[Avodah] AN INSTANCE OF THE 7th KIND OF CONTRADICTION IN THE MOREH NEVUCHIM

[Toby Katz]

Another thing I forgot to mention is that according to Pirkei Avos,
the donkey's mouth (presumably means, its ability to speak) was one of
the things created on the Sixth Day just before Shabbos, along with the
sinkhole that swallowed Korach. (Was that also only a vision?) This
certainly seems to indicate the donkey was real, not just Bilam's
vision. For a donkey to speak in a dream requires no special alteration
of nature.

Also the donkey and the angel never exchanged any words. The donkey just
saw that there was something blocking its way, something that looked
like a man, I assume. Only Bilam and the donkey engaged in conversation,
and a most amusing conversation it was, I might add.

Oh and another thought. Bilam claimed to have the ability to destroy a
whole nation with the power of speech and yet he could not even boss
his donkey but had to hit it. This was supposed to embarrass him in
front of the bigshot muckety-mucks accompanying him, but if it was all
just a vision of his, then the other guys didn't even see anything,
and there was no embarrassment to Bilam. I guess you just can't combine
contradictory Shabbos table drashos. Pick one.

-Toby Katz
t613k at aol.com