Balak 23:23 · unit 2 — not like a serpent

Parashas Balak · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 23 · TT unit 2

The Complete Passuk

כִּ֣י לֹא־נַ֔חַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹ֖ב וְלֹא־קֶ֣סֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כָּעֵ֗ת יֵאָמֵ֤ר לְיַעֲקֹב֙ וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מַה־פָּ֖עַל אֵֽל׃

For there is no divination in Yaakov, and no sorcery in Israel; in due time it is said to Yaakov and to Israel what God has wrought.

Chabad.org — 23:23

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: Nedarim 32a — Ahava son of R. Zeira: one who is not like a serpent is admitted to a partition even angels cannot enter.

Sefaria — Nedarim 32a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תָּנָא אַהֲבָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי זֵירָא: כָּל אָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּנָחָשׁ מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ בִּמְחִצָּה שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֵין יְכוֹלִין לִכָּנֵס לְתוֹכָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל אֵל״.

English: Ahava son of R. Zeira taught: Any person who is not like a serpent is brought into a partition that even ministering angels cannot enter, as it is said, “For there is no divination in Yaakov… in due time it is said to Yaakov and to Israel what God has wrought.”

Type of Learning

Aggadic elevation of those free of divination.

What Is Learned

Freedom from sorcery is not only a national trait — the individual who rejects the serpent’s ways is admitted to a domain beyond the angels.