Balak 22:28 · EXTRA 2 — Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey

Parashas Balak · EXTRA side-ring · Passuk 22:28 · Pirkei Avos / Midrash

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּפְתַּ֥ח יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־פִּ֣י הָאָת֑וֹן וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לְבִלְעָם֙ מֶה־עָשִׂ֣יתִי לְךָ֔ כִּ֣י הִכִּיתַ֔נִי זֶ֖ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים׃

And Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bilam: What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?

Avos 5:6 — the mouth of the donkey was created at twilight on the eve of Shabbos.

Core Text

עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: ... וּפִי הָאָתוֹן...

English: Ten things were created on the eve of Shabbos at twilight, and these are they: … and the mouth of the donkey…

Placement of the miracle among the twilight creations.

The speaking donkey is not an improvisation of the moment — it was prepared from the six days of creation for this confrontation.