Chumashחומש

קרית חצות. עִיר מְלֵאָה שְׁוָקִים, אֲנָשִׁים וָטַף בְּחוּצוֹתֶיהָ, לוֹמַר רְאֵה וְרַחֵם שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָקְרוּ אֵלּוּ:

קרית חצות — a city (קריה) full of streets (חצות), — men and women and children thronging the streets, as much as to say: Look and have pity that these should not be exterminated (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 11).

בקר וצאן. דָּבָר מוּעָט:

בקר וצאן THE HERD AND FLOCK — a small matter (one ox and one sheep, nothing in comparison with what he had promised him) (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 11).

במות בעל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, "לְרָמַת דַּחַלְתֵּהּ", שֵׁם עֲ"זָ:

במות בעל BAMOTH-BAAL — Understand this as the Targum does: to the heights of his god (more lit., of that which he reverenced); Baal is the name of a god.

אולי יקרה ה' לקראתי. אֵינוֹ רָגִיל לְדַבֵּר עִמִּי בַּיּוֹם:

'אולי יקרה ה‎‎ לקראתי PERHAPS THE LORD WILL HAPPEN TO MEET ME — Perhaps: He is not accustomed to speak with me by day.

וילך שפי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ יְחִידִי, לְשׁוֹן שֹׁפִי וְשֶׁקֶט, שֶׁאֵין עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁתִיקָה:

וילך שפי AND HE WENT שפי — Understand this as the Targum does: “alone”; it is an expression denoting ease and tranquillity; the statement means that there was nothing with him except silence (nothing to disturb him).

ויקר. לְשׁוֹן עֲרַאי, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי, לְשׁוֹן טֻמְאַת קֶרִי, כְּלוֹמַר בְּקֹשִׁי וּבְבִזָּיוֹן, וְלֹא הָיָה נִגְלֶה אֵלָיו בַּיּוֹם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַרְאוֹת חִבָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (בראשית רבה נ"ב):

ויקר AND [GOD] HAPPENED TO MEET [BALAAM] — This is an expression ordinarily used to denote events of a casual character, an expression for something shameful, an expression for an unclean happening (קרי). It is as much as to say: with reluctance and in a contemptuous manner. And on this occasion He revealed Himself to him by day, only to show how dear Israel was to Him (cf. Genesis Rabbah 52:5; Rashi on Leviticus 1:1).

את שבעת המזבחת. שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֹת עָרַכְתִּי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא אֶת שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת, אָמַר לְפָנָיו אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ בָּנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחוֹת וַאֲנִי עָרַכְתִּי כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּן, אַבְרָהָם בָּנָה אַרְבָּעָה — "וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַה' הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו" (בראשית י"ב), "וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה" וְגוֹ' (שם), "וַיֶּאֱהַל אַבְרָהָם" וְגוֹ' (שם י"ג), וְאֶחָד בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה; וְיִצְחָק בָּנָה אֶחָד — "וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ" וְגוֹ' (שם כ"ו), וְיַעֲקֹב בָּנָה שְׁתַּיִם, אֶחָד בִּשְׁכֶם וְאֶחָד בְּבֵית אֵל:

את שבעת המזבחות — “Seven altars I have set in order” is not written here, but “THE SEVEN ALTARS”. He said to Him: The ancestors of these people together built before Thee seven altars, but I alone have built altars equal to all of them. — Abraham built four: (Genesis 12:7) “And he built there an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him”; (Genesis 12:8) “And he removed thence unto the mount… [and he built there an altar]; (Genesis 13:18) “And Abraham moved his tent … [and built there an altar]”; and one he built on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:9). Isaac built one: (Genesis 26:25) “And he built there an altar”. Jacob built two, one at Shechem and one at Bethel (Genesis 33:20 and Genesis 35:7);

ואעל פר ואיל במזבח. וְאַבְרָהָם לֹא הֶעֱלָה אֶלָּא אַיִל אֶחָד (תנחומא צו):

ואעל פר ואיל במזבח AND I HAVE OFFERED UPON EVERY ALTAR A BULLOCK AND A RAM — “but Abraham”, said he, “offered only a single ram” (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 11, Midrash Tanchuma, Tzav 1).

