We begin with the holy words of the Sfas Emes on our parashah from the year 5631 (1871):
The Mishnah teaches: ‘Whoever possesses these three traits is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu (our forefather): a good eye, a humble spirit, and a modest soul. And whoever possesses the opposite traits belongs to the disciples of the wicked Bilam... What is the difference between the disciples...? The disciples of Avraham Avinu eat in this world and inherit the World to Come, as it says: "That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance (Yesh)" (Proverbs 8:21). But the disciples of the wicked Bilam inherit Gehinnom (Gehenna) and go down into the pit of destruction...’
And what is the meaning of the term ‘the disciples of Bilam’? After all, what can [possibly] be learned from him? These evil traits—a bad eye, an arrogant spirit, and so on—any fool can acquire without study! Rather, [the matter is that] even the wicked humble themselves. Indeed, Bilam said, ‘If Balak were to give me his house full... I could not transgress...’ From this very statement we learn that he possessed a greedy soul. For he considered it an achievement before Hakadosh Baruch Hu that he humbled himself despite being a very important person. His entire humility existed only so that he could later attain a higher level of self-glorification. This is the meaning of ‘fallen, yet with open eyes’—through his submission he reached his desired level.
The righteous, however, possess a modest soul. They seek only to cleave to the Living G-d, constantly recognizing that no creature possesses life except through the power of Hashem. Like an axe in the hand of the woodcutter. In every action they remain attached to the inner Divine power...
The Sfas Emes is emphasizing the difference between the character traits of the tzaddikim (righteous) among Am Yisrael, inherited from Avraham Avinu, and the character traits of the greatest and most distinguished figures of the nations of the world, represented by their prophet, the wicked Bilam. He illustrates Bilam’s nature through the verse (Bamidbar 22:18):
וֱיַּעַן בִּלְעָם וֱיּאמֶר אֶל־עַבְדֱי בָלָק אִם־יִתֶּן־לִי בָלָק מְלֹא בֱיתבוֹ כֶּסֶף וֱגָהָב לֹא אוּכַל לַעֲבֹר אֶת־פִּי ה׳ אֱלֹקַי לַעֲשֹדוֹת קְטִקַנָּה אוֹ גְדבוֹלָה
‘Bilam answered and said to the servants of Balak: “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the word of Hashem my G-d, to do either a small thing or a great thing.”’
Rashi explains: ‘“His house full of silver and gold” - from this we learn that he was greedy and desired the wealth of others. He said: “It is fitting that he (Balak) give me all his silver and gold, for he would need to hire many armies, and even then, victory would be uncertain, whereas I would certainly attain victory.”’
Bilam’s true intentions are revealed through his actions
We must ask: How do we know that Bilam’s words were not spoken sincerely and in good faith? To determine what was truly in Bilam’s heart when he uttered all of his “beautiful words,” we must broaden our perspective on the entire narrative, and we will see that Bilam’s true desires and intentions are revealed through his subsequent actions. He continued pursuing Balak’s mission even after professing absolute devotion to the word of Hashem. He never ceased searching for a way to serve Balak and fulfill his wishes, even after receiving clear messages that this was not Hashem’s will. His true intentions were evident from his actions, even to Balak himself! If Balak genuinely believed that even a house full of silver and gold could not persuade Bilam to violate Hashem’s command, why did he not immediately abandon his efforts once he saw that they were futile?
From this it is evident that Bilam’s declaration, ‘Even if you give me a house full of silver and gold, I cannot transgress the word of Hashem,’ was not spoken sincerely. He was not speaking truthfully. On the contrary, when we look specifically through the lens of his actions, then in hindsight, we see that his words themselves exposed his true motives: love of wealth and arrogance. These qualities stand in complete opposition to the traits of Avraham Avinu: a good eye, a humble spirit, a meek soul, and a commitment to truth and to kindness.
The bequeathing of Avraham Avinu’s character traits to all future generations
This contrast appears in Tehillim (Psalms 119:72): טבוֹ־לִי תּוֹרַת־פִּיךָ מֵאַלְפֵי זָהָב וָכָסֶף “The Torah of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.”
Dovid HaMelech (King David), speaking on behalf of Am Yisrael (the Jewish nation), expresses the fundamental Jewish value: “The Torah of Your mouth is better to me”—we love the word of Hashem more than any material wealth. Significantly, this verse is phrased in positive, absolute language, without any conditions. We do not say, “If you give me money, I will learn Torah,” or “Even if you offer me gold and silver, I will not abandon the Torah.” That is not our approach. Our commitment is absolute and is expressed positively and absolutely. “The Torah of Your mouth is better to me”—this is our central desire. We love the word of Hashem and His Torah more than any material possession. We value the spiritual world more than the physical one.
Avraham’s encounter with Ephron as a sign for future generations
This contrast also appears in Avraham’s dealings with Ephron Hachiti (the Hittite), a non-Jew. When Avraham sought to purchase the Me'aras HaMachpelah (the Cave of the Patriarchs), Ephron initially offered the field as a gift. Later, however, he said (Bereishis 23:15): אֱדֹנִי שְׁמָעֱנִי אֶרֶץ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף בֱּינִי וּבֱינְךָ מִה־הִוּא וֱאֶת־מֱתְךָ קְבֹר “My lord, listen to me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? Bury your dead.”
He implied that four hundred shekels of silver were insignificant, yet he said this only after publicly offering the field and cave as a complete gift. In doing so, he revealed his true intentions, which were motivated by greed and self-interest rather than the benefit of Avraham Avinu. He portrayed himself as a noble and generous benefactor, but it was merely a performance. His true motives were revealed by his actions. Avraham Avinu, though perceiving Ephron’s true intentions, nevertheless accepted the terms without protest, in order to ensure that the field would become an eternal possession for himself and his descendants.
Ephron’s traits closely resemble those of Bilam. The Sfas Emes at the beginning of our parashah cites the Mishnah that urges us to be disciples of Avraham Avinu and not disciples of the wicked Bilam. This parashah teaches us much about our own identity as a people. By understanding the negative traits of others, we sharpen and affirm the values that define us: peace, a good eye, a humble spirit, and a modest soul. And the wicked Bilam is the exact opposite, entirely bad traits: an evil eye and a haughty spirit.
