Kabbalah Library

252. “And now come and curse this people for me, for it is mightier than I.” Until that time, where did Israel make war with them and defeat them? In what place did they hit the sword of Israel and overcame like mighty ones, to show their might until they knew that Israel was mightier than him? Thus, what is “for it is mightier than I”? That wicked one was wise and saw far ahead. He saw that King David, who came from Ruth the Moabite, was as strong and as brave as a lion and will wage fierce wars and defeat Moab, and place it under his feet. For this reason, he said, “It is mightier,” in singular form, he who inherited that might, one king of theirs who would come from him, from Ruth the Moabite, to destroy Moab.

253. “Perhaps I will be able that we strike it.” This verse should have been written, “Perhaps I will be able that I strike it,” or “Perhaps we will be able that we strike it,” but why does it say “I will be, we will strike”? That wicked one was wise. He said, I see one hand, one force, that one strong lion is stretching out its hand, perhaps I can with you, that we will unite, the two of us, and chop off that hand from that lion through a curse before that king comes to the world and drives Moab from its place? This is why it is written, “Perhaps I can” in singular form, and “strike” in plural form, that perhaps I will be able to unite with you and the two of us will strike him.

254. What is “curse for me”? That wicked one spoke to Balaam in two languages. One that said “curse for me,” and one that said “curse them for me.” He said “curse for me,” gather for me herbs and charms of heads of snakes and put them in a sorcerer’s pot. When he saw that his power was greater with his mouth, he repeated and said, “And come now and curse this people for me.”

255. Although that wicked one, Balak, did not leave his spells, but gathered all kinds of herbs and spells of heads of snakes, and took a sorcerer’s pot and stuck it 1,500 cubits underground, and concealed it for the end of days, when David came, he dug 1,500 cubits into the earth and took out water from the abyss, and poured it on the altar. When he poured the water, he said, “I will bathe in this water,” Balak’s sorcerer’s pot, as it is written, “Moab is My washpot.”

256. “I will cast My shoe on Edom.” “I will cast My shoe” is also that He was watching far ahead, as it is written, “And Esau said to Jacob,” ‘Please feed me some of that red stew, for I am weary.’” Please feed me” means actual feeding, opening of the mouth and throat to swallow. David said to that swallower who feeds feedings, “I will throw my shoe on his mouth to clog his throat.” This is why he said, “I will cast my shoe on Edom.”

257. “I will shout aloud over Philistia.” David observed this, too, far ahead. He said, “Canaan is the evil side of the Sitra Achra, and the Philistines are from Canaan, and what should be done to the Sitra Achra is a trumpet sound, as it is written, “And when you go to war in your land … who oppresses you.” A trumpet sound means breaking, to break its power and might. For this reason, “I will shout aloud over Philistia,” to break them, for this is what they deserve.

258. It is written, “Justice shall be the belt of his waist, and faith the belt of his loins.” Justice is faith; they are both names of Malchut. The belt of his waist is the belt of his loins.

259. However, justice is not as faith, although it is all one, Malchut. However, when Malchut is in harsh judgment and receives from the left side, she is called “justice,” which is actual judgment, as it is written, “For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice.” This degree, which is called “sentence,” is Rachamim [mercy], ZA, and when sentence approaches justice, which is judgment, then justice, Malchut, is perfumed, and the people of the world can tolerate the judgment of justice.

260. Faith is called Malchut. When truth, ZA, connects to her for joy, all the faces shine. At that time, Malchut is called “faith,” and then there is forgiveness to all, forgiveness of iniquities, and all the souls of the evil wicked ones that rise, which are indebted in several debts, since they rise in a deposit that we say before going to sleep, “In Your hand I deposit my spirit,” she returns their souls to them with mercy, and she has mercy on them. At that time, she is called “faith,” and there is no faith without truth, for Malchut is called “faith” only during the coupling with ZA, who is called “truth.”

261. Now, the belt of his waist and the belt of his loins, what are the two belts here? Although waist and loins are one, they are two degrees, one above and one below. Above, in the beginning of the waist, is called “waist.” At the end of the waist, it is called “loins,” as it is written, “and a belt on the loins,” to cover the pubes. This is why he calls them “loins,” as they are at the end of the waist and over the top of the thighs. When the woman is in labor pains, these loins will disconnect from the top of the thighs, and she places her hands on them because of the pain.

262. Because of it, for might and for war, it is written, “Justice shall be the belt of his waist,” since there is a person’s place of might. And for mercy and goodness, it is written, “faith the belt of his loins,” mercy for Israel, and one is justice, the belt of his waist, judgment for the rest of the nations.

263. How is justice a harsh judgment? After all, it is written, “Judge your friend with justice,” and also, “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” It is certainly so, for there is no concession whatsoever in justice, except according to the judgment. Also, one who judges one’s friend, should not make any allowances on the judgment, but rather with justice, and not take love into consideration. Scales of justice means without allowances to this or that side, not to the one who gives, and not to the one who receives.

For this reason, it is one degree that is divided into two sides. These two sides, which are two areas, stand one for the rest of the nations, and one for Israel. When Israel came out of Egypt, they were equipped with those belts: one for war, justice, the belt of his waist, and one for peace, faith, the belt of his loins.

264. When Balak consulted, he said, “and [I will be able to] drive them out from the land.” He said, “That degree to which Israel is gripped is from the earth, Malchut. Certainly, it is mightier than I, who can fight and face Israel? Their degree is stronger than my degree. For this reason, I will drive them out from the land, from their degree, Malchut. If I drive them out from the land, meaning be able to make them sin, I will be able to do with them anything I want. Their power is in the mouth and in action, but the mouth is yours and action is mine, and we can defeat them.”

265. “For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” How did he know? In the beginning, it is written that he “fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand,” since he hired Balaam to curse him. But “for I know” means that he knew by his wisdom, especially since it is written, “whom you bless is blessed.” Why did he need to mention blessing here? After all, he went for a curse, and if that thing he knew before from Balaam was a curse, then what is “whom you bless is blessed”?

266. However, it is written, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth,” and it is written, “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel.” Who is the one who needs blessing from the lower ones? He, Et [the], Malchut, who grips to Israel like a flame to a wick. David, who knew that, said, “I will bless the.”

That wicked one said to Balaam, their degree, gripped to them, since their blessings, which they bless each day. Thus, you have the power to bless that degree and uproot it from them. This is “For I know that whom you bless is blessed,” that he, too, can bless Malchut, who is called “the,” and by this we can defeat them. Bless that degree and curse the wick, which are Israel, to which Malchut is gripped like a flame to a wick. This is why he said, “while I meet the Lord,” meaning that I will uproot the Malchut from them, who is called Yod-Hey, so she does not unite with them.

267. Also, “I meet the Lord,” I will conduct and extend to his degree, with transgressions and with impurity, with the nocturnal ejaculation and with the impurity that his sons make, and it will cause them annihilation. Ikareh [I will meet], from the word Keri [nocturnal ejaculation]. Promptly, “And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with divination in their hand,” so that that wicked one would not say that he does not have various spells with him, the ones he needs, and would be delayed over them.