1)

What are the connotations of "Ki Yarat ha'Derech le'Negdi"?

1.

Rashi 1 (citing Shabbos, 105a): "Yarat" is the acronym 1 of 'Yar'ah, Ra'asah, NaTsah' - 'It (the ass) was afraid, it saw, it turned aside', because the path [you go on] is against Me. It is an abbreviated Pasuk, 2 which means 'The person who is traversing this path is rushing headlong on a journey that angers Me'.

2.

Rashi #2: 'The person traveling 3 rushed along a route that angered Me'.

3.

Rashi #3: 'You want to 4 traverse a path that angers Me'.

4.

Ramban #1: 'Because the traveler is making the path crooked in My eyes'.

5.

Ramban #2: 'Because the traveler is making the path crooked against My wishes.' 5

6.

Seforno: The angel told Bil'am that he went out to hinder him by creating a situation of fear, of trembling (without being visible). 6

7.

Targum Yonasan: 'It is revealed to Me that you are going to curse the people, and that is something that is not acceptable to Me!'


1

This is actually the source of acronyms in the Torah (Shabbos, ibid.).

2

Rashi: Like we find in Shmuel 2, 13:39 "Va'techal (Nefesh) David".

3

Rashi: This is a short Pasuk which omits the subject) as in Shmuel 2, 13:39.

4

Rashi: As in Iyov, 16:11.

5

See Ramban.

6

Seforno: Similar to the situation described in Daniel 10:7. But he did so in vain, because Bil'am dug in his heels.

2)

Why did the ass insert (the otherwise superfluous) words ?Zeh Shalosh Regalim??

1.

Seforno: He was asking Bil'am how he could be so stubborn as to ignore the signs three times. 1


1

Stressing the fact that he had made great effort to torpedo his (Bil?am?s) trip for his own good!

Sefer: Perek: Pasuk:

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