Why did Bil'am instruct Balak to stand by his Olah?
Seforno: In order to have the appropriate Kavanah as each part of the sacrifice was being sacrificed. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: Because it is correct for the owner to stand by his Korban whilst it is being sacrificed. 2
Seforno: Lke the Torah writes in Vayikra 17:11 ?ki ha?Dam hu ba?Nefesh Yechaper?.
As the Gemara states in Sotah, 8a.
Why did Bil'am insert the word "Ulai"?
Rashi: Because Hashem was not accustomed to appearing to him by day. 1
What is the meaning of "Vayeilech Shefi"?
Rashi, R. Bachye #1 and Targum Onkelos: It means 'He went alone'.
R. Bachye #2 (citing the Ibn Ezra): It means ?to a high place? - as if it had written ?Vayeilech el Shefi?. 1 2
Rashbam: It means 'He went limping', 5
Like ?Nas?u ha?Am Chatzeros? (11:35).
R. Bachye: He went from one high place to another is search of a location from where he could see them gathered in one group, in order to curse them, buthe could only see them scattered across the four corners of the globe - the acronym of ?Shefi? is ?Seh Pezurah Yisrael?.
See answer #5 and note.
R. Bachye: As opposed to Shimshon, about whom the Torah writes in - in Bereishis 49:17 ?Shefifon? - because he was lame in both legs.
As in Iyov, 33:21. The Gemara in Sotah, 10a proves from here that Bil'am was lame in one leg. See Torah Temimah, note 1 and Ba?al ha?Turim.
As in Iyov, 33:21. Because he was lame - Refer to 22:24:1:1. See also Ba'al ha'Turim
'Shefifon' is a kind of snake - See Bereishis 49:17.


