What did Bil'am mean when he asked "Mi Manah Afar Ya'akov"?
Rashi #1 (citing Targum Onkelos) and Rashbam: 'He meant Who can count the children 1 of the House of Ya'akov, 2 (about whom Hashem said 'They will increase like the dust of the earth!'? - Targum Onkelos).
Rashi #2 (citing Midrash Tanchuma): He meant 'Who can count the number of Mitzvos that they perform with earth - "Do not plow with an ox and a donkey"; 3 "Do not plant Kil'ayim"; 4 the ashes of the Parah Adumah; the earth of (used for) a Sotah!'
Ramban: Refer to 23:9:2:3. He meant that the children of Ya'akov will always be uncountable like the dust of the earth.
Targum Yonasan: In connection with the Mitzvah of B'ris Milah that Yisrael perform, after which they bury the Orlah (foreskin) in the desert sand, he proclaimed 'Who is able to count the merits of these strong ones!' 5
Nidah, 31a: With reference with to Hashem, who would sit and count the drops of semen of Yisrael, eagerly awaiting the drop from which a Tzadik was destined to be born to emerge, and he proclaimed ?How is it possible for the One who is Tahor and Kadosh and His servants are Tahor and Kadosh to look at such things?? 6
See Ba'al ha'Turim. Rashbam (on Pasuk 9): 'And it is due to the children, who did not sin, that Hashem does not want to curse them, as we find in Yonah, 4:11, in connection with Ninveh.
Rashbam: Who were only counted from the age of twenty and onwards.
See also Ba'al ha'Turim.
What did Bil'am mean when he added "u'Mispar es Rova Yisrael"?
Rashi #1: He meant 'Who can count the total of (even) one of the four camps of Yisrael!'
Rashi #2: He meant 'Who can count the number of descendants that come from their acts of intimacy'? 1
Rashi #3 (on 24:3): He meant that 'Hashem sits and counts the seed of Yisrael to see when a Tzadik is born from it'.
Rashbam: He meant 'Who can count the children of Yisrael?' 2
Targum Yonasan: He meant ' ... the good deeds performed by one of the four camps of Yisrael!'
Ramban: As in Tehilim, 139:3 and in Yeshayah, 48:1. Ohr ha'Me'ir ? it is the influence that comes from their acts of intimacy'.
Rashbam: Because 'Rova' means the act of intimacy, via which children are born.
To whom does ?MOs Ysharim? refer?
Avodah Zarah, 25a: It refer to the Avos ? Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya?akov. 1
Refer to 23:10:3 and answers.
What did Bil'am mean when he asked to die "Tamos Nafshi Mos Yesharim, u'Sehi Acharisi Kamohu"?
Rashi #1: He meant that he wanted to die like the upright of Yisrael 1 (and that his end should be like theirs). 2
Rashi #2 (in Avodah Zarah 25a) and Riva: He wanted to die the death of Gevi'ah (expiry), 3 like the Avos. 4
Ramban: He meant that he wished to die the death of Yisrael (who are called Yeshurun) and merit Gan Eden like them. 5
Seforno: He meant that he would be happy to die now, provided he dies the death of the upright, so that it merits to live forever after, and provided his children and his offspring 6 are like Yisrael'.
Targum Yonasan: He claimed that if Yisrael will kill him by the sword, he has been informed that he will not have a portion in the World to Come; But if he dies the death of the upright, then may his end be as good as the smallest of them. 7
Hadar Zekenim: He meant that he came to curse Yisrael, but he ended up blessing them - and he should therefore be considered upright. 8
Oznayim la'Torah (citing the Chafetz Chayim): Someone who wants to die like the upright of Yisrael must also live accordingly. Bil'am however,wanted to die like the upright of Yisrael, was not willing to live like them!
Sanhedrin, 105a: He predicted that, if he would die the death of the righteous (a natural death ? Torah Temimah) he would go to Gan Eden, 9 but if he would be killed, he would go to his people (Gehinom ? Torah Temimah).
See also Sifsei Chachamim and Ba'al ha'Turim. Lev Eliyahu (Sh'mos p.72): Bil'am knew that his path was evil and that he was he was going to perish due to corrupt Midos. The Rasha knows his end, just he cannot repent, for the waves of lust overwhelm him. His Neshamah sees everything clearly, but it does not help him.
Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim: This refutes the heretics [who say that Yisrael have no share in the world to come], since he spoke with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh! If they have no share in the world to come, what difference would it make like whom he dies?!
Where the body is totally separated from the soul (Chidushei Agados, Maharal, 25a).
See Torah Temimah, note 6.
Ramban: Who do not go down to Gehinom. See Ramban.
Seforno: As in Tehilim, 109:13 and in Daniel, 11:4.
See also Torah Temimah, citing Sanhedrin, 105a, and note 7.
Hadar Zekenim: This is can be compared to someone who is about to slaughter the king's cow; but when he sees that the king is watching him, he throws down his knife and fills the feeding trough, and claims that he deserves to be spared.
See Torah Temimah, note 7.
