Parshat Balak introduces us to Bilam, a sorcerer of immense dark power. Yet even his most dangerous methods could not withstand the holiness and modesty of Am Yisrael. What unfolded was not just a tale of prophecy—but of spiritual warfare, where every tactic of darkness was met with Divine resistance.
Bilam possessed four distinct methods of sorcery to harm others:
A Magical Sword – This sword, engraved on both sides with snake imagery, enabled potent spells. Ironically, it was the very sword with which Bilam would ultimately be slain. When Pinchas attempted to kill Bilam, he failed—until he brought Bilam’s own sword, the tool of his downfall (Zohar Bamidbar 194).
Impure Spiritual Forces – Bilam drew strength from two angels of impurity who had been cast beyond the Mountains of Darkness after failing their earthly test (Zohar Bereishit 126). Bilam accessed their powers through his donkey, engaging in impure acts to draw spiritual filth and control dark forces.
The Moment of Divine Anger – As taught in the Talmud (Berachot 7a), each morning Hashem is momentarily angry. Bilam knew that precise moment and could channel it to curse effectively. A single utterance—“Exterminate!”—would suffice.
The Evil Eye – With a single glance of ill intent, Bilam could spiritually damage his victim (Bamidbar Rabbah 20:10). This power, unlike the others, required no tools or words—only sight.
When Moav and Midyan formed an alliance to attack Am Yisrael, they hired Bilam, knowing his power lay in speech—just as Moshe’s did. Bilam accepted the generous offer, but left his sword at home, relying solely on oratory skill to protect his reputation.
That was his first loss.
When his donkey—his tool of impurity—saw an angel with a drawn sword, she veered aside and crushed Bilam’s leg. He cried out, “If only I had a sword—I would kill you now!” (Bamidbar 22:29). But he had none. Hashem then revealed the angel to Bilam and rebuked him. To preserve Bilam’s dignity, the angel killed the donkey, destroying his second source of power (Tanchuma Balak 9).
Still, Bilam hoped to capitalize on Hashem’s moment of anger. He delayed until early morning, waiting for the split second when a curse could take effect. But Hashem withheld anger entirely during those days (Rashi, Bamidbar 23:8). Bilam was stunned: “How can I curse if Hashem has not cursed, and how can I anger if Hashem is not angry?”
Three powers down.
Finally, Bilam resorted to his most personal weapon: the evil eye. He climbed a mountain and gazed at the Jewish camp, hoping to spiritually wound them. But something happened. His eye burst. Chazal teach (Bamidbar Rabbah 20:6), that when he beheld the modest tents of Bnei Yisrael, his own spiritual poison recoiled on him. “The utterance of the man with a blocked eye” (Bamidbar 24:3) refers to the very eye that failed him—because the camp was protected by tzniyut.
Rabbi Leeor Dahan, a graduate of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim/RSA, is a noted scholar and teacher, well-versed in halachah. He currently leads Kehilat Avodat Hashem in Hillcrest, Queens, inspiring his congregation to delve into Torah study and embrace its eternal teachings.
Bilam’s Four Powers— & How Hashem Foiled Each
Typography
- Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
- Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times
- Reading Mode
