Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 23:1/רמב"ן על במדבר כ״ג:א׳
אשִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחוֹת – רָמַז בָּזֶה ר״א סוֹד עָמֹק. וְהִנֵּה בִּלְעָם רָצָה לְדָבְקָה אֵלָיו הָרָצוֹן מֵאֵת ה' בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, וְלָכֵן הֶעֱלָה עוֹלוֹת מִסְפַּר כֻּלָּם, וְרָצָה שֶׁיִּתְעַסֵּק בָּלָק עַצְמוֹ בָּהֶם. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר ״וַיַּעַל בָּלָק וּבִלְעָם פַּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ״, זֶה שׁוֹחֵט וְזֶה זוֹרֵק. וְטַעַם ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֶת שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת עָרַכְתִּי״ (במדבר כ״ג:ד׳) דֶּרֶךְ תְּפִלָּה, כְּאוֹמֵר: עָרַכְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מִזְבֵּחַ שָׁלֵם בְּקָרְבָּן שָׁלֵם, יַעֲלוּ עַל רָצוֹן מִזְבְּחֶךָ, כְּעִנְיַן שֶׁיֹּאמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״יִזְכֹּר כָּל מִנְחוֹתֶיךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה״ (תהלים כ ד), וְיֹאמַר: ״עוֹלוֹת מֵחִים אַעֲלֶה לָּךְ עִם קְטֹרֶת אֵילִים, אֶעֱשֶׂה בָקָר עִם עַתּוּדִים סֶלָה״ (שם סו טו), וְכֵן בִּמְקוֹמוֹת רַבִּים. וְטַעַם הַיְדִיעָה כְּבָר זְכָרָהּ ר״א. וְהִנֵּה בַּסּוֹף כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא רָצָה לָלֶכֶת לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים, לֹא רָצָה בִּלְעָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּלָק מַעֲלֶה בְּקָרְבְּנוֹתָיו שֶׁלֹּא יְפַגֵּל בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ, וּלְכָךְ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״וַיַּעַל פָּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ״ (במדבר כ״ג:ל׳), וְיִרְמוֹז לְבִלְעָם הַנִּזְכָּר. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁבָּלָק הֶעֱלָה אוֹתָם, כִּי לְפַיֵּס דַּעְתּוֹ עָשָׂה כֵן, וְהוּא לֹא הָיָה עוֹד חָפֵץ בָּהֶם:
1SEVEN ALTARS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra alluded here to a profound secret.106 Now Balaam wanted that the Will of G-d should cleave to him through these sacrifices, and therefore he offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all,107 and wanted that Balak should occupy himself personally in [offering] them. Therefore Scripture states, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram,108 the one slaughtering [them], and the other sprinkling the blood [upon the altar]. And the meaning of [Balaam’s words], I have prepared the seven altars109 is by way of prayer, as if he were saying: “I have prepared for You the perfect [number of] altars with the perfect [number of] sacrifices;110 may they come up with acceptance on Your altar,”111 this being similar to that which Scripture says: Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-offering,112 and it also states, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah,113, 66:15. and so also in many places. And the meaning of the definite article [in ‘hamizbechoth’ — ‘the’ seven altars] — Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has already mentioned.106 Now in the end when Balaam no longer wanted to meet with enchantments,114 he did not want Balak to participate in the bringing of the sacrifices, in order that he should not cause them to be rejected on account of his [improper] intention; and therefore Scripture said: and ‘he’ offered up a bullock and a ram,115 [the singular pronoun] referring to Balaam mentioned [previously at the end of that verse: And Balak did as Balaam had said, and he offered up a bullock and a ram].115 It is possible, however, that Balak [and not Balaam] offered them up, for he [Balak] did it to appease his [own] mind, while he [Balaam] no longer desired these sacrifices.