֱמֹרִי אֲחִי אֶשְׁכֹּל וַאֲחִי עָנֵר וְהֵם בַּעֲלֵי בְרִית אַבְרָם:

[9]  The Zohar connects Bil’am’s power with the sons of Keturah: Zohar Bereishit 1: 133b

“And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak”, where the expression “all that he had” indicates the form of Sarah that was installed in that dwelling. According to another explanation this verse indicates that Avraham transmitted to Yitzchak the exalted doctrine of the true faith, so that he should be attached to his rightful grade. “But unto the sons of the concubines that Avraham had, Avraham gave gifts”. What sort of gifts were they? They comprised the sides of the low grades, that is to say, the names of the powers of the unclean spirit, so as to complete the whole list of grades. (Yitzchak was raised above those grades by the power of the true faith.) “The sons of the concubines” are the sons of Keturah, who had formerly been a concubine and was now once more a concubine.’ R. Hiya said that the term “concubines” here in the plural must be taken literally. And he sent them away from Yitzchak his son”, so that they should not be on a par with Yitzchak. “While he yet lived,” that is, while Avraham was yet alive and vigorous, so that they should not complain against him after his death, and so that Yitzchak might strengthen himself in the side of rigor so as to prevail over them all and make them all submit to him. “Eastward, to the east country”: for the reason that there are the haunts of the impure practitioners of magic and witchcraft. Observe this: It is written: “And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East” (I Melachim 5, 10). Herein is an allusion to the descendants of the very children of Avraham's concubines, who, as already said, inhabit the mountains of the East, where they instruct the sons of men in the arts of magic and divination. It was this very land of the East from which came Lavan and Beor and his son Bil’am, who were all magicians.'

[10] The Mishna Avot 5:17, contrasts Bil’am and Avraham. Also see Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 105b.

משנה מסכת אבות ה: יז

כל מי שיש בידו שלשה דברים הללו מתלמידיו של אברהם אבינו ושלשה דברים אחרים מתלמידיו של בלעם הרשע עין טובה ורוח נמוכה ונפש שפלה מתלמידיו של אברהם אבינו עין רעה ורוח גבוה ונפש רחבה מתלמידיו של בלעם הרשע מה בין תלמידיו של אברהם אבינו לתלמידיו של בלעם הרשע תלמידיו של אברהם אבינו אוכלין בעולם הזה ונוחלין בעולם הבא שנאמר (משלי ח') להנחיל אוהבי יש ואוצרותיהם אמלא אבל תלמידיו של בלעם הרשע יורשין גיהנם ויורדין לבאר שחת שנאמר (תהלים נ"ה) ואתה אלהים תורידם לבאר שחת אנשי דמים ומרמה לא יחצו ימיהם ואני אבטח בך:

[11]When Avraham is told that Sodom will be destroyed, he engages God in dialogue and attempts to limit the decree. See Bereishit 18:23-32.