Editing Balak (section)

==The Zohar==

The [[Zohar]], the basic text of the [[Kabbalah]], offers a special interpretation to the Balak being "The Son of [[List of minor biblical figures, L-Z#Zippor|Zippor]]". In Hebrew, "Zippor" (ציפור) means "bird". According to the Zohar, this was not the name of Balak's father but rather referred to a [[magic (paranormal)|magical]] metal bird which Balak made use of. As the Zohar recounts, such a bird has a head made of [[gold]], a mouth made of [[silver]] and [[Wing|wings]] made of copper mixed with silver, and its body is made of gold; once the bird is made, it should be put during the day in a window facing the Sun and during the night in a window facing the Moon, while burning incense in front of it for seven days and seven nights. Thereupon, the bird would start talking and foretelling of what is about to happen. Only the most skilled of [[Magician (fantasy)|wizards]] could construct such a bird. Balak, the greatest wizard of his age, managed it. The bird was always sitting on Balak's shoulder and whispering in his ear, and therefore he was nicknamed "Son of the Bird". The Zohar further recounts that the bird spoke true words of prophecy in Balak's ear and warned him not to set himself against the Sons of Israel, and also foretold of the harsh punishment in store for himself and for the Moabits. Nevertheless, Balak persisted in his wrong way and was punished exactly as the bird foretold.<ref>Quoted by Rabbi Moshe Yazdi of Ahavat Yisrael Yeshiva, Jerusalem, in (Hebrew) commentaries on the [[Balak (parsha)|Balak]] Weekly Torah Portion.</ref>