What did Bil'am mean when he said "Hin'ni Holech le'Ami" (and not 'li'Mekomi')?
Rashi: He meant that his status had been lowered to the point that he was on a par with the rest of his countrymen - because Hakadosh-Bauch-Hu had abandonned him.
?L?cha I?atzcha?! What advice did Bil'am offer Balak?
Rashi (citing Sanhedrin, 106a) and Targum Yonasan: He advised him 1 that, since the G-d of Yisrael hates Z'nus (They should set up shops manned by prostitutes selling food and drink at cut prices. 2 Yisrael will then eat and drink and become inebriated. be intimate with them and deny their G-d. 3 As a result, in no time at all, they will be handed over to Balak, and many of them will die 4 - Targum Yonason).
Ramban: He was telling Balak the plan that Hashem had in store regarding what Yisrael would do to Mo'av in the days of Mashi'ach.
Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim (in Pasuk 1): That what you are afraid of the nation opposite you ? if you do not start up with them, you need not fear them.
Rashi: We know that Bil'am was the one to give this advice from 31:16.
Sanhedrin, 106a: Elderly harlots sold linen garments outside for their market value, and young ones sold them inside for less. Yisrael ate, drank and were merry, and went to the market. After two or three sales, the young ones said to them 'You are like family. Take it for free', and gave them Amoni wine (before the Chachamim forbade Nochri wine). The Yisrael drank, and, his Yeitzer ha'Ra aroused, he accosted her, and she consented but only after he excretes in front of Ba'al Pe'or. Afterwards, she demanded that he denies the entire Torah of Moshe - as the Navi writes in Hoshe'a 9:10 "va'Yinazru la'Boshes va'Yih'yu Shikutzim ke'Ahavam".
Targum Yonasan: 'But after that, they will rule over your people, at the end of days.
Balak has just taunted Bil'am and humiliated him, and ordered him to run away - minus his ass, mnus one eye and minus one leg. Yet uppermost in his mind is how to get Yisrel to sin and lose face with Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu?
Oznayim la'Torah: This teaches us the extent of Bil'am's hatred of K'lal Yisrael (and, knowing the close relationship between Hashem and Yisrael, his lack of respect of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu, whose adherent he clained to be). 1
See Oznayim l'Torah, DH 'L'chah I'atzcha' #1.
What does the latter half of the Pasuk mean?
Ramban #1 (citing Rashi) and Targum Yonasan: Bil'am actually had in mind to inform Balak that, in the days of Mashi'ach, Mo'av is destined to fall into the hands of Yisrael. In the meantime however, he advised him what Mo'av was able to do to cause havoc to Yisrael. 1
Targum Onkelos: Bil'am was telling Balak that in the days of Mashi'ach, Mo'av is destined to fall into the hands of Yisrael.
Why did Bil'am say "Asher Ya'aseh ha'Am ha'Zeh le'Amcha"? He should have said "asher Ya'aseh Amcha le'Am ha'Zeh", since he was advising Mo'av to make Yisrael stumble in Z'nus?
Rashi (in Sanhedrin 106a) #1: Bil'am did not want it to sound as if Mo'av needs to take advice against Yisrael.
Rashi (in Sanhedrin 106a) #2: The Torah did not want to it sound as if Yisrael was cursed.
Da'as Zekenim: The coming Pesukim tell what Yisrael will do to your nation. (It is not part of his advice).
Oznayim la'Torah: With reference to the various prophesies concerning the downfall of Mo'av 1 in the days of Mashi'ach 2 that he was currently prophsying, and afraid that the days of Mashiach were imminent, he is now offering him advice to push-off the coming of Mash'ach by csusing Yisrael to commit a sin which is particularly hated by Hashem, Hence "asher Ya'aseh ha'Am ha'Zel la'Amcha" will only take place "be'Acharis ha'Yamim". 3
Why did Bil'am insert the word "ve'Atah"?
Michtav me'Eliyahu (1, p. 2a'Am ha'Zeh 36): Now that Hashem has been holding back his moment of anger, it is easy for Chesed to turn to Tum'as Arayos, so I counsel you?
Ha'amek Davar: He meant that, currently Balak need not be afraid of Yisrael, since they were forbidden to attack Mo'av - and what they are destined to do to your people will only take place at the end of days.