ארה לי יעקב ולכה זעמה ישראל. בִּשְׁנֵי שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם אָמַר לוֹ לְקַלְּלָם שֶׁמָּא אֶחָד מֵהֶם אֵינוֹ מֻבְהָק:

ארה לי יעקב ולכה זעמה ישראל CURSE JACOB FOR ME AND COME EXECRATE ISRAEL — by their two names did he bid him curse them, for perhaps one of them was not distinctive enough to point them out beyond all doubt as being the people against whom the curse was directed.

מה אקב לא קבה אל. כְּשֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִים לְהִתְקַלֵּל לֹא נִתְקַלְּלוּ — כְּשֶׁהִזְכִּיר אֲבִיהֶם אֶת עֲוֹנָם "כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ", לֹא קִלֵּל אֶלָּא אַפָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אָרוּר אַפָּם" (בראשית מ"ט); כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס אֲבִיהֶם בְּמִרְמָה אֵצֶל אָבִיו הָיָה רָאוּי לְהִתְקַלֵּל, מַה נֶּאֱמַר שָׁם? "גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה" (שם כ"ז), בַּמְבָרְכִים נֶאֱמַר "אֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם", בַּמְקַלְּלִים לֹא נֶאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְקַלֵּל אֶת הָעָם אֶלָּא "וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ עַל הַקְּלָלָה" (דברים כ"ז) — לֹא רָצָה לְהַזְכִּיר עֲלֵיהֶם שֵׁם קְלָלָה (תנחומא):

מה אקב ולא קבה אל HOW SHALL I CURSE WHOM GOD HATH NOT CURSED — Even when they deserved to be cursed, they were not cursed. When their ancestor, Jacob, made mention of their sin — (Genesis 49:6) “For in their anger they slew a man” — he cursed their anger only, as it is said, (Genesis 49:7) “Cursed be their anger”. When their ancestor, Jacob, went to his father with deceit he deserved to be cursed, but what is stated there (Genesis 27:33)? “Yea, he shall be blessed”. In the case of those tribes who had to recite the blessings it is said, (Deuteronomy 27:12) “These shall stand to bless the people”, but in the case of those who had to pronounce the curses it does not state, “And these shall stand to curse the people”, but, “And these shall stand for the curse”, — it does not wish to mention the term “cursing” in direct reference to them (the people) (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 1; Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 12).

לא זעם ה'. אֲנִי אֵין כֹּחִי אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּן הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּבָּ"ה כוֹעֵס בָּהּ, וְהוּא לֹא כָעַס כָּל הַיָּמִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁבָּאתִי אֵלֶיךָ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מיכה ו') "עַמִּי זְכָר נָא מַה יָּעַץ" וְגוֹ' "וּמֶה עָנָה אֹתוֹ בִּלְעָם" וְגוֹ' "לְמַעַן דַּעַת צִדְקוֹת ה'" (סנהדרין ק"ה):

לא זעם ה׳” GOD IS NOT ANGRY — As for me, my power lies only in that I know to determine the exact moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry, and He has not been angry all these days that I have been coming to you. And this is the meaning of what is said (Micah 6:5): “O my people, remember now what [Balak, king of Moab] devised and what Balaam [the son of Beor] answered him … that ye may know the righteous acts of the Lord” (Sanhedrin 105b).

כי מראש צרים אראנו. אֲנִי מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּרֵאשִׁיתָם וּבִתְחִלַּת שָׁרְשֵׁיהֶם וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם מְיֻסָּדִים וַחֲזָקִים כְּצוּרִים וּגְבָעוֹת הַלָּלוּ עַל יְדֵי אָבוֹת וְאִמָּהוֹת (תנחומא):

כי מראש צורים אראנו FOR FROM THE TOP OF THE ROCKS I SEE HIM — I look at their origin and at the beginning of their root (descent), and I behold them strongly founded as younder rocks and mountains through their ancestors and ancestresses (Rashi translates thus: For (כי) starting from their very beginning (מראש) I behold them firm as rocks) (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 12).

הן עם לבדד ישכן. הוּא אֲשֶׁר זָכוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו — לִשְׁכֹּן בָּדָד, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:

הן עם לבדד ישכן LO, THE PEOPLE SHALL DWELL ALONE — This it is what their ancestors have given them as a prerogative: to dwell in the world alone — as is the sense given to the passage by the Targum (“Lo, this people is alone destined to inherit the world").

