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Shareאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִבִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע אַתָּה לָמֵד מָה הָיָה בְּלִבּוֹ. בִּיקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ לָהֶם בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת – ״מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב״. לֹא תִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה עֲלֵיהֶם – ״וּמִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל״. לֹא תְּהֵא מַלְכוּתָן נִמְשֶׁכֶת – ״כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ״. לֹא יְהֵא לָהֶם זֵיתִים וּכְרָמִים – ״כְּגַנֹּת עֲלֵי נָהָר״. לֹא יְהֵא רֵיחָן נוֹדֵף – ״כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע ה׳״.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: From the blessing of that wicked person, Balaam, you can ascertain what was in his heart. God transformed the curses that he planned into blessings. He sought to say that they should not have synagogues and study halls, and he said instead: “How goodly are your tents, Jacob” (Numbers 24:5), a blessing on their synagogues. He sought to say that the Divine Presence [shekhina] will not rest upon them, and he said instead: “And your dwellings [mishkenot] Israel.” He sought to say that the kingdom of Israel would not continue, and he said instead that it would continue: “Like the winding brooks” (Numbers 24:6), which flow continuously. He sought to say that they would have no olive trees and vineyards, and he said instead: “Like gardens by the river’s side” (Numbers 24:6). He sought to say that their fragrance would not diffuse from their fulfillment of mitzvot, and he said instead: “Like aloes that the Lord has planted” (Numbers 24:6).
(ט) כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֤אשׁ צֻרִים֙ אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב׃
(9)As I see them from the mountain tops,Gaze on them from the heights,There is a people that dwells apart,Not reckoned among the nations,
(כד) הֶן־עָם֙ כְּלָבִ֣יא יָק֔וּם וְכַאֲרִ֖י יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א לֹ֤א יִשְׁכַּב֙ עַד־יֹ֣אכַל טֶ֔רֶף וְדַם־חֲלָלִ֖ים יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃
(24)Lo, a people that rises like a lioness, Leaps up like a lion,Rests not till it has feasted on preyAnd drunk the blood of the slain.
