When Our Bitachon Doesn’t Seem to Work; We Continue Without Hispa'alus
And despite his foot being crushed, and a Malach going against him, he continued to pursue his wicked agenda to curse Klal Yisroel. So should we not be impressed by those many setbacks, like when our Bitachon doesn’t seem to work; we continue without Hispa'alus. Look how Bilam continues on, despite his: חַ מוֹר donkey going against him.
If Yidden would run after Kavod and keep moving to the extreme that Bilam did, then we’d have so many more Gedolei Yisroel (מֵאוֹיְבַי תְחַכְּמֵנִּי תהלים קיט צח We become smarter by learning from our enemies). Indeed, perhaps Pinchos learned from Bilam when he went to kill Zimri despite Klal Yisroel all being against him. They considered him a chutzpadik person since he descended from a Ger (i.e., Yisro, who worshipped Avoda Zara).
How dare he kill a Nasi B’yisroel? This is true Romemus. Chazal say: הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָמֵר לַעֲשוֹת רְ צוֹן אָבִּיךָ שֶבַשָמָיִּם אבות ה כ Be bold as a leopard to do the will of your loving Father in Shamayim! Look how right after the Parsha of Bilam we have Parshas Pinchos. Just like Romemus works for evil, L'havdil, it works for good. And
Bilam’s Extreme Lust for Kavod and Its Lessons
Bilam’s extreme lust for Kavod fits in with his being an Arami, which is related to the word Romemus. And in the end, Pinchos will kill Bilam. The person who used his Romemus for Tova, i.e., to fight Z'nus and make a Kiddush Hashem with Mesirus Nefesh, is the one who is worthy to kill the biggest Baal Ta'ava in the world, Bilam. (Chazal).
The Rasha May Also Speak Very Frum, But He Waivers and Is Non-Committal
The one who killed Bilam was Pinchos. We can suggest that Pinchos was a 100% Tzaddik, and Bilam, L'havdil, although he had Nevua and without question he had great Ruchaniyus'dik powers, was wishy washy. Look how frum he’s always talking. “You can give me all the money in the world and I still won’t go against Hashem”.
Look what a Tzaddik he sounds like! And every move he makes he consults with Hashem. Yet, he’s a Rasha Me’rusha (wicked through and through) and a major Rodef Mammon (money hungry) and Kavod (hungry). We really have no understanding of him, but there is definite constant shifting back and forth in his Hanhagos (actions). Perhaps his being lame in one foot is M'ramez to this. Like when Eliyahu HaNavi confronted Klal Yisroel and tried to stop them from Avoda Zara on Har HaCarmel.
He complained to them and he said: עַד מָתַי אַתֶם פֹסְחִּים עַל שְתֵי הַסְעִּפִּים מ"א יח כא “Why are you always going back and forth between Hashem and the Avoda Zara of Baal”. This appears exactly like Bilam; going back and forth.
Perhaps this is why Pinchos killed Bilam, since he was consistent in Avodas Hashem and he didn’t waiver. How does a person become like this? His grandfather “Putiel” is Yisro, who fattened cows for Avoda Zara, and Yosef who was: מְ פַ טְ פֵ ט בְ יִּ צְ רוֹ M'zalzel his Yetzer Hara. (Rashi).
Fattening Calves for Avoda Zara and the Power of Overcoming the Yetzer Hara
Fattening calves for Avoda Zara appears to be like an extreme love for evil. This is Pinchos’s background, and this is why he gets so much credit and becomes so great (Pinchos was Eliyahu who was like a Malach). This is similar to Bilam whose extreme hatred of Yidden made him act beneath his dignity, and he saddled his donkey himself. (Rashi). And he is actually Nichshal in beastiality! (Gemara).
In Novardok They Overcame the Yetzer Hara by Making a Laughingstock Out It
Pinchos is Zoche to destroy Bilam because he overcame a difficult Yetzer Hara, which Bilam didn’t overcome. Or else, why is he better than Bilam? Indeed, how can a person overcome his powerful Yetzer Hara’s? מְ פַ טְ פֵ ט בְ יִּ צְ רוֹ means he made a joke out of his Yetzer Hara. This is what they did in Novardok.
No wonder that in Novardok they were even Zoche to Ruach HaKodesh. R' Pinchos Menachem Malach Zatzal told me that after a fiery Novardok Mussar Seder, they wouldn’t even dream of Inyanei Kedusha issues. And we learn from Eliyahu that you make fun of Avoda Zara. (He made a Choizek (laughingstock) out of Nevi'ei HaBaal when they couldn’t get a fire for their fake Korban).
