[Avodah] Balak "Who's the Real Jackass"

[Cantor Wolberg via Avodah]

1) Balaam advocates the destruction of an entire people.  He is a hired gun (or mouth) who has exploited his prophetic gift and is willing to help implement a genocide for the right price.  
This type of individual has separated himself from all people, hence, this position of his is coded in his very name Balaam, "B'li Am," "without a people." 
 
2) Both Abraham and Balaam arise early and mount their donkeys.  However, Abraham's donkey is referred to as "chamor," while Balaam's is called an "aton.”  
Why the difference?  Rabbi Ari Kahn points out that "chamor" (physical) suggests that Abraham transcends and harnesses the donkey - a symbol of the physical.  
But Balaam is seen no better than his donkey, therefore his donkey speaks to him -- the inference being that Balaam has descended to an animalistic level, 
and that is the symbolism of the donkey talking to him. 
 
I see it as "chamor" in the sense of "heavy" referring to Abraham, since he carries so much more weight than Balaam. On the other hand, Balaam's donkey is called “aton,” 
very similar to the word "etnan" which means a "harlot's pay” — quitet fascinating since Balaam prostituted himself with the intention of fulfilling Balak's request.


"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”
Albert Einstein
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