ובגוים לא יתחשב. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לֹא יִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂין כָּלָה עִם שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ל') "כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה בְּכָל הַגּוֹיִם" וְגוֹ', אֵינָן נִמְנִין עִם הַשְּׁאָר. דָּ"אַ — כְּשֶׁהֵן שְׂמֵחִין אֵין אֻמָּה שְׂמֵחָה עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ" (דברים ל"ב), וּכְשֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת בְּטוֹבָה הֵן אוֹכְלִין עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד וְאֵין עוֹלֶה לָהֶם מִן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְזֶהוּ ובגוים לא יתחשב (תנחומא):

ובגוים לא יתחשב AND SHALL NOT RECKON ITSELF AMONG THE NATIONS — Understand this as the Targum does — They will not be exterminated with the other nations, as it is said, ( 30:11) “For I will make a full end of all the nations [… but I will not make a full end of thee]”. The words therefore mean: They do not come under the same reckoning (לא יתחשב) with other nations. — Another explanation is: When they rejoice, no other nation rejoices with them, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 32:12) “The Lord will lead him alone to future bliss”, and when the nations are in prosperity they (the Israelites) eat with each one of them and yet it is not taken into account or them thereby to diminish their reward in the future life; and this is the meaning of ובגוים לא יתחשב (“and when they enjoy with the nations it is not taken into account) (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 12).

מי מנה עפר יעקב וגו'. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "דַּעְדְּקַיָּא דְבֵית יַעֲקֹב", מֵאַרְבַּע מַשִּׁרְיָתָא — מֵאַרְבָּעָה דְּגָלִים; דָּ"אַ, עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב, אֵין חֶשְׁבּוֹן בַּמִּצְוֹת שֶׁהֵם מְקַיְּמִין בְּעָפָר, "לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמֹר" (דברים כ"ב), "לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם" (ויקרא י"ט), אֵפֶר פָּרָה וַעֲפַר סוֹטָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם (תנחומא):

מי מנה עפר יעקב וגו׳ WHO HATH COUNTED THE DUST OF JACOB [AND THE NUMBER OF THE FOURTH PART OF ISRAEL] — Understand this as the Targum does: [who has counted] the infants of the house of Jacob, who are compared to the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:16). The words מארבע משריתא in the Targum mean; [who can count … even one] of the four (רבע “a fourth”) banners (companies of the tribes). — Another explanation of עפר יעקב is: Countless are the commandments which they practise in connection with dust: (Deuteronomy 22:10) “Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass [together]”; (Leviticus 19:19): “Thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seeds”. There are also the ashes of the red cow (Numbers 19:9 ff.), and the dust used in the ordeal to which a woman suspected of infidelity is subjected (Numbers 5:17), and others similar to these (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 12).

ומספר את רבע ישראל. רְבִיעוֹתֵיהֶן, זֶרַע הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַתַּשְׁמִישׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם (עי' נדה ל"א):

ומספר את רבע ישראל The word רבע implies their matings — the offspring which issues from their relations (cf. Nedarim 31a; and Rashi on Numbers 24:3).

תמת נפשי מות ישרים. שֶׁבָּהֶם:

תמת נפשי מות ישרים LET ME DIE THE DEATH OF THE UPRIGHT amongst them.

וקבנו לי. לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, קַלְּלֵהוּ לִי:

וקבנו לי — The verb is the imperative: CURSE THEM FOR ME (cf. Rashi on v. 27).

שדה צפים. מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ הָיָה שֶׁשָּׁם הַצּוֹפֶה עוֹמֵד לִשְׁמֹר אִם יָבֹא חַיִל עַל הָעִיר:

שדה צפים FIELD OF ZOPHIM — There was a high spot upon which the watchman (צופה) used to stand to observe whether any hostile force was coming against the city.

ראש הפסגה. בִּלְעָם לֹא הָיָה קוֹסֵם כְּבָלָק, רָאָה בָלָק שֶׁעֲתִידָה פִרְצָה לְהִפָּרֵץ בְּיִשָׂרָאֵל מִשָּׁם, שֶׁשָּׁם מֵת מֹשֶׁה, כְּסָבוּר שֶׁשָּׁם תָּחוּל עֲלֵיהֶם הַקְּלָלָה וְזוֹ הִיא הַפִּרְצָה שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה (תנחומא):

ראש הפסגה THE TOP OF PISGAH — Balaam was not as expert a diviner as Balak. Balak forsaw that at some time a breach in Israel would originate from there — and as a matter of fact Moses died there, — and therefore he believed that there the curse would certainly fall upon them. “And this (the effects of the curse)” — he thought — “must be the breach which I behold” (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 13).

