Balaam was a pagan prophet who possessed the ability to communicate with impure evil forces. Balak, the king of Moab, sought Balaam's assistance in cursing the Israelites because he saw them as a threat to his kingdom. Balaam consulted with G-d about whether he should accompany Balak's messengers, G-d explicitly warned him not to curse the Israelites because they were blessed. However, Balaam persisted and sought to find a way to satisfy his own desires for reward honor, and prestige. This highlights Balaam's arrogance, the use of witchcraft, and a lack of respect for G-d's guidance.
Balaam's practice of sorcery and divination is evident in his initial interactions with Balak's messengers. Balaam was known for his abilities in sorcery which involved seeking supernatural guidance through spiritual evil means and impure energies. He was also known for his ability to curse people.
The story of Balaam cautions about the dangers of sorcery and other evil forces. It teaches us that we should not use our powers for evil, but only for good. There are many different types of sorcery practiced today, all of which, are prohibited according to the 7 Noahide laws. Everything that incorporates elements of witchcraft, magic, nature worship, crystals, chaos magic, and any other forms of magic, each of which, is not permitted.
Balaam attempted to curse the Israelites multiple times, but each time, G-d intervened and turned his curses into blessings. Despite Balaam's intentions to harm the Israelites, his prophetic utterances were ultimately used by G-d to affirm the blessings and protection bestowed upon the Israelites. The final redemption is described in this Torah portion. This represents the transformation of Balaam's evil to the light and ultimate good of the coming final redemption.
Rabbi Moshe Bernstein is a writer and a Community Rabbi in Netanya, Israel. He believes in making connections between the Jewish People and the Noahides worldwide in order to share and enhance the knowledge of the Torah's Universal Code for Humanity and fulfill Isaiah's Prophecy 11:9 " And the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the oceans".