Answers to this Week’s Riddles
(For riddles see back page)
1) Why didn’t Bilaam simply curse his donkey?
The Baal HaTurim and Paneiach Raza answer that Bilaam was unable to issue curses whenever he wanted. The Gemara (Berachos 7a) teaches that Bilaam’s skill was determining when Hashem was angry and uttering curses at that opportune time. At the time of his confrontation with his donkey, he recognized that Hashem was not angry, so any attempt to curse his donkey would be in vain. Alternatively, Bilaam was planning to curse the Jews later that day, and cursing his donkey would “use up” his daily quota and force him to wait an additional day to curse the Jews.
The Oznayim L’Torah explains that Bilaam’s curses did not magically take effect. Rather, he knew how to tap into the sources of tumah [impurity] in people and cause them to sin, for which they would be punished. Because this concept only applies to people, he was therefore unable to curse his donkey. (R’ Ozer Alport, Parsah Potpourri)
2) Was Bilaam’s donkey created at the time of Creation?
Rav Ovadiah Bartenura writes that what Hashem created at the end of the first week of Creation was the ability for Bilaam's donkey to speak, but not the actual donkey.
The Tosfos Yom Tov suggests that this explanation is necessary because it would be impossible for the donkey to have been created at that time and to have lived for so long.
The Tiferes Yisroel adds that if the donkey had lived for more than 2000 years, the Torah certainly would have mentioned such a tremendous miracle.
Rav Yaakov Emden argues that animals can live for many years and cites a Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 12:18) that says that the bulls donated by the nesiyim at the time of the inauguration of the Mishkan lived until the building of the Beis HaMikdosh, where they were brought as korbonos after living close to 500 years.
Additionally, the Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer (30) teaches that the donkey on which Avrohom rode to the Akeidah was the son of Bilaam's donkey that was created at the end of the week of Creation, clearly indicating that the donkey itself was created at that time and not just its ability to speak. See the Sefer KeMotzei Sholel Rov, for some insight into why such an old donkey would have been used.
3) What language did Bilaam’s donkey speak?
The Moshav Zekeinim L’Baalay HaTosfos (Bereishis 3:4) writes: From the pasuk, “The entire land had one language” (Bereishis 11:1), we see that everyone spoke Lashon Hakodesh. From the fact that the pasuk says, “The entire land”, we see that even the animals and birds spoke Lashon Hakodesh. Similarly, when it says, “The snake spoke” (3:4), the snake spoke Lashon Hakodesh. After the sin of the Dor Haflogah, Lashon Hakodesh was split into 70 different languages, and only at that point in history did birds starts to speak/chirp in their own language”.
Based on the above, it would seem that Bilaam’s donkey spoke Lashon Hakodesh. The “Mouth of the Donkey”, i.e. the ability for the donkey to speak, was one of the ten things created during twilight on the first erev Shabbos of the world’s creation. The meforshim explain that when the world was created, Hashem put into the power of the briah [creation] the ability for the donkey to speak, and it waited until the days of Bilaam to finally come into fruition (bepo’el). The language at the time of creation was Lashon Hakodesh (it only changed by the Dor Haflogah), therefore, presumably the donkey was given the power and ability to speak the language which was being spoken at the time which was Lashon Hakodesh.
R’ Yonasan Eibshitz (Tiferes Yonason) is in doubt about which language was spoken. The Zohar writes that a maloch [angel] spoke via the donkey. R’ Eibshitz writes: If it was a maloch speaking then certainly the language spoken was Lashon Hakodesh as malochim don’t know any other language. If, however, the donkey itself spoke then presumably it spoke the language that the people spoke at the time. He adds: It’s more logical that the donkey spoke the language of the people at the time, as the purpose of the donkey speaking was to embarrass Bilaam in front of the officers of Bolak. If the donkey would have spoken Lashon Hakodesh, then they wouldn’t have understood, and Bilaam wouldn’t have been embarrassed.
