Parshat Balak: Free Will Or G-d's Will?

BY: Eitan Adler

In the Balaam narrative, which takes up the majority of this week’s Torah portion, G-d seems to send Balaam a number of conflicting messages. At first, when Balak sends emissaries to Balaam asking him to curse the Israelites on his behalf, G-d commands Balaam to stay put. Yet, when a second group of messengers from Balak arrive, G-d seems to change his mind. G-d tells Balaam "אם לקרא לך באו האנשים קום לך אתם אך את הדבר אשר אדבר אליך אותו תעשה" – “If men came to summon you, arise and go with them, but only the thing that I shall speak to you – that shall you do.”[1] In this statement, G-d appears to have granted Balaam permission to travel with Balak’s messengers, and perhaps even commands him to do so. This makes the next part of the story extremely perplexing – why is Balaam’s path subsequently blocked by an angel with a fiery sword in his hand? Balaam clearly interprets that confrontation as a sign of G-d’s displeasure with his actions, as he offers to turn around and return home. The angel, however, makes a statement similar to the one G-d made earlier "לך עם האנשים ואפס את הדבר אשר אדבר אליך אותו אדבר" – “Go with the men, but only the word that I shall speak to you – that you shall speak.”[2] Even these two similarly worded statements seem to express ambivalence on G-d’s part. Why would G-d allow Balaam to attempt to curse the Jews if He will not allow him to actually do so?

The Gemara in Makkot 10b (shout-out to Rabbi Flatto’s shiur) picks up on this change in Gd’s responses to Balaam:

אמר רבה בר רב הונא ואמרי לה אמר רב הונא אמר א"ר אלעזר: מן התורה, ומן הנביאים, ומן הכתובים  בדרך שאדם רוצה לילך בה מוליכין אותו.  מן התורה דכתיב: "לא תלך עמהן" וכתיב: קום לך אתם

Rabbah son of R. Huna reporting Rab Huna [some say, R. Huna reporting R. Eleazar] said: From the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Hagiographa it may be shown that one is allowed to follow the road he wishes to pursue. From the Pentateuch, as it is written, “And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them” and then it is written, “[If the men came to call thee] rise up and go with them.[3]

The Amora whose teaching is cited in this Gemara understands these changing answers to be due to G-d’s adherence to the principle of free will. Though G-d did not want Balaam to go with the messengers and would not allow him to curse the Israelites, Gd ultimately allowed Balaam to follow his own chosen path. Balaam’s encounter with the angel unfolded in a similar fashion. Though the angel initially blocked Balaam’s path, he neither killed Balaam nor ordered him to return home; rather, at the conclusion of their exchange, Balaam was allowed to continue on his way.

Another story in Tanakh that also relates to the interplay between the values of Free Will and G-d’s own will, the binding of Isaac, עקידת יצחק, is alluded to throughout the Balaam narrative. In describing Balaam’s initial preparations for his journey the Torah uses the language of "ויקם בלעם בבקר ויחבש את אתנו" - "Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his she-donkey," whereas by Avraham it had stated: "וישכם אברהם בבקר ויחבש את חמרו" - "So Abraham woke up early in the morning and saddled his donkey."[4] Both men are accompanied by “שני נעריו”, two lads. In addition, for both Abraham and Balaam a crucial logistical element of their mission is unknown to them, to be revealed at a later time by G-d. Balaam is uncertain what he will be allowed to say, while Abraham is not told the exact location where he will sacrifice his son.[5]

These literary parallels between Avraham and Balaam’s journeys highlight their extremely different reactions to G-d’s wishes. In response to G-d’s command, Avraham immediately undertook a journey to sacrifice his beloved son and heir. If Avraham protested G-d’s command to sacrifice Yitzchak or had any self-doubts about doing so, it is not recorded in Tanakh. From the narrative of the binding of Isaac emerges an image of Avraham as submitting totally to the will of G-d.

Balaam’s relationship to G-d’s will is less clear. G-d allowed Balaam to go to Balak, but sent repeated signs that He didn’t approve of him actually doing so. G-d also informed Balaam from the start that cursing the Israelites would go against His will as G-d Himself has already blessed them. Yet G-d, in keeping with the principle of free will, allowed Balaam to at least try to ruin His plans. While Avraham recognized G-d’s will and chose to align his own actions with it, Balaam willfully ignored G-d’s repeated signals to him to the extent that he seems to have attempted to subvert G-d’s will.

Balaam was not, after all, able to curse the Israelites or to prevent them from entering the Land of Israel. That would have been impossible, as G-d had already blessed them and promised them that they would inherit the land. Yet, G-d still allowed Balaam to try his best to foil His plans. G-d left Balaam free to choose what route to take and how to act. Despite repeated signals from G-d, Balaam did not choose to follow the example of Avraham and align his will with that of G-d. The mishna in Pirkei Avot states that it is possible for people to become either the students of Avraham or Balaam.[6] The choice of whose attributes to emulate, however, is always left up to the individual.  

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[1] Numbers 22:20.  All English translations of verses from the Torah are from the Artscroll Stone Edition Tanakh.

[2] Numbers 22:35

[3]Translation from Soncino Edition

[4]Genesis 22:3 and Numbers 22:21

[5]There is parallelism in the wording here as well, between Genesis 22:1-"ועלהו שם לעלה על אחד ההרים אשר אמר אליך  and Numbers 22-"את הדבר אשר אדבר אליך אתו תדבר."

[6]  In Pirkei Avot 5:22, the mishna lists three attributes for each, some of which I believe are related to this discussion:
"כל מי שיש בידו שלושה דברים הללו, הוא מתלמידיו של אברהם אבינו ושלושה דברים אחרים הוא מתלמידיו של בלעם הרשע. עין טובה ורוח נמוכה ונפש שפילה תלמידיו של אברהם אבינו.  עין רעה ורוח גבוהה ונפש רחבה תלמידיו של בלעם הרשע" – “Whoever has the following three traits is among the disciples of our forefather Abraham; [whoever has] three different traits is among the disciples of the wicked Balaam. Those who have a good eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul are among the disciples of our forefather Abraham.  Those who have an evil eye, an arrogant spirit, and a greedy soul are among the disciples of the wicked Balaam.”  (Translation taken from the Artscroll siddur.)