אקרה כה. מֵאֵת הַקָּבָּ"ה, אקרה — לְשׁוֹן אִתְפַּעֵל:

אקרה כה — This means, I WILL BE MET YONDER by the Holy One, blessed be He, for אקרה has a passive sense.

וישם דבר בפיו. וּמַה הִיא הַשִּׂימָה הַזֹּאת? וּמֶה חָסֵר הַמִּקְרָא בְּאָמְרוֹ "שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק וְכֹה תְדַבֵּר"? אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹמֵעַ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְשֶׁה לְקַלֵּל אָמַר מָה אֲנִי חוֹזֵר אֵצֶל בָּלָק לְצַעֲרוֹ? וְנָתַן לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה רֶסֶן וְחַכָּה בְּפִיו, כְּאָדָם הַפּוֹקֵס בְּהֵמָה בְּחַכָּה לְהוֹלִיכָהּ אֶל אֲשֶׁר יִרְצֶה, אָמַר לוֹ עַל כָּרְחֲךָ תָּשׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק (שם):

וישם דבר בפיו AND HE PUT A WORD IN HIS MOUTH —And what was this “putting”? What would Scripture have lacked if it had stated “[And the Lord met Balaam and said,] Return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak”? But the explanation is: When he heard that he was not permitted to curse, he said, “Why should I return to Balak to cause him annoyance?” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, put a halter and hook in his mouth as a person who pricks an animal with a hook to make it go wherever he wants. He said to him, “Despite yourself shall you return to Balak’ (cf. Sanhedrin 105b; Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 13).

ושרי מואב אתו. וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְכָל שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב", כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ תִקְוָה הָלְכוּ לָהֶם מִקְצָתָם וְלֹא נִשְׁאֲרוּ אֶלָּא מִקְצָתָם:

ושרי מואב עמו AND THE PRINCES OF MOAB WITH HIM — But above (v. 6) it states, “And all the princes of Moab”?! As soon as they saw that there was no hope for them in him, part of them went away, and only part of them remained (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 13).

מה דבר ה'. לְשׁוֹן צְחוֹק הוּא זֶה, כְּלוֹמַר אֵינְךָ בִרְשׁוּתְךָ (שם):

מה דבר ה׳ WHAT HATH THE LORD SPOKEN? — This was a derisive expression, as much as to say, “You are not your own master” (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 13).

קום בלק. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָהוּ מְצַחֵק בּוֹ, נִתְכַּוֵּן לְצַעֲרוֹ — "עֲמֹד עַל רַגְלֶיךָ, אֵינְךָ רַשַּׁאי לֵישֵׁב, וַאֲנִי שָׁלוּחַ אֵלֶיךָ בִשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם" (שם):

קום בלק RISE UP, BALAK — When he perceived that he was mocking at him, he set himself to annoy him, saying, “Stand on your feet; you have no right to remain seated, seeing that I am sent to you on a mission by the Omnipresent” (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 13).

בנו צפר. לְשׁוֹן מִקְרָא הוּא זֶה, כְּמוֹ "חַיְתוֹ יָעַר" (תהלים נ') "וְחַיְתוֹ אֶרֶץ" (בראשית א'), "לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם" (תהילים קי"ד):

בנו צפור SON OF ZIPPOR — This (the suffix ו to mark the construct) is often found as a Biblical Hebrew form, as in (Psalms 50:10), “beast of (חיתו) the forest”; (Genesis 1:24) “beast of (חיתו) the earth”; (Psalms 114:8), “to a spring of (מעינו) water”.

לא איש וגו'. כְּבָר נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם לַהֲבִיאָם וּלְהוֹרִישָׁם אֶרֶץ שִׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת וְאַתָּה סָבוּר לַהֲמִיתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר?:

לא איש וגו׳ [GOD IS] NOT A MAN [THAT HE SHOULD LIE] — He has already sworn to them that He will bring them thither and give them as a possession the land of the seven peoples, and you think to slay them in the wilderness?! (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 13)

ההוא אמר וגו'. בִּלְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְתָיְבִין וּמִתְמַלְּכִין — חוֹזְרִים וְנִמְלָכִין לַחֲזֹר בָּהֶם:

ההוא אמר וגו׳ — Read this in the form of a question: HATH HE SAID, [AND SHALL HE NOT DO IT]? — The rendering of ויתנחם in the Targum, ותיבין ומחמלכין, means, “[and not as the doings of mortals who decide to do things] and again reconsider” — to withdraw from them.

