Editing Balaam (section)

==In rabbinic literature==
[[File:בלעם בן בעור Balaam ben Beor ricamo in seta canapa e cotone su tela di canapa rasata. Filippo Biagioli.jpg|left|thumb|312x312px|בלעם בן בעור - Artwork by esoteric artist [[Filippo biagioli|Filippo Biagioli]]]]
In [[rabbinic literature]] Balaam is represented as one of seven [[gentile]] [[prophet]]s; the other six being Beor (Balaam's father), [[Book of Job|Job]], and Job's four friends.<ref>Talmud, Bava Batra 15b</ref> In this literature, Balaam gradually acquired a position among the non-Jews, which was exalted as much as that of Moses among the Jews;<ref>[[Numbers Rabbah]] 20</ref> at first being a mere interpreter of dreams, but later becoming a magician, until finally the spirit of prophecy descended upon him.<ref>ib. 7</ref>

According to a negative view of Balaam in the [[Talmud]], Balaam possessed the gift of being able to ascertain the exact moment during which God is angry—a gift bestowed upon no other creature. Balaam's intention was to curse the Israelites at this moment of wrath, and thus cause God himself to destroy them; but God purposely restrained His anger in order to baffle the wicked prophet and to save the nation from extermination.<ref>Talmud, Berachot 7a</ref> The Talmud also recounts a more positive view of Balaam, stating that when the [[Torah]] was given to Israel, a mighty voice shook the foundations of the earth, so much so that all kings trembled, and in their consternation turned to Balaam, inquiring whether this upheaval of nature portended a second deluge; the prophet assured them that what they heard was the voice of God, giving the sacred law to the Israelites.<ref>Talmud, Zevachim 116a</ref>

According to Jewish legend, Balaam was made this powerful in order to prevent the non-Jewish tribes from saying: "If we had only had our own Moses, we would be as pious as the Jews." Balaam is included in the list of persons born circumcised along with Moses.

In rabbinical literature the epithet ''rasha'', translating as ''the wicked one'', is often attached to the name of Balaam.<ref>Talmud Berachot l.c.; Taanit 20a; [[Numbers Rabbah]] 20:14</ref> Balaam is pictured as blind in one eye and lame in one foot,<ref>Talmud Sanhedrin 105a</ref> and his disciples (followers) are distinguished by three morally corrupt qualities: an [[evil eye]], a [[Hubris|haughty]] bearing, and a [[Greed|greedy]] spirit.<ref>[[Avot of Rabbi Natan]] [https://www.sefaria.org/Avot_D'Rabbi_Natan.5.19 5:19]</ref>

Due to his behavior with the Midianites, the Rabbis interpret Balaam as responsible for the behavior during the [[Numbers 31|Heresy of Peor]], which they consider to have been [[unchastity]], and consequently the death of 24,000 victims of the plague which God sent as punishment. When Balaam saw that he could not curse the children of Israel, the Rabbis assert that he advised Balak, as a last resort, to tempt the Hebrew nation to immoral acts and, through these, to the worship of Baal-peor. ''The God of the Hebrews'', adds Balaam, ''hates lewdness; and severe chastisement must follow''.<ref>Sanhedrin 106a; Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10 (28d); [[Numbers Rabbah]] l.c.</ref>

The Rabbis, playing on the name Balaam, call him "Belo 'Am" (without people; that is, without a share with the people in the world to come), or "Billa' 'Am" (one that ruined a people); and this hostility against his memory finds its climax in the dictum that whenever one discovers a feature of wickedness or disgrace in his life, one should preach about it.<ref name=s106>Sanhedrin 106b</ref> In the process of killing Balaam (Numbers 31:8), all four legal methods of execution—stoning, burning, decapitating, and strangling—were employed.<ref name=s106/> He met his death at the age of 33,<ref name=s106/> and it is stated that he had no portion in the world to come.<ref>Sanhedrin 10:2; 90a</ref> The book devotes a special section to the history of the prophet discussing why God has taken away the power of prophecy from the Gentiles.<ref>[[Tanhuma]] Balak, 1</ref> The Talmud states that "Moses wrote his book and the portion of Balaam",<ref>Bava Batra 14b</ref> regarding this passage as separate from the rest of the Torah in terms of topic or style, but united in authorship.

Some have suggested that in [[Sanhedrin]] 106b and [[Giṭtin]] 57a Balaam may be likened to Jesus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oztorah.com/2009/07/bilam-jesus-balak/ |title=Bilam & Jesus |publisher=Oztorah.com |access-date=2012-07-30}}</ref><ref>Bileam and Jesus, in "Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift für Jüdische Theologie," Volume 6, pp. 31–37</ref><ref>Jewish Encyclopedia, under the category of: Balaam</ref><ref>[[Peter Schäfer|Schäfer, Peter]]. ''Jesus in the Talmud''. [[Princeton University Press]] (2007), Pages: 86-174</ref> Balaam's father Beor was a son of [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]].<ref>[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/9568-laban Jewish encyclopedia Laban]</ref> The [[Sefer haYashar (midrash)|Book of Jasher]] reports that Balaam's sons were [[Jannes and Jambres]].<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/30.htm Jasher]</ref>

Balaam's exclamation, "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your tabernacles, O Israel!", was taken by later generations of Jews as the basis of the liturgical prayer [[Ma Tovu]].<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|24:5|HE}}</ref>