parshaמפרשי הפרשה

משך חכמה — בדבר בלעם

What was "דבר בלעם" that caused Israel to sin at בעל פעור (beyond his advice to Balak about prostitution per Rashi)?

דרכי התורה לבלתי סור מדרך התורה אף כמלוא שעל, וכל האומר הקב"ה ותרן — יותרו מעוהי. מה שאין כן בלעם אמר לישראל 'לא הביט און ביעקב' — אף אם חוטאים אין משים לב להם ואינו מענישם.

1 source · all verified

Opens as a working sheet — explore, annotate, and export.

Source 1 · Acharonim

Verified

משך חכמה

משך חכמה, מטות כ״ג

Meshekh Chokhmah, Mattot:23

Q — What was "דבר בלעם" that caused Israel to sin at בעל פעור (beyond his advice to Balak about prostitution per Rashi)?

A — It was a השקפת עולם that Bilam planted in Israel: "לא הביט און ביעקב" — Hashem ignores Israel's sins, as a friend doesn't quickly leave a friend ("ותרועת מלך בו" = רֵעוּת). His proof: at the Exodus both Egyptians and Israel were idolaters, yet Hashem saved Israel. This complacent theology — that deeds don't really affect the relationship — is the "החליק לשון" of Mishlei 28:23, the very ideology that enabled Pe'or; against it the Torah holds: "לבלתי סור מדרך התורה אף כמלוא שעל."

Full text on Sefaria ↗

Related sheets

Halachaהלכה

Intention and Vain Blessings in Hearing

This collection examines whether one may listen to a blessing without intention, whether such listening constitutes fulfillment of an obligation, and the halakhic status of hearing a vain blessing. The sources address the relationship between the speaker's intention, the listener's intention, and the validity of fulfilling obligations through hearing.

View Sources24 sources

Halachaהלכה

Immersion of China Dishes in Jewish Law

Sources address whether china dishes require ritual immersion (tevila) when purchased from non-Jews, how they are classified relative to glass and metal vessels, and whether a blessing is recited during the process. The halacha derives from biblical precedent and rabbinic elaboration on purifying vessels.

View Sources17 sources

Halachaהלכה

Marit Ayin: The Appearance of Impropriety

These sources explore marit ayin (the appearance of wrongdoing), a foundational rabbinic principle requiring Jews to avoid actions that might create suspicion of transgression, even when technically permitted. The sources range from Talmudic discussions of idolatry and Shabbat observance to practical rulings on kashrut, grounded in the biblical imperative to be 'clean before God and before Israel.'

View Sources14 sources

Mitzvotמצוות

Commandments in Parshat Pinchas

Pinchas

Parshat Pinchas contains several major mitzvot, including laws of inheritance (particularly the daughters of Zelophehad's case), daily and additional sacrificial offerings, and the festival sacrifices. These sources examine both the practical halakhic requirements and their spiritual significance across rabbinic and medieval Jewish tradition.

View Sources12 sources

Halachaהלכה

Tevilah Requirements for Metal Vessels

Sources discuss which metal vessels purchased from non-Jews require immersion in a mikveh before use. The foundational Talmudic passage derives this obligation from the Midian narrative, while later codes specify the types of metals and vessels covered by the requirement.

View Sources11 sources

Tanakhתנ״ך

The Fate of the Ten Lost Tribes

These sources trace the biblical account of the Assyrian exile of the northern Israelite tribes and explore rabbinic, medieval, and mystical perspectives on their current whereabouts and future restoration. They range from historical accounts of deportation to theological debates about whether the tribes will ever return.

View Sources10 sources

Explore more

Intention and Vain Blessings in Hearing Immersion of China Dishes in Jewish Law Marit Ayin: The Appearance of Impropriety

Find sources for your own idea