הנה ברך לקחתי. אַתָּה שׁוֹאֲלֵנִי "מַה דִּבֶּר ה'?", קִבַּלְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָם:

הנה ברך לקחתי BEHOLD, I HAVE RECEIVED COMMANDMENT TO BLESS — You ask me derisively, (v. 17) “What hath the Lord spoken”? I will tell you: I have received an order from Him to bless them.

וברך ולא אשיבנה. הוּא בֵּרֵךְ אוֹתָם וַאֲנִי לֹא אָשִׁיב אֶת בִּרְכָתוֹ:

וברך ולא אשיבנה AND HE HAS BLESSED AND I CANNOT REVERSE IT — “He” has blessed them, and “I” cannot reverse this blessing.

וברך. כְּמוֹ וּבִרֵּךְ, וְכֵן הִיא גִזְרַת רֵי"ש, כְּמוֹ (תהלים ע"ד) "אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף" כְּמוֹ חִרֵּף, וְכֵן (שם מ') "וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ" — הַמְהַלֵּל וּמְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַגּוֹזֵל וְאוֹמֵר אַל תִּירָא כִּי לֹא תֵעָנֵשׁ, שָׁלוֹם יִהְיֶה לְךָ, מַרְגִּיז הוּא לְהַקָּבָּ"ה; וְאֵין לוֹמַר ברך שֵׁם דָּבָר, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה נָקוּד בְּפַתָּ"ח קָטָן וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַעְלָה, אֲבָל לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן פִּעֵל, הוּא נָקוּד קָמָץ קָטָן וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה:

וברך — This is equivalent to וּבִרֵּךְ. This is the rule of the letter ר, as in (Psalms 74:18): “the enemy blasphemeth”, חֵרֵף like חִרֵּף; and similarly (Psalms 10:3): [ובצע בֵּרֵךְ [נאץ ה׳ (where בֵּרֵךְ is for בִּרֵּךְ), which means, He who praises and blesses the robber (בצע) and says, ‘Do not be afraid, for you will not be punished; peace will be unto you’, he angers (נאץ) God thereby (but see Rashi on this verse where another translation is given). — One cannot say that ברך is a noun, for if it were, it would be voweled in both syllables with Short Patach (our Segol), and its accent would be on the first syllable (בֶּרָךְ) because it is a verb in the Piel conjugation, it is voweled with Short Kametz (our Tzéré) on both syllables, and its accent is on the last syllable.

לא הביט און ביעקב וגו'. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר אַחֲרֵי פְשׁוּטוֹ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ מִדְרָשׁ נָאֶה —

לא הביט און ביעקב וגו׳ HE HATH NOT BEHELD INIQUITY IN JACOB, etc. — Understand this as the Targum has it (“I have seen that there are no worshippers of idols in the house of Jacob”). Another explanation: According to its plain sense it can receive a beautiful exposition:

לא הביט. הַקָּבָּ"ה און שֶׁבְּיַעֲקֹב — כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹבְרִין עַל דְּבָרָיו אֵינוֹ מְדַקְדֵּק אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּאוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם וַעֲמָלָן שֶׁהֵן עוֹבְרִין עַל דָּתוֹ:

לא הביט HE DOTH NOT SEE — i. e., the Holy One, blessed be He, doth not see און THE INIQUITY which is IN JACOB: when they transgress His Words He does not deal so strictly with them as to pay regard to their iniquitous doings and their transgression by which they infringe His law (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 14).

עמל. לְשׁוֹן עֲבֵרָה, כְּמוֹ "וְהָרָה עָמָל" (תהלים ז'), "כִּי אַתָּה עָמָל וָכַעַס תַּבִּיט" (שם י'), לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲבֵרָה הִיא עָמָל לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם:

עמל denotes transgression, as in (Psalms 7:15): “He conceiveth transgression (עמל)"; (Psalms 10:14) “For thou beholdest transgression (עמל) and vexation” — and it denotes this because transgression is a vexation (עמל) before the Omnipresent.

