What did Bil'am mean when he said "Mah Ekov Lo Kaboh Keil"?
Rashi: a. With reference to Ya'akov (their father), whom Hashem called 'Eil', 1 he meant that even when they deserved to be cursed, Ya'akov did not curse them, only their anger; 2 b. when their father Ya'akov tricked his father into blessing him and deserved to be cursed, his father concluded "Gam Baruch Yih'yeh!" 3 and c. In connection with the B'rachos and K'lalos on Har Gerizim and Har Eival, by those who blessed, Hashem said "Eileh Ya'amdu Levarech es ha'Am" 4 , whereas by those who cursed He said (not, 've'Eileh Ya'amdu Lekalel', but) "ve'Eileh Ya'amdu al ha'Kelalah." 5
Targum Yonasan: He meant that he could not curse those whom the Word of Hashem had blessed.
Refer to 22:18:153:1 & note 3.
Refer to Bereishis, 33:20:1:2.
See Bereishis 39:6.
Devarim 27:13. Shulchan Shlomoh , 27:13 - they did not intend to curse. Evil does not come from Shamayim! They informed Yisrael that if they will do these Aveiros, B'rachah will be removed, [Hashgachas] Hashem is hidden and curses will come automatically.
What did Bil'am mean when he said "Mah Ez'om Lo Za'am Hashem"?
Rashi: He was referring to his one power-trait - the ability to pinpoint the moment that Hashem is angry 1 each day, but Hashem had not been angry throughout the period that he attempted to curse Yisrael. 2
Rashbam: He meant that he could not bring upon them Hashem's anger when Hashem had not been angry with them.
Targum Onkelos: He meant that he cannot drive them out when Hashem has not driven them out?'
Targum Yonasan: He meant that he could not decrease those whom the Word of Hashem had increased.
Refer to 22:18:153:1 and note 3..
Rashbam: As in Mal'achi, 1:4. See Torah Temimah, note 3.
Rashi: As the Navi hints in Michah, 6:5 - "Zechar Na Meh Ya'atz Balak ... , u'Mah Anah Oso Bil'am, Lema'an Da'as Tzidkos Hashem".
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that Bil'am could pinpoint the moment of Hashem's anger [to curse them then]. The moment is the time to say 'Rega', only about a sixteenth of a second (B'rachos 7a)! What curse could he say in such a short time?
Da'as Zekenim #1, Hadar Zekenim (22:41) #1, Rosh (22:33): He could say 'Kalem' (finish them off)! 1 Hashem reversed the letters to form 'Melech' ("u'Seru'as Melech Bo" ? in Pasuk 21).
Da'as Zekenim #2, Hadar Zekenim (22:41) #2: As long as the curse begins at that moment it will be fulfilled.
Da'as Zekenim snd Hadar Zekenim: This is difficult, since the B'rachos reveal what Bil'am intended to curse - Yisrael should not have Batei Kenesiyos and Batei Midrash (Sanhedrin 105b). It was more than one word! See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates.
