Balaam[1], after receiving what he interprets as Divine Approval, goes to Moab to curse the Jews. Balaam is no ordinary person and his curse is no ordinary curse. The Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin [106a] teaches that his powers of prophecy rivalled those of Moshe, the greatest prophet who ever lived. Balaam had the capacity to wipe out the Jewish People with one word[2]. He wakes up the next morning, has a cup of coffee, and sets out on his journey [Bemidbar 22:22]: “Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey and departed with the Moabite dignitaries.” G-d, knowing precisely what Balaam is up to, is not pleased [Bemidbar 22:23]: “G-d was incensed at his going; so an angel of G-d took an adversarial position in his way. He was riding on his donkey, with his two servants alongside.”

If these words seem like déjà vu, then you have a good memory. When Abraham takes Isaac to Mount Moriah to offer him up as a sacrifice (akeida), the Torah uses nearly identical words [Bereishit 22:3]: “Abraham arose early the next morning, saddled his donkey and took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and he set out for the place of which G-d had told him.” Both Abraham and Balaam wake up in the morning. Both take with them two servants. Both saddle their own donkeys, even though they have servants for that sort of thing. Their actions are as similar as their missions are disparate. And yet, a closer look reveals a number of striking differences:

Abraham “woke up early (vayash’kem) in the morning”. Balaam merely “woke up (vaya’kom) in the morning”.

Abraham takes two servants before he grabs Isaac. This in and of itself is odd, as Isaac is the reason he is going to Mount Moriah in the first place. He should have taken him first. Balaam, on the other hand, takes his two servants almost as an afterthought.

Abraham takes a male donkey (chamor) while Balaam takes a female donkey (aton)[3].

Rashi[4] is sensitive to the first dissimilarity. He asserts that both men woke up early because they were so excited about the action they were........

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