ה' אלהיו עמו. אֲפִלּוּ מַכְעִיסִין וּמַמְרִים לְפָנָיו, אֵינוֹ זָז מִתּוֹכָן:

ה' אלקיו עמו THE LORD HIS GOD IS WITH HIM — Even when they provoke Him to anger and act rebelliously before Him He does not depart from their midst,

ותרועת מלך בו. לְשׁוֹן חִבָּה וְרֵעוּת, כְּמוֹ (שמואל ב ט"ו) "רֵעֶה דָּוִד" — אוֹהֵב דָּוִד, (שופטים ט"ו) "וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְמֵרֵעֵהוּ", וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וּשְׁכִינַת מַלְכְּהוֹן בֵּינֵהוֹן":

ותרועת מלך בו BUT THE תרועה OF A KING IS STILL WITH THEM — תרועה is an expression for love and fellowship, as (II Samuel 15:37) “the רעה of David’ — the friend of David; (Judges 15:6) “And he gave her to his friend (מרעהו)." (The translation is therefore: and the fellowship of their king is still with them). In this sense, too, does Onkelos translate it: and the Shechina of their King is among them.

אל מוציאם ממצרים. אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ "הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם", לֹא יָצָא מֵעַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא הָאֱלֹהִים הוֹצִיאָם:

אל מוציאם ממצרים GOD BROUGHT THEM OUT FROM EGYPT — You said, (Numbers 22:5) “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt” — it did not come out of its own account, but God brought it out (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 14).

כתועפת ראם לו. כְּתֹקֶף רוּם וְגֹבַהּ שֶׁלּוֹ, וְכֵן "וְכֶסֶף תּוֹעָפוֹת" (איוב כ"ב) לְשׁוֹן מָעוֹז הֵמָּה, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן "וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף" (בראשית א') — הַמְעוֹפֵף בְּרוּם וְגֹבַהּ, תֹקֶף רַב הוּא זֶה, וְתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם — עֲפִיפַת גֹּבַהּ; דָּ"אַ, תּוֹעֲפוֹת רְאֵם — תֹּקֶף רְאֵמִים, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁדִים (עי' גיטין ס"ח):

כתועפת ראם לו means [GOD BROUGHT THEM OUT OF EGYPT] IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STRENGTH BEFITTING HIS SUBLIMITY (רום) and loftiness. Similar is (Job 22:25) “and silver of strength (‎תועפות‎)"‏ — they (the word תועפות here and in the verse quoted) are both expressions signifying strength. — And I say that really it has the same meaning as the verb in (Genesis 1:20) ועוף יעופף which signifies: a bird that raises itself into the heights and lofty spheres — and this is evidence of great strength. Accordingly ותועפות ראם really signifies “a flight in the heights”. — Another explanation of תועפות ראם is: “the strength of Reemim” and our Rabbis said that this refers to “the demons’” (their strength is subject to Him) (cf. Gittin 68b).

כי לא נחש ביעקב. כִּי רְאוּיִים הֵם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מְנַחֲשִׁים וְקוֹסְמִים:

כי לא נחש ביעקב FOR THERE IS NO ENCHANTMENT IN JACOB — For they are worthy of blessing since there are no enchanters or diviners amongst them.

כעת יאמר ליעקב וגו'. עוֹד עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת עֵת כָּעֵת הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר תִּגָּלֶה חִבָּתָן לְעֵין כֹּל, שֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִין לְפָנָיו וּלְמֵדִים תּוֹרָה מִפִּיו וּמְחִצָּתָן לִפְנִים מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְהֵם יִשְׁאֲלוּ לָהֶם מה פעל אל? וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו ל') "וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ". דָּ"אַ — יאמר ליעקב אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה, אֵינָן צְרִיכִין לִמְנַחֵשׁ וְקוֹסֵם, כִּי בְכָל עֵת שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל הַקָּבָּ"ה וּמַה גְּזֵרוֹתָיו בַּמָּרוֹם, אֵינָן מְנַחֲשִׁים וְקוֹסְמִים אֶלָּא נֶאֱמַר לָהֶם עַל פִּי נְבִיאֵיהֶם מַה הִיא גְזֵרַת הַמָּקוֹם, אוֹ אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים מַגִּידִים לָהֶם (תנחומא); וְאֻנְקְלוֹס לֹא תִרְגֵּם כֵּן:

