Or HaChaim on Numbers 24:17/אור החיים על במדבר כ״ד:י״ז

1 אראנו ולא עתה, "I can see it, but it will not occur now, etc." Bileam again repeats the same message using different words each time. He also repeats the message about the Messiah but describes him differently each time, i.e. "star" and "sceptre." Bileam also varies the expressions with which he describes the exploits of this Messiah, i.e. מחץ, "smites," and קרקר, "destroys." The entire prophecy concerns the Messiah and is best understood in light of Sanhedrin 98 where the Talmud discusses the meaning of the apparently contradictory prophecy בעתה אחישנה, "at its appointed time I will hasten it" (Isaiah 60,22). The Talmud explains that the timing of the arrival of the Messiah depends on the conduct of the Jewish people. If they merit it, G'd will accelerate His timetable; if not, the Messiah will arrive at the time appointed for this event originally, a time far into the future. The fact that we are already into the sixth millenium shows you that up until now G'd did not accelerate His timetable. Bileam speaks of two possible messianic scenarios. When Bileam speaks of אראנו, "I can see it," he refers to the scenario of אחישנה, "I will hasten it." While it does not occur now, it may occur relatively soon. After all, our sages said in Devarim Rabbah 2,23 that if the Israelites were to become truly penitent they will be redeemed immediately even if they had spent only a single day in exile. They base this on the verse: "G'd will answer you on the DAY you are in trouble" (Psalms 20,2). Concerning the possibility that the redemption will only occur at the predetermined time, Bileam said אשורנו ולא קרוב, "I behold it though it is not soon." He commences the substance of his prophecy with the words דרך כוכב, "a star will step forth."

2The fact that Bileam repeats both the description of the substance of the prophecy and the message itself in different words can also be understood by Sanhedrin 98. The sages draw a picture of the process of redemption due to Israel's merits as being quite different from what it would be like if it had to occur only in order to honour G'd's timetable. In the former event the whole process would be orchestrated by Heaven, one miracle would follow another. The Zohar volume 1 page 119 as well as volume 3 page 212 describes these miracles in detail. If the redemption occurs only as a result of G'd's timetable decreeing that it cannot be delayed any further, it will be quite different, such as the prophet Zachariah 9,9 describes in a vision of the redeemer as being a poor man, riding on the lowly donkey. When Bileam spoke of the arrival of the Messiah as a result of Israel's merits, he described his arrival as similar to that of a star, i.e. a celestial figure making a prominent appearance in the sky. When Bileam spoke of "there arises a sceptre in Jacob," he referred to the other alternative, i.e. the Messiah arriving at the end of time. The redemption will then appear as almost a natural event, devoid of the kind of miracles G'd performed when the Israelites came out of Egypt. Daniel had a similar vision (Daniel 4,14) "and the lowliest of men He will raise up over it." A poor man riding on a donkey will be elevated to become the Messiah.

3Although, at first glance we would have expected Bileam to associate the early redemption with Israel and the delayed redemption with Jacob instead of vice versa, Bileam is true to form in his vision. If even the average Israelite, i.e. "Jacob" is deserving then the redemption will occur ahead of the original timetable set for it. If, however, G'd has to fall back on the elite, i.e. "Israel" in order to bring the redemption, it will only occur at the pre-arranged time.

4Moreover, when Bileam describes the Messiah as a star emerging from Jacob, he refers to the Messiah who is the descendant of David, whereas when he speaks of the Messiah in terms of his being a sceptre rising out of Israel, this is a reference to the Messiah from the tribe of Ephrayim. Here again, Bileam suggests that there would not be a need for the Messiah from the tribe of Ephrayim [a concept of an interim Messiah who will actually be killed. Ed.] if the Israelites would merit redemption on the basis of their moral achievements rather than G'd's timetable. We are told in Sukkah 52 that the Messiah from the tribe of Ephrayim (if he has to come) would be killed by Romilus. Bileam here informed us that if the redemption will occur as a result of Israel's merits, then וקם שבט מישראל, then even the man destined to become the redeemer from the tribe of Ephrayim, וקם, "will remain alive, and will not be killed by Romilus." The sages who have formulated our prayers (compare Shaar Ha-amidah) have included the prayer לישועתך קוינו השם "we trust in YOUR salvation o G'd," as a means of asking G'd's mercy so that the redeemer from the tribe of Ephrayim should not be killed in battle.

5We can understand what Bileam meant when he described the Messiah as "smiting the corners of Moav" by reference to Bereshit Rabbah 44,23 where we are told that the extra three nations whose lands the Israelites would inherit in addition to that of the seven Canaanite nations, are Ammon, Moav and Edom. This is so although in the parlance of the covenant between the pieces in Genesis 15,18 G'd referred to them as Keyni, Kenizi and Kadmoni respectively. Bileam describes the Messiah as not only smiting Moav but as not even leaving a vestige, a corner of it. This is why he chose the word פאה to describe what would happen to Moav.

6Alternatively, Bileam may have alluded to the fact that King David would precede the Messiah by smiting the Moabites and reducing them in power so that all the Messiah would have to do would be a mop-up operation, removing the last vestiges, פאה, of them. Bileam added וקרקר כל בני שת, referring to the liquidation of the kingdom of Ammon. The reason he equated the Ammonites with the descendants of Sheth is because the very name of the Ammonites was a reminder of the shame, בשת, maybe read ב־שת, a reminder of the incest to which they owed their existence. Inasmuch as this will be the final destruction of that shameful experience, Bileam uses a stronger term for their destruction i.e. קרקר.

7It is also possible that Bileam refers to mankind as a whole, all of whom are descended from Sheth. Ammon is merely part of that group. The reason Bileam singled out only Moav by name amongst all the other nations whom the Messiah would destroy [maybe as nations, not individually, Ed.] was because they had sent for him and he was speaking to them and about them specifically.

8You may ask that G'd allocated to the Israelites only the lands of 10 nations, so why did Bileam speak about "all the descendants of Sheth?" Bileam provided the answer to this question when he continued והיה אדם ירשה, "that Edom shall be a possession." Inasmuch as the Edomites had established their rule over all of mankind, defeating Edom is equivalent to defeating all the descendants of Sheth. Bileam spoke of the collective term "descendants of Sheth," which does not mean that the concept of nations continuing to exist in the post-messianic era is excluded. Had Bileam said that the Messiah would מחץ, smite, "all the descendants of Sheth," we could have mistakenly concluded that all of mankind except for the Jews would be wiped out. Concerning all of mankind, Isaiah 65,20 says that they will all live to a ripe old age. [The prophet had previously described the new world order as including Gentiles. Ed.]