Makkos 23a states that anyone that disgraces the Festivals (or even Chol haMoed per Rashi) is as if one worshipped idols. The Festivals come as atonement for the Golden Calf. The Jews could not wait six hours for Moshe. As atonement HaShem established the three Festivals which are 15 days (7 days of Pesach, 1 day of Shavuos and 7 days of Sukkos). Thus, 15 (days) times 24 (hours) equals a total of 360 hours. This is to nullify by means of 60 times the 6 hours they should have waited. Thus, the Jews observance of the three Festivals negates the accusation of Bilaam.
Rav S. Rubenstein
Bilaam was unable to absorb the pain of his foot being crushed without complaint. However, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim absorb without complaint the vast number of guests that travel to their city three times a year.
Rebbe of Mishkoltz
Pesachim 8b states that Shluchei Mitzvah do not come to harm either in their going or in their returning. This principal is derived from the Three Festivals when a person is commanded to leave their possessions and go to Yerushalayim. Nevertheless, they suffered no loss. Jews are engaged all day in Mitzvos and therefore, are considered going or returning as Shluchei Mitzvah. Thus, HaShem (through the donkey) responded to Bilaam that he wished to curse and harm a people that were constantly acting as Shluchei Mitzvos as derived from the Three Festivals and were not subject to such harm.
Rabbi Shlomo Kluger
Shmeni Atzeres should have been 50 days after Sukkos. But HaShem out of love for the Jews spared them a holiday in the middle of winter. Thus, we have a set of three holidays and not four indicating the great love that HaShem has for the Jews, how could Bilaam think he would be successful in cursing the Jews?
Shaarei Orah
Three Festivals (Pesach, Shavuos, Sukkos) correspond to the three Avos (Avrohom, Yitzchak, Yaacov); and Shemini Atzeres is called a רגל בפני עצמו a Festival (regal) to itself represents Dovid HaMelech (Moshiach) as the fourth leg of the Holy Thorne. The Three Avos constitute the Three Pillars (Gemilas Chasadim, Avodah, Torah); Dovid provided the unique service of Teshuvah which the Avos were not able to provide.
Agra D’Kallah
Balak hired Bilaam to curse the Jews in order to safeguard the holy spark of Dovid haMelech that was concealed within the nation of Moav within Rus the Moabite. It is well known that the nations are sustained by the holy sparks and would be weakened if the holy sparks were extracted. Those the opening verses of the Parsha could read:
- “And Balak saw” that the spark of Dovid was concealed in the nation of Moav;
- “and Moav was aggravated” frightened that the Jews would extract the sparks from them”
- “they are many” due to the formidable forces of kedusha that the Jews possessed;
- “and Moav appealed to Midian” to help them prevent the destruction of the safeguards that they had built around the sparks;
- “devour like an ox” if they succeed we would be exterminated;
Thus, the words that HaShem placed in the mouth of the donkey alluded to the attempt of Bilaam to curse the Jews who stood with three legs (three Avos and three Festivals) was doomed to fail, since the fourth leg of Dovid had not been revealed and its appearance would result in the securing of the fourth leg of HaShem’s throne.
