Study Sanhedrin folio 106A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
replenishes itself, as if it is cut another grows, and its roots are numerous. And even if all the winds that are in the world come and gust against it, they do not move it from its place and uproot it. Rather, it goes and comes with the winds. And once the winds subside the reed remains in its plac
But Balaam the wicked blessed them with a cedar. There is an aspect of curse in that blessing, as he was saying they will be just like a cedar that does not stand in a place near water, and its roots are few relative to its height, and its trunk does not replenish itself, as if it is cut it does no
§ It is stated with regard to Balaam: “And he looked at the Kenite and he took up his parable and said: Though firm is your dwelling place, and though your nest be set in rock” (Numbers 24:21). Balaam said to Yitro: Kenite, were you not in Egypt with us in that counsel to drown the newborn males of
The Talmud comments: And that is what R' Ḥiyya bar Abba says that R' Simai says: 3 were associates in that counsel, and they are: Balaam, Job, and Yitro. Balaam, who advised to drown the newborn males, was killed. Job, who was silent and was reluctant to express his opinion, was sentenced to suffer
With regard to the verse: “And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, he who lives from what God has appointed him” (Numbers 24:23), R' Shimon ben Lakish says: Woe unto one who sustains himself in an indulgent manner in the name of God, i.e., Balaam, whose livelihood was from speaking in the name