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NUMBERS — 21:27 rulers

NUM276 It was taught: R. Shmuel b. Nachmani said in the name of R. Yochanan: What is the intent of: "Therefore, the rulers says: "Let us come to Cheshbon"? "The rulers" -- these are the rulers over their evil inclinations. "Let us come to Cheshbon" -- Let us come and make the world's accounting ["Cheshbon" (account)], the loss [entailed by the performance] of a mitzvah against its reward; and the reward of a transgression against its loss. "be built and established" -- If you do thus, you will be built up in this world and established for the world to come. "the city of Sichon" -- If a man makes himself like a young ass ["ayir," similar to "ir," "city"], which docilely follows the cajoling talk [("sichah," intimated by "Sichon") of its driver] -- What follows thereafter? (v. 28): "For a fire will go out of Cheshbon" -- A fire will come forth from the accounters and consume the non-accounters. "A flame from the city of Sichon" -- from the city of the righteous, who are referred to as "sprouts" ["sichin," intimated by "Sichon"]. "It shall consume Ar of Moav" -- This ["Ar"] refers to one who follows his evil inclination, as a young ass ["ayir"] follows the cajoling talk [of its driver]. "The men of the eminences of Arnon" -- these are the haughty ones, as the master has said: All those of haughty spirit, in the end fall into Gehinnom (Bava Bathra 78b)

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NUMBERS — 23:29 altars

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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