בלק, שני

להלך עמכם. אֶלָּא עִם שָׂרִים גְּדוֹלִים מִכֶּם, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁרוּחוֹ גְבוֹהָה, וְלֹא רָצָה לְגַלּוֹת שֶׁהוּא בִרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אֶלָּא בִלְשׁוֹן גַּסּוּת, לְפִיכָךְ ויסף עוד בלק:

To go with you. But with higher ranking officials than you. We learn that he was arrogant, and was unwilling to reveal that he was under God’s domination, except in insolent terms. Therefore, “Balak persisted. . .”

כי כבד אכבדך מאד. יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיִיתָ נוֹטֵל לְשֶׁעָבַר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ (שם):

I will honor you greatly. More than you have received in the past, I will give you.

מלא ביתו כסף וזהב. לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ רְחָבָה וּמְחַמֵּד מָמוֹן אֲחֵרִים, אָמַר רָאוּי לוֹ לִתֵּן לִי כָּל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי צָרִיךְ לִשְׂכֹּר חַיָּלוֹת רַבּוֹת, סָפֵק נוֹצֵחַ סָפֵק אֵינוֹ נוֹצֵחַ, וַאֲנִי וַדַּאי נוֹצֵחַ (שם):

Silver and gold enough to fill his house. We learn that he was avaricious, and he coveted the money of others. He said, “He should rightfully give me all his gold and silver, since he would have to hire great armies, which may or may not succeed, whereas I will certainly succeed.”

לא אוכל לעבר. עַל כָּרְחוֹ גִלָּה שֶׁהוּא בִרְשׁוּת אַחֵרִים, וְנִתְנַבֵּא כָאן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְכוּ הָאָבוֹת מִפִּי הַשְּׁכִינָה (שם):

I cannot transgress. He was forced to reveal that he was dominated by others. And he prophesied here that he would be unable to nullify the blesings which the patriarchs received by word of the Divine Presence.

גם אתם. פִּיו הִכְשִׁילוֹ — גַּם אַתֶּם סוֹפְכֶם לֵילֵךְ בְּפַחֵי נֶפֶשׁ כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים:

You also. His mouth ensnared him. You, too, will, in the end, leave in frustration, like the first ones.

מה יסף. לֹא יְשַׁנֶּה דְבָרָיו מִבְּרָכָה לִקְלָלָה, הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף לְבָרֵךְ; כָּאן נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁעָתִיד לְהוֹסִיף לָהֶם בְּרָכוֹת עַל יָדוֹ (שם):

What more will [Adonoy tell me]. He will not alter his word from a blessing to a curse. Would that he does not add a blessing. Here, he prophesied that He (God) would bless them further through him (Bil’am).

אם לקרא לך. אִם הַקְּרִיאָה שֶׁלְּךָ וְסָבוּר אַתָּה לִטֹּל עָלֶיהָ שָׂכָר, קום לך אתם:

If [the men have come] to call you. If the invitation is for you, any you expect remuneration, then rise and go with them.

ואך. עַל כָּרְחֲךָ את הדבר אשר אדבר אליך אתו תעשה; וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן וַיֵּלֶךְ בִּלְעָם, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא אֲפַתֶּנּוּ וְיִתְרַצֶּה:

However. In spite of you, whatever I will say to you, you will do. Nevertheless, “Bil’am went.” He said, “perhaps I can convince him to agree.”