Avos 5:19

בס׳ד

אבות ה:יט

Anyone with these three traits is among the disciples of Avraham Avinu; But one who has three other traits, is among the disciples of Wicked Bilaam. A good eye, a humble manner, and self-control?  Among the disciples of Avraham Avinu! A wicked eye, a haughty manner, and self-indulgence?  Among the disciples of Wicked Bilaam! And what distinguishes disciples of Avraham Avinu and disciples of Wicked Bilaam? Disciples of Avraham Avinu enjoy this world and inherit the Coming World, as it is said: “The inheritance of My adored ones survives, and their treasuries I will fill” (Mishlei 8:21). But disciples of Wicked Bilaam inherit Gehinnom and descend into the Pit of Destruction, as it is said: “ And You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of Destruction , Men of blood and lies will not live out half their days, but My promise remains yours” (Tehillim 55:24).

כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. עַיִן טוֹבָה, וְרוּחַ נְמוּכָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ שְׁפָלָה, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. עַיִן רָעָה, וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. מַה בֵּין תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לְתַלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, אוֹכְלִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְנוֹחֲלִין בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח) לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ, וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא. אֲבָל תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע יוֹרְשִׁין גֵּיהִנֹּם וְיוֹרְדִין לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים נה) וְאַתָּה אֱלֹהִים תּוֹרִידֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא יֶחֱצוּ יְמֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח בָּךְ:

        The pairing of Avraham Avinu and Wicked Bilaam is a strange one. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to contrast Bilaam and Moshe Rabbenu, since the two prophesied in the same generation?  Surely, the virtues of generosity, humility, and restraint of the passions were virtues known to Moshe!  A second problem concerns Bilaam himself. Why would a Jew think of becoming a disciple of Bilaam, since Bilaam was a Gentile?  Shouldn’t the mishnah’s contrast of Avraham have been another Jew - say, Korakh - who also possessed the vices of a bad eye, haughtiness, and self-indulgence?

        Perhaps an answer to these problems lies in a simple fact.  Avraham Avinu was a Gentile before he became a Jew.  Therefore, he is the only hero of our tradition who is in some sense comparable to Bilaam.  Moreover, both were prophets about the future of Israel. Avraham was given a frightening vision about his descendants future servitude in Egypt (Bereshis 15:11-14), while Bilaam foresaw Israel’s future glory (Bamidbar 24:15-19).

        From this perspective, we can see how Avraham and Bilaam represent a clear and important choice for Jews.  Both are men who heard God first in the context of the nations of the world.  They were in that world and part of it.  But when Avraham heard the divine word, it transformed him into a person whose love of HaShem penetrated his very nature.  It changed his behavior and his thoughts, and he became the exemplar of the middos described in our mishnah. Not so Bilaam. For him, the passage of HaShem’s words through his mouth made no difference whatsoever.  He was the person afterwards that he had been before.  Nothing changed.  

We are required to be among the disciples of Avraham Avinu, seeking the Torah and inviting it to transform us.

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