The Pesikta Zutrasa writes: ויפתח ה' את פי האתון וכו' ובלשון שהיה בלעם מדבר בו דברה - “Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey etc. the language that Bilaam spoke, the donkey spoke”. Presumably Bilaam never spoke Lashon Hakodesh, therefore, we have proof that the donkey spoke the language of Bilaam and not Lashon Hakodesh. Although the Torah relates the story in Lashon Hakodesh, it could be that it actually happened in a different language, and the Torah simply relates the story in Lashon Hakodesh.
However, from the Medrash Tanchumah (9) it’s clear that Bilaam spoke to his donkey in Lashon Hakodesh. The Medrash writes:ויאמר בלעם לאתון כי התעללת בי אף על פי שמדבר בלשון הקודש עכו''ם לשונו סרוח – “Bilaam said to the donkey, ‘you played with me’ – although Bilaam spoke in Lashon Hakodesh, when a gentile speaks he speaks disgustingly”. The Eitz Yosef explains, התעללת בי, is an impure expression and we see that even though Bilaam spoke in Lashon Hakodesh he still spoke in a disgusting manner. (Otzer Pelois HaTorah)
4) Is one allowed to bring a gun into a beis hamedrash?
Towards the end of this week’s parsha we learn about the zealous act that Pinchos carried out when he killed Zimri and Kosbi. The pasuk says: ויקם מתוך העדה ויקח רמח בידו – “He got up from amongst the assembly, and took a spear in his hand” (25:7).
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (82a) learns from here, that one shouldn’t bring a weapon into the beis hamedrash. Rashi explains: From the fact that the pasuk says, “He got up and took a spear” we see that until now he never had one in his hand. The Gemara is talking about a beis hamedrash, does the same thing apply to a beis haknesses?
Presumably the din should be the same, and if one can’t bring a weapon into a beis hamedrash, one shouldn’t be allowed to bring one into a beis haknesses either.
However, we could differentiate, as we find in halachah that a beis hamedrash has more kedusha [sanctity] then a beis haknesses, therefore, it could be that to bring a weapon into the beis hamedrash is forbidden, however, to bring one into a beis haknesses would be allowed.
However, it would seem from the Shulchan Aruch that the halachah is the same in both places. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 151:6) rules: “Some forbid bringing a long knife into a beis haknesses. The reason is, tefillah is designed to lengthen the life of a person, whereas a knife is designed to shorten it.” We see that it’s forbidden to bring weapon even into a beis haknesses. A number of achronim learn that the source for the above halachah is the aforementioned Gemara in Sanhedrin, therefore, it’s clear that the Shulchan Aruch equates a beis hamedrash and beis haknesses in regard to the halachah of bringing in weapons.
The Shu”t Tzitz Eliezer (10:18) has a Teshuvah in which he discusses the above. He concludes: If there is no need and no great effort is involved, then one should avoid doing so, and one should give his weapon to someone who is outside the beis haknesses to guard it. If this is not possible, one may bring the gun in, however, he should remove the bullets. It’s worthy to try and cover it with a garment or a tallis. If one can’t empty the bullets, then it’s enough simply cover it.
He adds very importantly: The above is when the situation is calm, if, however, the country is in a time of danger/ in a state of war, and soldiers and guards must have their guns on them, one shouldn’t look for ways out. One may even daven wearing his gun. However, if possible, one should try and remove it from himself and put it near him and cover it. If possible and it won’t disturb his davening. (See also Shu”t Yechaveh Da’as 5:18)
Regarding the question from the Gemara in Shabbos (17a), the Margoliyos HaYam (Sanhedrin 82a) answers: They never brought the sword into the beis hamedrash, they simply placed it by the entrance.
R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe 5:20) answers: The Taz and Biur Halachah (Orach Chaim 151:6) both say, that when there is a need one may bring a knife into a beis haknesses or beis hamedrash. In the Gemara in Shabbos, they wanted to establish what the correct halachah was for once and for all, and it was a big need, therefore, it was allowed. (Madanay Asher)
