Israel and Humanity - Balaam
§ 2.
Balaam.
This figure of merit of Balaam stop a few moments. It is owned by the two eras: one in which divine inspiration is still in the Gentile world and when it disappeared. The son of Beor mark of separation. It begins with a prophet and seer eventually become [1]. But his first quality of true prophet can not be doubted. It was necessary with such force that the Jews themselves in their national pride they were not afraid to explain these favors from God for other people, compare them to a secret love hiding in the shadows: "The Holy Spirit never visited that Balaam at night, and all the prophets of the Gentiles, as Laban on which it is written: night God appeared in a dream, to Laban the Aramean, and he said : So is this a man who lies to his wife to infidelity. "
But nevertheless the inspiration of Balaam is also excited by how much more than does the Scripture itself: "Moses said Yalqut , had three things missing to Balaam, but Balaam had three qualities that Moses was private. " It's already a lot but not enough yet. The Sifra , with visible complacency, describes what Balaam, before his fall, possessed superior to Moses. He noted first that the Torah does not say in a formal way that there never was a prophet in the world superior to Moses and it says only that he does has not existed in Israel. And the Rabbis derive this consequence is certainly likely to frighten other than their own orthodoxy, that nice people in there by, for example, Balaam the son of Beor. Here, they add, how it surpassed Moses. Moses did not know what God said to him, while Balaam knew. Moses did not know when God might speak to him, Balaam was instructed. Moses received the communication of God standing Balaam was promoted when he was lying.
Do not believe, moreover, that Jewish pride has always accepted this Haggadah in the sense that this naturally. [2] Thus Nahmanides s has tried to give it a totally different meaning, arguing that the attitude of Balaam actually mark their inferiority vis-à-vis Moses who, during divine revelations, stood as the servant, the minister of the Lord. It is easy to answer what the difference could just as easily be interpreted in favor of the superiority of Balaam, as required by the surplus without a doubt the context. In this case how to reconcile this superiority with the mission of Moses and the excellence of his doctrine? The Rabbis, in this legend may have to simply a revelation, regardless of content. It is perhaps also a junior level that Balaam would have occupied and where he consequently experienced things that had nothing to worry about the prophets of a higher spiritual level. This seems to indicate that the comparison ends this Haggadah about Balaam. "So is it," she said of one who has the care of the king's table, he knows exactly what King spends each day. "
As for equality between Moses and Balaam seems to be in the minds of doctors, can be heard in a very reasonable as some commentators have done, that is to say that for them to meet Balaam Gentiles and the role occupied the same place as Moses in Israel.
