NUM287 One of the ways in which man knows how to behave and feel is to imitate the actions and "feelings" of God (Deuteronomy 28:9 and Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De'ot 1:6). There are many verses that reflect God's special sensitivity to animals. The verse in the Psalms (Psalms 145:9) says that God is good to all things and has mercy upon all His creatures. God promises bountiful crops not only for man but also for the animals to eat (Deuteronomy 28:11). When Bilaam hit his donkey for refusing to move, the angel (God's agent) got angry at him for striking the animal [this verse]. Therefore, we can see a specific benevolent, merciful, and caring attitude by God to animals. Like God, man should possess a similar attitude. In fact, the Proverbs describes a righteous person as understanding the "soul" (the feelings?) of his animals (Proverbs 12:10). Judaism does not really believe in nice feelings and attitudes. These attitudes must be reflected in a Jew's actions (See the chapter "Mitzvot"). Therefore, the Torah also commands the Jew to perform specific mitzvot that seem to teach sensitivity toward animals. For example, this attitude is clearly translated into action, as the Torah places the feeding of animals before the feeding of man (Deuteronomy 11:15). The Talmud says that this order teaches us that the Jew is to feed his animals even before he feeds himself (Gittin 62a). This statement in the Talmud is adopted into actual practice in Judaism (Maimonides, Hilchot Avadim 9:8 and Magen Avraham, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 167:18). According to the Jerusalem Talmud (Jerusalem Talmud, Yevamot 78a), a person may not buy an animal unless food preparation for that animal has been arranged in advance.

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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).

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NUM289 See [[EXOD320]] Exodus 19:5 treasured DORFFRAG 67-8

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NUM290 R. Mattithyah b Heresh said: … be a tail to lions, and not a head to foxes. Pirkei Avot, Perek IV, mishnah 20. Our Sage does not mean that it is relatively better to be one than the other. His dictum is absolute: always strive to be the first; never let yourself become the second. And do not be misled by the supposed dignity or disgrace which these terms imply. The lion's tail is still part of the lion, and the head of a fox is still part of a fox. The lion represents strength, majesty, nobility. When the infamous sorcerer Balaam looked at our people in the wilderness, seeking to crush them, this is how he saw them: "Behold, a people: as a lion as it rises up, and as a lion it lifts itself" [this verse]. ... The lion is Jewry steeped in Torah and mitzvoth.… The fox, on the other hand, symbolizes furtive cunning, scheming slyness, treachery. When we study Torah and obey its Divine precepts, slyness and trickery have no place. "Whole-hearted shall you be with the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 18:13). Jews who seek to live by the qualities of the fox, either as individuals or in loudly trumpeted organizations, working to achieve an identity, an image, or a purpose through guile and cunning, contribute nothing sound or constructive. "Seize us," says Solomon, "the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in tender blossom." (Song of Songs 2:15). Do not be afraid to join fully the forces of Torah, to associate and identify yourself with them, even if it means accepting the position or role of a "tail," without immediate honor or distinction. If a lion cast fear into others, the sight of its tail is as frightening as a glimpse of its claws. On the other hand, if a bounty is offered for foxes, and traps are set for them, there is little honor in serving as the "head" of such a beast. Join the wise, the scholarly, the learned, no matter in what capacity, and you will increase your learning and improve your sense of values. Restrict yourself to leading those on a radically lower level than yourself, and your mental stores will diminish; your mental horizons will shrink. "He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the shepherd of fools will suffer harm." (Proverbs 13:20).

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NUM291 The tzaddikim despise the wicked, as the pasuk says (Mishlei 29:27), "A man of iniquity is an abomination to the righteous." One who is not a member of the tzaddikim, even if he does not despise and curse the wicked, at least he should not bless them [this verse].

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NUM292 R. Yehudah said in the name of Rav: Let one always occupy himself with Torah and with mitzvot, even not for the sake of Heaven, for "not for the sake of Heaven" will succeed to "for the sake of Heaven." For in reward for the forty-two sacrifices offered up by Balak, the king of Moav, he merited that Ruth issue forth from him, from home there descended Solomon, of whom it is written (I Kings 3:4): "a thousand burnt-offerings did he offer" (Sotah 47a)

