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Then Billom went with Bollok and they came to Kiryas Chutsos and Bollok slaughtered cattle and sheep and he sent some of the meat to Billom and to the princes that were with him.
The next morning dawned and Bollok took Billom and he brought him up to the Heights of Baal and he saw from there some of the Jewish People.
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Then Billom said to Bollok: “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bullocks and seven rams.”
Bollok did as Billom had spoken and Bollok and Billom offered up a bullock and a ram on each altar.
Billom said to Bollok: “Stand here by your offering and I will go for a short walk on my own — maybe HaShem will happen upon me and He might show me something and if that happens I will tell you.” And so he went off by himself.
HaShem happened upon Billom and he said to Him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on each altar.”
HaShem placed words in the mouth of Billom and He told him: “Return to Bollok and speak this!”
So he returned to him and there he was, standing over his offering, Bollok, together with all the princes of Mo’av.
And he took up his parable and he said:
“From far-off Arram has Bollok, king of Mo’av, brought me, from the distant highlands of the east, saying, ‘Go now, curse me Yaakov, and go now, cast wrath upon Yisroel!’
“But what curse shall I utter if Almighty G-d does not curse them? And how can I call down His wrath upon them when G-d will not be angry with them?
“For I see them from the peaks of rocks and from the high hills I perceive them: Behold! This is a People which shall always dwell apart, and shall not be reckoned amongst the Nations!
“Who can estimate the multitudes of Yaakov that are like the dust of the earth? And who can count even a quarter part of these great ones of Yisroel?
“O, that I should die the death of their righteous ones and that my end be like theirs!”
Then Bollok said to Billom: “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies and see! you have even blessed them!”
But he answered him and said: “Is it not so that whatever G-d puts in my mouth — that is what I must take care to speak!”
Afterwards, Bollok said to him, “Come with me, I beg you, to another place from where you may see them; but you can see only a part of them but you cannot gaze upon all of them at once, and curse me them from there!”
So he led him to the vantage point of the watchmen, to the top of that hill; and Bollok built seven altars and offered up on each altar a bullock and a ram.
Then Billom said to Bollok: “You stand here, by your offerings and I’ll go to be met over there.”
Then HaShem happened upon Billom and He put words into his mouth and He said: “Return to Bollok and like this shall you speak!”
So he returned to him and Bollok was standing by his offering with some princes of Mo’av with him and Bollok said to him: “What then did G-d speak?”
Then he lifted up his parable and he said:
“Rise up on your feet, Bollok, and listen, then! Give ear to me, you son of Tsippor!
“The word of G-d is not like the word of man that it should be not true nor is it like the word of mortals that it be changeable! G-d has spoken good for His People —
But Billom answered Bollok and said: “But did I not speak about you to your emissaries, saying: Will He then not do it? He has decreed it — Will He then not fulfil His promise?
“You ask mockingly, ‘What did G-d speak?’ and I answer you: ‘Behold! I am bidden to bless them!’
“Indeed, G-d blesses them and I cannot reverse it!
“G-d does not wish to see any iniquity in Yaakov nor does He wish to see any wrongdoing in Yisroel. And why this favouritism? For whatever they do, G-d is still with them. And in their innermost being, they always pay homage to G-d their King.
“You tell me, ‘A people have come out from Egypt’ But that is not true! — It is G-d Who brought them out from Egypt: He is their uplifting Power!
“There are no omens in Yaakov for they will not recognize any power other than G-d. And neither is there any magic in Yisroel: Indeed, in every age It shall be told to Yaakov and to Yisroel by their prophets and teachers That whatever transpires, ‘It is the work of G-d.’
“And in this they are a unique people and they will rise up like a stately lion over every adversary; Like the strong lion which rises ever stronger and completely overcomes its enemies:
“It does not lie down to rest until it has devoured its prey And lapped up the blood of that which it has killed!”
Then said Bollok to Billom: “Neither with malediction curse them but nor with blessings bless them!”
‘Whatever G-d shall speak that is what I must do!’?”
Then Bollok said to Billom: “Please come, for I know to take you to yet another place where hopefully it might be G-d’s will that you curse me them from there.”
And so Bollok brought Billom to the top of the place called Pe’or which looks down towards the wilderness.
Then Billom said to Bollok: “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bullocks and seven rams.”
Bollok did as Billom said and Billom offered up a bullock and a ram on each altar.
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Now Billom at last perceived that it pleased HaShem to bless Yisroel so he didn’t go as he had done on the previous times to try with enchantments to curse them and instead he concentrated his mind towards the desert where Yisroel was encamped and focussed on the events that had happened there.
When Billom lifted up his eyes and saw Yisroel dwelling in harmony and decorum...
