D’var Torah Balak

God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them (imahem)! You shall not curse the people because they are blessed." (Numbers 22:12)

God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If these men have come to call for you, arise and go with them (itam), but the word I speak to you-that you shall do." (Ibid., Verse 20)
Following Balak's first mission to Bilaam, God informed the latter that he may not "go with" Balak's emissaries, while following the second delegation, God permitted Bilaam to "go with them." It may appear as if God changed His mind.
However, Bilaam made a statement to the second delegation of Balak's emissaries which he omitted in his response to the first delegation:
Balaam answered and said to Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gives me a house full of silver and gold, I cannot do anything small or great that would transgress the word of the Lord, my God." (Verse 18)



When Bilaam acknowledged and declared that he has no independent power to bless or curse, but is totally subservient to the will of God, he was given the right to accompany Balak's emissaries.
There is another explanation, which is based upon the exact use of words in the verses. Though the English translation does not differentiate, the Hebrew uses different words in the two verses: in verse 12, "go imahem" while in verse 20 states "go itam." Netziv explains the difference in meaning between the two words: to go "im" means to go "equally, with a single mind," that is, those who go together are complete partners who go with identical motivation. (Therefore, the more exact translation of verse 12 would be "You shall not go together with them.") The meaning of going "et" is to accompany, that is, those who go are not of equal minds, each going for his own reasons. Based on this distinction, there was no change whatsoever in God's instructions to Bilaam. God informed Bilaam that he may not go together with Balak's messengers: that is, he may not join Balak's scheme to curse Israel; however, he may go with the emissaries, on an uneven footing. Balak's emissaries went in the hope of cursing the blessed nation, while Bilaam was allowed to accompany them because he would not be permitted to curse God's nation.



Here we have an application of the basic axiom of Bible study, especially the Torah; Scripture chooses and uses its holy words intentionally carefully and meaningfully. (David Magence)

Shabbat Shalom
The Va’ad