Tous ceux qui possèdent ces trois attributs sont des disciples de notre père Abraham; et (tous ceux qui possèdent) trois autres attributs sont des disciples du méchant Bilam: (S'il possède) un bon œil et un esprit humble et une âme humble, il est des disciples de notre père Abraham. [Il a appris de lui et a marché dans ses voies: "Un bon œil"— se contentant de ce qu'il a et ne désirant pas la richesse des autres, comme nous le trouvons avec Abraham, qui dit au roi de Sodome (Genèse 14:22): "Rien — d'un fil à un loquet de sandale (je garderai pour moi, et je ne prendrai rien de ce qui est à vous. "" Et un esprit humble " —une humilité extrême, comme nous le trouvons chez Abraham, à savoir. (Ibid. 18:27): "et je suis poussière et cendre"; "et une âme humble"—vigilance et séparation de la luxure, comme nous le trouvons avec Abraham, à savoir. (Ibid. 12:11: "Voici, je sais maintenant que vous êtes une belle femme," n'ayant pas été consciente de sa beauté à cause de sa grande modestie.] (S'il possède) un mauvais œil, un esprit hautain et un Âme "large", il fait partie des disciples du méchant Bilam. [Bilam avait "un mauvais œil", sachant que c'était mal aux yeux du L rd pour lui d'aller à Balak, mais allant de toute façon pour le bien de récompense, c'est-à-dire (Nombres 22:18): "Si Balak me donne sa maison pleine d'argent et d'or, etc."; "et un esprit hautain" (disant de lui-même) (Ibid. 24:16): "Le discours de l'auditeur des paroles du Tout-Puissant et du connaisseur de la connaissance du Très-Haut ";" et d'une âme "large". "Car s'il n'avait pas été excessivement lubrique, il n'aurait pas conseillé d'abandonner les filles de Moav Et nos sages ont dit (Sanhédrin 105a): "Bilam vivait avec son âne."] Quelle est la différence entre les disciples de notre père Abraham et les disciples du méchant Bilam? Les disciples de notre père Abraham mangent dans ce monde et hériter du monde à venir, comme il est écrit (Proverbes 8:21): "J'ai beaucoup à léguer à Mes amants [dans le monde à venir], et je remplirai leurs réserves [dans ce monde].]" [Abraham est appelé un "amant" à savoir. (Esaïe 41: 8): "la postérité d'Abraham, mon amant."] Mais les disciples du méchant Bilam héritent de Gehinnom et descendent au gouffre de la destruction, comme il est écrit (Psaumes 55:24): "Et toi, Ô D.ieu, les abaissera au gouffre de la destruction. Les hommes de sang versé [(par exemple, Bilam, qui par son conseil a tué vingt-quatre mille Israéliens)] et la tromperie ne diviseront pas par deux leurs jours, mais je me fierai en toi. "
Bartenura
From the students of Abraham, our father: He has learned from him and walks in his ways.
A good eye: We have explained many times that the matter of a good eye is sufficing and [that] a small appetite is carefulness and [that] a humble spirit is extreme humility as was explained in the chapter before this one (Rambam on Pirkei Avot 4:4). And the three [negative traits] that correspond to them are zeal to acquire money and that is an evil eye, and much desire and that is a broad appetite and arrogance and that is a haughty spirit. And these three virtues are publicized in Abraham, our father. And because of this, anyone who is found to have these virtues is called one of the students of Abraham, our father - as he followed his traits. And anyone within whom is found these three vices is of the students of Bilaam the evildoer - as he followed his traits. And I will mention the places in which are elucidated these virtues in Abraham and these vices in Bilaam, and they are all found in the Torah. Indeed, the sufficing of Abraham is in his saying to the king of Sedom (Genesis 14:23), "If from a thread to a sandal strap, and if I take from any of what is yours, etc." And that is the epitome of sufficing - that a man leave much money and not benefit from it, even a little bit. But his caution is his saying to Sarah on the day they came to Egypt (Genesis 12:11), "Behold, I have known that you are a woman of beautiful appearance." And the explanation comes that he did not fully look at her form besides that day - and that is the epitome of carefulness. And [it is also shown] in his saying about Hagar after he married her (Genesis 16:6), " Behold, your maidservant is in your hands - do to her as is good in your eyes." [This] shows that he did not wish to enjoy himself with her. And so [too] when Sarah requested from him to expel her with Yishmael such that he would be prevented from inclining towards [Hagar] for sexual matters, the verse testifies that it was only bad in his eyes about Yishmael, and that is its stating (Genesis 21:11), "And the matter was very bad in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son." These are all signs of carefulness. And, indeed, his humility is his stating (Genesis 18:27), "and I am dust and ashes." And Bilaam the evildoer's zeal for money was publicized and that is his coming from Aram Naharaim for the sake of the money with which he was hired to curse Israel. And that is His, may He be blessed, stating (Deuteronomy 23:5), "since he hired against you Balaam son of Beor, etc." And, indeed, his great desire in sexual matters is the reason for his advice to Balak that he set loose the women to be promiscuous with [the men of] Israel and to place known harlots [in front of them]. As were it not for the great desire that he had and that harlots were good in his eyes, he would not have commanded this - since the commands of people are only according to their opinions. As the good will not command to [do] evil, but will rather warn against it. And the language of Scripture (Numbers 31:16) is "They are the very ones against the children of Israel by the word of Bilaam, etc." And the sages said (Sanhedrin 105a) [that] Bilaam had sexual relations with his donkey. And there is no doubt about it that one with such an opinion will have actions [like] this. And indeed, his arrogance is his stating (Numbers 24:16), "Speaks the one who hears the words of God." And indeed that which it brought a proof about Bilaam from its stating (Psalms 55:24), "And You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; the people of blood, etc." - [its] explanation is [that it is] because he was a man of blood - as he was the cause of the Israelites' death in the plague; and he was also a man of deceit in his creating a machination to bring about the evil. And its bringing a proof about the students of Abraham from its stating (Proverbs 8:21), "There is what for those that love Me to inherit, and their treasuries will I fill" is like that which He called him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Abraham, the one I love."
EXPANSIVE SOUL. Rav: were he not possessed by desire, he would not have advised Balak to have the daughters of Moab prostitute themselves.Rambam: for a person only orders done that which is in accordance with his thoughts. Good people do not order wicked things done, they warn others against doing them. And the Torah says, “they were the ones who, upon Balaam’s advice, induced the Israelites to betray G-d” (Numbers 31:16).