Balak 24:06 · EXTRA 1 — like valleys stretched out

Parashas Balak · EXTRA · Passuk 24:6 · continuation of inverted-curse chain

The Complete Passuk

כִּנְחָלִ֣ים נִטָּ֔יוּ כְּגַנֹּת֙ עֲלֵ֣י נָהָ֔ר כַּאֲהָלִים֙ נָטַ֣ע יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּאֲרָזִ֖ים עֲלֵי־מָֽיִם׃

Like valleys stretched out, like gardens by a river, like aloes planted by Hashem, like cedars beside waters.

Source Citation

Sanhedrin 105b (continuation of the Mah Tovu chain already on main ring) — each image blocks a specific intended curse.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 105b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
בִּקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא תִּהְיֶה מַלְכוּתָם נִמְשֶׁכֶת — אָמַר כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ; בִּקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא יִהְיֶה לָהֶם זֵיתִים וּכְרָמִים — אָמַר כְּגַנּוֹת עֲלֵי נָהָר; בִּקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא יְהֵא רֵיחָן נוֹדֵף — אָמַר כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע ה׳; בִּקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא יִהְיוּ לָהֶם מְלָכִים בַּעֲלֵי קוֹמָה — אָמַר כַּאֲרָזִים עֲלֵי מָיִם.

English: He wished to say that their kingdom would not endure — [instead] he said, “like valleys stretched out”; he wished to say they would have no olives or vineyards — [instead] “like gardens by a river”; he wished to say their fragrance would not spread — [instead] “like aloes planted by Hashem”; he wished to say they would have no tall kings — [instead] “like cedars beside waters.”

Type of Learning

Continuation of the forced-blessing inversion of each intended curse.

What Is Learned

Every image in 24:6 is a blocked curse — the landscape of blessing is the map of what Bilam meant to destroy.