NUM288 One way in which Balaam, the prophet hired by Moab's King Balak to curse the Israelites, revealed his low character was through his cruelty to his donkey. When an angel of God was sent to deter Balaam from setting out on his mission, the well-paid prophet couldn't discern the angel, but the donkey did, and refused to move forward. Highly irritated, Balaam started to beat the animal with a stick until God opened his mouth, and the donkey said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me three times?" (Numbers 22:27–28). The prophet responded by brandishing a sword at the donkey; at that point, the angel of God spoke to Balaam in a manner similar to the prophet's donkey: "Why have you hit your donkey three times?" [this verse]. [Both Maimonides (The Guide for the Perplexed 3:17) and Judah the Chasid (Sefer Chasidim #666) regard this biblical episode concerning Balaam and his donkey as the source for the biblical prohibition of cruelty to animals (see Rabbi J. David Bleich, "Animal Experimentation," in his book, Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Volume 3, pages 201-203).] Ironically, the sword-brandishing Balaam was killed shortly thereafter by a sword (Numbers 31:8).