Why did Balak think that this time Bil'am would succeed?
Seforno: He thought that perhaps the section of the people that Bil'am would now see would be more susceptible to curses than the previous one. 1
What are the connotations of "Vekaboso li mi'Sham"?
Rashi: It means 'You will 1 curse them for me there".
Rashi: It is a statement following the word "Ulai Yishar be'Einei ha'Elokim", not a command.
After Bil'am categorically informed Balak that Hashem blessed Yisrael and would not curse them, why did Balak persist with his request that Bil'am curse them?
Ramban (on Pasuk 24): Having accepted the fact that Yisrael were blessed and were destined to capture Eretz Cana'an, he hoped that he would still manage to deal them a blow 1 - as did Amalek 2 - or that he would be able to recapture the lands that had previously belonged to Mo'av, and that Yisrael had captured from Sichon. 3
