There never arose philosophers the likes of Balaam son of Beor (Eichah Rabbah Pesikta 2).

An evil eye, a haughty spirit, and a lusting soul are signs of the disciples of the wicked Balaam (Pirkei Avot 5:22).

Balaam was granted prophecy for the benefit of Israel (Vayikra Rabbah 1:12).

"Those who bless you are blessed, and those who curse you are cursed" (Numbers 24:9). Since Balaam was an enemy, he began with a blessing and ended with a curse, for the ending is more significant than the beginning (Bereishit Rabbah 66:4).

There are few more curious Biblical tableaus than that of Balaam riding a reluctant donkey on the hills of Israel in order to curse the Jewish settlers. Curious and hilarious, as the donkey not only disobeys Balaam’s command to "stay the course," but seems to perceive, more than this cunningly brilliant and deceptive prophet, God’s miraculous handiwork. Balaam is even orally reprimanded by this beast of burden, who retorts maternally to Balaam’s threats, asking if her lifelong service to her master meant anything at all to him. "Am I not your she-donkey that you have ridden all your life until this day?" she brayed (Num.22:30).

What the donkey had seen was none other than the angel of the Lord blocking the passageway with a drawn sword. Balaam’s eyes were closed to this phenomenon, but eventually he is enlightened. It is all part of Divinity’s plan, an angry Divinity, who is furious that Balaam has agreed to carry out Balak’s, King of Moab, plan to curse the Israelites. Although portrayed as a fool and generationally identified with the talking donkey, Balaam is perceived rabbinically as the last of the prophets of the gentile nations who received revelation from the Holy One, and surpassed Moses in the wisdom of sorcery (Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu Rabbah 28).

Not unlike the episode of the Pharaoh, the more belligerent Balaam becomes, the greater the demonstration of God’s might and the evil prophet’s weakness. He becomes a tool of the Almighty, reversing the curses of Balak into Israel’s most glorious blessings. Like the most humble penitent, the prophet utters blessings that are so praiseworthy the Sages fixed them permanently in the daily liturgy. The Lord wanted these sublime utterances to come to Israel through the agency of the wicked and immoral Balaam, so that all the world would know that everyone was helpless to harm Israel against God’s will. Despite himself, Balaam becomes God’s vessel of religious steadfastness, as he declaims: "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob" (Num. 24:5). The rabbis understand this sentence as a reference to Israel’s synagogues and houses of study. Sent to presage victory for the arrogant King of Moab, Balaam ends his prophetic career with a paean to the greatest glory of our people, our liturgical and intellectual inheritance.