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NUM293 Any person who knows Yiddish, or even just a few Yiddish expressions, is familiar with the expression "K'neiyna Hara" (or a similar pronunciation of that expression), which is used whenever speaking about something good or that one is proud of. These words actually are "K'neged Ayin Hara" -- which are intended to be used against or to prevent the evil eye. Even people who do not believe in the occult or amulets use this expression regularly. While it is not strictly speaking of "alternative medicine," fighting off the evil eye seems to be something very mainstream to Judaism and is regarded as keeping Jews healthy and joyous. This concept is much more prevalent in Judaism than one might think. ... When Bilaam tried to curse the Jewish people and he gazed at them, Rashi says he tried to cast the evil eye upon them (this verse with Rashi commentary). The mystical book, the Zohar, explains that Bilaam had this special power of being able to cast the evil eye upon people and cause them harm (Zohar 1:68b). ... When the Mishna in Ethics of the Fathers explains that a person should have the quality of an Ayin Tova -- a good eye, and not an Ayin Hara -- an evil eye, this usually signifies that a person should be generous and not stingy in how he treats and gives to others (Mishna Avot 2:11). Rabbeinu Yonah explains that this element of stinginess is derived when someone is jealous of the good that others have (Rabbeinu Yonah commentary on Mishna Avot 2:11). When the jealous person has this Ayin Hara, or evil eye feeling against another person's success, this causes Heaven to take away the good from the person who feels jealous, but it also sometimes results in the removal of the bountiful gifts that the other person enjoys. But how and why does it work that jealousy can cause harm to a person who did nothing wrong? Apparently when people are judged on Rosh Hashana, when their worldly goods and other benefits for that year are determined, they are judged with mercy. When someone "casts an evil eye" on someone else through jealousy, it causes Heaven to "take a second look" at this person and judge him or her again, but this time more objectively. If the person is not deserving of the gifts he or she enjoys, it is possible that Heaven will decide at that point to remove some or all of these intended gifts.... Today, Jews use the expression "K'neiyna Hara" whenever they express pride in something or a special gift from God. That, in effect, signifies that Jews are asking God not to look again at their situation and change them more harshly. That is, Jews should not do anything that would draw attention to themselves and cause God to "take a second look" at them. So, for example, when people ask how many grandchildren or great-grandchildren one has, some people refuse to answer with specific number, in order not to invite the Ayin Hara so that God will not reject them and consider taking away one of those children or great-grandchildren. The same is true when speaking about a person's wealth or anything else that is good in a person's life. A Jew should simply not call attention to any benefits in his or her life.

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NUM294 What did he see? He saw that their tent-openings were not opposite each other, and he said: Such as these [who practice such modesty] deserve to have the Shechinah rest upon them (Bava Bathra 80a)

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NUM296 Whoever has with him these three qualities, is of the disciples of Abraham our Father; but [if he has] three "other" qualities, he is of the disciples of the wicked Balaam. … Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 22. … the Midrash distinguishes between the "pairs" by noting their actions. Yet our long history has known of great resemblance between "pairs," between conflicting leaders and contending groups, where Jewry cannot decide by their respective actions: both may act piously; both may claim to be on Heaven's side. Our mishnah's view is longer and more penetrating: By their disciples, it suggests, you shall know them. Balaam was an excellent prophet. When we enter the synagogue of a morning, the first words we utter in prayer are, "How goodly we are your tents, O Jacob; your dwelling-places, O Israel"--from Balaam's oracular apostrophe recorded in Scripture [this verse]. But to judge him, look at his "disciples," those who learned from him to bring Heaven's death to 24,000 Hebrews at Shittim, by enticing them to the greatest sin (Numbers 25:1-9. T.B. Sanhedrin 106a). Down to our day the problem continues: How do you tell the good from the bad when all seem equally worthy? And the mishnah's formula remains valid: watch the disciples. Many believed Moses Mendelson and Avraham Geiger worthy, perhaps eminent links in the chain of developing tradition. Yet see the "disciples" their philosophies spawned! Today we have Jewish academies of study and schools of thought, all claiming the mantle of authority and authenticity. Where does the truth lie? Again, watch the disciples. Note which produce half-baked "leaders" who make up in arrogance what they lack in knowledge, and walk through the garden of sacred values with spiked shoes, blithely unaware.

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NUM295 The Bible depicts Balaam as having genuine prophetic ability and, like Moses, of being in personal contact with God. Though King Balak is willing to pay him well to curse the Israelites, Balaam, inspired by God, praises and blesses them instead [this verse, 24:9]. Why then is Balaam regarded as a villain? Because of an incident that happens a short time later. Perhaps to win back the favor of the highly irritated Balak, Balaam invites the Midianites to send out attractive women to seduce the Israelite men and lure them away from their attachment to God (See Numbers 31:16 and 25:1–3). Ever since, he has been regarded as an exemplar of someone blessed by God with great gifts, which he uses to oppose God's will instead of supporting it.

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