The Equanimity of Jerusalem

In our parsha, Yaakov blesses his son Yehuda through a comparison to a lion: “A cub [and] a grown lion is Yehuda. From the prey, my son, you withdrew. He crouched, rested like a lion (kara ravatz k’aryeh).” Interestingly, Bilam employs similar imagery when describing the Jewish people: “He crouches and lies like a lion […]

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Seeing the Good of Jerusalem

In the beginning of one of his attempted curses, Bilam refers to himself as setum ha-ayin. The word setum is not easily translated and the commentators debate if this means that his eye was closed or open. The Or HaChaim explains that Bilam had the capacity to damage via his gaze. When he wanted to […]

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