Balak 22:21 · unit 1 — hatred cancels rank

Parashas Balak · Aliyah 3 · Passuk 21 · TT unit 1

The Complete Passuk

וַיָּ֤קָם בִּלְעָם֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַֽיַּחֲבֹ֖שׁ אֶת־אֲתֹנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ עִם־שָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָֽב׃

And Bilam rose in the morning and saddled his she-donkey, and went with the princes of Moav.

Chabad.org — 22:21

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: Sanhedrin 105b — in the name of R. Shimon ben Elazar: hatred cancels the line of greatness.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 105b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תָּנֵי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: שִׂנְאָה מְבַטֶּלֶת שׁוּרָה שֶׁל גְּדוּלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיָּקָם בִּלְעָם וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת אֲתֹנוֹ״.

English: It was taught in the name of R. Shimon ben Elazar: Hatred cancels the rank of greatness, as it is said, “And Bilam rose and saddled his she-donkey.”

Type of Learning

Behavioral inference from a detail the verse need not have recorded.

What Is Learned

A man of status saddles his own animal when hatred drives him — rank does not restrain the rush to harm.