How good is that!

(1) Now Balaam, seeing that it pleased God to bless Israel, did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness. (2) As Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him. (3) Taking up his theme, he said:
Word of Balaam son of Beor,
Word of the man whose eye is true,
(4) Word of one who hears God’s speech,
Who beholds visions from the Almighty,
Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled:
(5) How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
Your dwellings, O Israel!
(6) Like palm-groves that stretch out,
Like gardens beside a river,
Like aloes planted by God,
Like cedars beside the water;
(7) Their boughs drip with moisture,
Their roots have abundant water.
Their ruler shall rise above Agag,
Their sovereignty shall be exalted.
(8) God who freed them from Egypt
Is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
They shall devour enemy nations,
Crush their bones,
And smash their arrows.
(9) They crouch, they lie down like a lion,
Like a lioness; who dares rouse them?
Blessed are they who bless you,
Accursed they who curse you!

(15) He took up his theme, and said:
Word of Balaam son of Beor,
Word of the man whose eye is true, (16) Word of one who hears God’s speech,
Who obtains knowledge from the Most High,
And beholds visions from the Almighty,
Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled:

(Devarim, Ibid. 10) "And there shall not arise in Israel again a prophet such as Moses": But among the nations, there did arise. And who was he? Bilam the son of Beor. But there is a difference between the prophecy of Moses and the prophecy of Bilam. Moses did not know who was speaking to him, and Bilam did know, viz. (Bamidbar 24:16) "The speech of the hearer (Bilam) of the words of the Almighty." Moses did not know when He would speak to him until He did so. Bilam did know, viz. "and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High." Moses did not speak with Him unless he was standing, viz. (Devarim 5:28) "And you, here, stand with Me." And Bilam spoke with Him when he was fallen, viz. (Bamidbar 24:4) "The vision of the Almighty shall he see, fallen and his eyes uncovered." To whom may he be compared? To the king's cook, who knows the expenses of the royal table.

Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Yehudah bar Zebida:

[A Galilean Amora of the second generation, possibly a student of Rav in Babylonia. He is also the author of the parallel statement in the Babli (12b). The statement of Rebbi Ḥuna is given in the Babli in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Abun. The reasons of Rebbi Yose bar Abun and Rebbi Eleazar in the Yerushalmi are missing in the Babli. The quotes in the Babli are all in the name of Galilean authorities.]

It would have been logical that one also would have to recite the chapter of Balaq and Balaam every day. Why does one not recite it? Not to incommodate the public too much.

Rebbi Ḥuna said, because it mentions lying down and standing up.

Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, because it contains the Exodus and God’s kingdom.

Rebbi Eleazar said, because it is written in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographs. [In the Torah as indicated; in the Prophets Michah 6:5, in the Hagiographs Neḥemiah 13:2]

Rabbi Abbahu ben Zutarti said that Rabbi Yehuda bar Zevida said: The Sages sought to establish the blessings of Balaam that appear in the Torah portion of Balak, as part of the twice-daily recitation of Shema. And why did they not establish it there? Because extending Shema would place an encumbrance on the congregation, from which the Sages sought to refrain.

The Gemara seeks: Why did the Sages seek to add the blessings of Balaam in the first place? If you say that they did so because the exodus from Egypt is mentioned, as it is written therein: “God, who brought them forth out of Egypt, is like the horns of the wild ram” (Numbers 23:22), certainly mention of the Exodus is not unique to this Torah portion.

Many other portions mention the exodus as well. Let us say the portion of usury (Leviticus 25:35–38) or the portion of weights (Leviticus 19:35–37), as the exodus from Egypt is written therein as well. In addition, they are brief and would not constitute an encumbrance on the congregation.

Rather, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: The reason the Sages sought to establish the portion of Balak as part of the recitation of Shema is because it is written therein: “He couched, He lay down like a lion and a lioness; who shall rouse Him? Those who bless You are blessed and those who curse You are cursed” (Numbers 24:9). This is reminiscent of what is said in Shema: When you lie down, and when you rise.

Also it is necessary after one sits in the synagogue before he begins to pray at all, and particularly at the morning prayers, that he accepts apone himself the yoke of the command to lover one's neighbor as himself, ant to focus his attentention on loving every Jew like himself. Sine in this way the combined prayers of all of Israel will rise and bear fruit and suceed. And it is forbidden for a person to pray before God in sadness, rather as a servant serving his master in great joy... for if not there is no power in the soul to accept higher inspiration that comes as the result of prayer. And it is only appropriate to be sad at the moment of confession, but for all other prayers he shouild not place opposite his eyes any sadness, even regret over sins committed. And this is a huge concept and something one must keep in mind. it is invaluable. ....

Author: Chaim Vital

Composed: Safed, c.1572 – c.1578 CE

Teachings of Isaac Luria (Arizal), recorded by his student Chaim Vital.

(1) Before beginning the Morning Prayers you should say the following:

(2) I hereby accept upon myself the positive commandment to love my fellow Jew.

(3) The following verses from Scriptures are recited upon entering the synagogue, as though asking permission of God to enter and pray in His Holy place.

(4) How good are your tents, Jacob: your dwelling places, Israel. As for me, through Your abundant kindness I will enter Your House; I will prostrate myself toward Your Holy Sanctuary in awe of You.2Psalms 5:8. Adonoy, I love the Dwelling, Your House, and the place where Your glory resides.3Psalms 26:8. I will prostrate myself, and bow, I will kneel4These are three distinct degrees of worship, representing various levels of subjugation before God. before Adonoy, my Maker. May my prayer to You Adonoy be at a favorable time; God, in the abundance of Your kindness answer me with the truth of Your deliverance.5Psalms 69:14.

And save us from the envy of a man from his neighbor, and let no man's jealousy arise in our hearts, and let us not be jealous of others, rather, grant in our hearts that we may see each one of our friends And there is no lack of them, and that each one speaks to his friend in the straight and pleasing way before you, and let no hatred arise from one person against his friend, God forbid

(1) A song of ascents. Of David.

How good and how pleasant it is
that brothers dwell together. (2) It is like fine oil on the head
running down onto the beard,
the beard of Aaron,
that comes down over the collar of his robe; (3) like the dew of Hermon
that falls upon the mountains of Zion.
There the LORD ordained blessing,
everlasting life.

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers also to dwell together When the Holy One, blessed be He, will dwell in the Temple with Israel, who are called brothers and friends, and He too will be together with them.

Here he mentioned in the upper song Atzmich a horn for David and the taste of the House of David mentioned that there will be one association in the days of Solomon with his brothers and there will be no word of speech, and so it is: Here is what is a good thing and what is a pleasant thing, because good and pleasant is a description and the description lacks and taste also a hint to the priests, or the right to be brothers on Society of priests. And taste also of the high priest

This song was based on the two well-known brothers, Issachar and Zebulon, who joined together until they were like body and soul, one of whom walks the path of perfection for his friend, as the saying, Zebulon is happy when you leave and Heshachar is with you, that Shachar was engaged in the Torah and perfected the soul, and Zebulon was engaged in practice for the perfection of the body and the kinins, and together both of them together We will complete the good and the pleasant, the true good of the affairs of the O'Hav, and the pleasantness in the life of the times, and this is what is good and what is pleasant, and this came through the Sabbath brothers together, who besides their Sabbath in peace were together as one body, now the matter will be clarified.