כעת יאמר ליעקב וגו׳ IN DUE TIME IT SHALL BE SAID TO JACOB etc. — Once again will there be a time as this time (כעת) when the love which God bears them will be made manifest in the sight of all, because they sit before Him and learn the Torah at His mouth, and the place assigned to them will be inward of that of the ministering angels and these will enquire of them, מה פעל אל WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT. This is the meaning of what is said, (Isaiah 30:20) “And thine eyes shall see thy Teacher” (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 14). — Another explanation is that יאמר ליעקב does not express what is to happen in the future but expresses what takes place in the present: They require no enchanter nor diviner, for at every time (כעת) when it is necessary that there should be told to Jacob and to Israel what the Holy One, blessed be He, hath wrought and what are His decrees on High, they do not do enchantment nor divination, but it is told to them (יאמר ליעקב) by the mouth of their prophets what is the decree of the Omnipresent (מה פעל אל), or the Urim and Thummim declare it to them. — Onkelos, however, did not translate it thus.

הן עם כלביא יקום וגו'. כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹמְדִין מִשְּׁנָתָם שַׁחֲרִית, הֵן מִתְגַּבְּרִין כְּלָבִיא וְכַאֲרִי לַחֲטֹף אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת — לִלְבֹּשׁ טַלִּית, לִקְרֹא אֶת שְׁמַע וּלְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין:

הן עם כלביא יקום וגו׳ BEHOLD, THE PEOPLE RISES AS A LIONESS, etc. — When they rise from their sleep in the morning they show themselves strong as a lioness and as a lion to “snatch at” the Divine precepts (to perform them immediately) — to clothe themselves with the Tallith, to read the Shema and to lay Tephillin (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 14).

לא ישכב. בַּלַּיְלָה עַל מִטָּתוֹ עַד שֶׁהוּא אוֹכֵל וּמְחַבֵּל כָּל מַזִּיק הַבָּא לְטָרְפוֹ, כֵּיצַד? קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ וּמַפְקִיד רוּחוֹ בְּיַד הַמָּקוֹם, בָּא מַחֲנֶה וְגַיִס לְהַזִּיקָם, הַקָּבָּ"ה שׁוֹמְרָם וְנִלְחָם מִלְחֲמוֹתָם וּמַפִּילָם חֲלָלִים (שם); דָּ"אַ — הן עם כלביא יקום וגו', כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:

לא ישכב HE LIES NOT DOWN at night on his bed until he consumes (עד יאכל) and destroys every noxious thing which comes to prey upon him (טרף). How so? He reads the Shema at his bedside and commends his spirit into the hands of the Omnipresent (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 14). If a camp or troop comes to injure them, the Holy One, blessed be He, protects them and fights their battles and causes them (the enemies) to fall slain (חללים).— Another explanation of הן עם כלביא יקום is as the Targum has it (“Behold the people shall dwell as a lioness and as a lion shall he raise himself; he will not dwell in his land until he hath slaughtered and he will inherit the wealth of the peoples”).

ודם חללים ישתה. נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁאֵין מֹשֶׁה מֵת עַד שֶׁיַּפִּיל מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן חֲלָלִים וְיֵהָרֵג הוּא עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע י"ג) "וְאֶת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הַקּוֹסֵם הָרְגוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּחֶרֶב אֶל חַלְלֵיהֶם" (עי' תנחומא):

ודם חללים ישתה AND HE SHALL DRINK THE BLOOD OF THE SLAIN — He unwittingly foretold the future — that Moses would not die until he will have made the kings of Midean fall slain (חללים) and he (Balaam) will have been slain with them, — as it is said, (Joshua 13:22) “And Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among the rest of their slain (חלליהם)" (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 14).

גם קב לא תקבנו. גַם רִאשׁוֹן מוֹסִיף עַל גַּם הַשֵּׁנִי וְגַם הַשֵּׁנִי עַל גַּם רִאשׁוֹן, וְכֵן "גַּם לִי גַם לָךְ לֹא יִהְיֶה" (מלכים א ג'), וְכֵן "גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה" (דברים ל"ב):

גם קב לא תקבנו NEITHER (גם) CURSE THEM AT ALL [NOR (גם) BLESS THEM AT ALL] — The first גם adds something to the second גם and the second גם something to the first גם, similar to (1 King 3:26): “Neither mine (גם לי) nor thine (גם לך) shall it be”; and similarly (Deuteronomy 32:25): “also youths (גם בכור) also maidens (גם בתולה)” (i.e. both youths and maidens).