[Avodah] BALAK "JACOB'S TENTS, ISRAEL'S DWELLING PLACES, MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD"

[Cantor Wolberg]

"How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your dwelling places, O Israel." [Num. 24:5]
 
Why the repetition?  What does each of these terms [tents and dwelling places] represent?  And furthermore, why is the first appellation used "Jacob" and the second one "Israel?"  In addition to the sensitivity and modesty demonstrated by the arrangement of the tents and camps, the Sages (Sanhedrin 105b) expound that these terms refer to the habitats of Israel's spiritual heritage.  Tents (Ohalecha), alludes to the study halls, and dwelling places (Mishk'nosecha), which is related to Shechinah, or God's presence, alludes to the synagogues and Temples (Sforno).
 
Rav Kook has a novel interpretation. He says that the verse, which mentions tents first, reflects a lower level and hence, uses the name Jacob, the first and lesser name.  However, the verse which mentions dwelling second, reflects a higher level. Thus, it uses the name Israel, Jacob's second and more elevated name. The reason Rav Kook considers "tents" to reflect a lower level and "dwelling places" a higher level is because the tent is inherently connected to the state of traveling. It corresponds to the aspiration for continual change and growth. The dwelling is also part of the journey, but is associated with the rests between travels. It is the soul's sense of calm, resting from the constant movement, for the sake of the overall mission (sort of a parallel to Shabbos).
 
I delved into the gematria aspect of this and came up with some heavy, mystical stuff.  The gematria for "Ohalecha Ya-akov" (your tents O Jacob) is 248.  There are 248 positive mitzvot. The word 'Avraham' and 'bamidbar' (In the wilderness) is also 248, as is the phrase 'Kol Adonai Elohim' (the voice or sound  of Hashem, God). The word 'romach' (spear) is also 248.  Now to tie all this together-- Balaam had intended, in a manner of speaking, to use a 'spear' to harm the Jewish people and curse them 'in the wilderness.'  However 'the voice of Hashem, God' caused Balaam to turn the negative to the positive, (symbolized by the 248 positive mitzvos). Thus when Balaam said "How goodly are your tents O Jacob," he was blessing the Jewish people completely right from 'Abraham.' 
 
The gematria for "Mishk'nosecha Yisrael" (Your dwelling places, O Israel) is 1,381.  As Rav Kook said, this part of the verse was on a higher level.  In Gen: verse 25 (last part) and verse 26 (first part) we have: "Vayar Elohim ki tov. Vayomer Elohim na-a-seh Adam b'tzalmeinue" ("And God saw that it was good. And God said: "Let us make man in Our image..."). The gematria for this is also 1,381 as is the word "Ha-ashtaroth" (the principal Phoenician goddess, the consort of their chief male deity, Baal). Though Balaam was steeped in idolatry ("Ha-ashtaroth"), when he pronounced the second part of the phrase, ("mishk'nosecha Yisroel") God 'saw that it was good.' And so, the "image of God" wins out! 
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