What did Bil'am mean when he praised ?the tents of Ya'akov??
Rashi #1: He was referring to the fact that the entrances of their tents did not face one another. 1
Rashi #2 (citing Targum Onkelos): Bil'am was praising 'the Mishkan' and their 'encampments', 2
Rashi #3 (in Pasuk 6, citing Sanhedrin, 105a): From the B'rachos that Bil'am blessed Yisrael we can extrapolate what he had in mind to curse them 3 - that they should not have Batei Keneisiyos and Batei-Midrashos ... ', 4 only Hashem turned the curses that he wanted to confer upon Yisrael into B'rachos. 5
Ramban (on Pasuk 6): "Ohalecha" is referring to the firmness of their tents when they first entered Eretz Yisrael, and "Mishkenosecha" to their houses after they captured and inherited the land.
Seforno: He was referring to their tents of Torah, their Batei-Midrash. 6
Targum Yonasan: He was referring to their Batei-Midrash, in which Ya'akov dwelled, 7 and the Mishkan.
Rashi (Ibid.): Mishkan Shiloh and the Beis-ha'Mikdash, whilst they were standing.
Sanhedrin 105b: Similarly, he wanted to curse them that the Shechinah should not rest on them - he said "Mishkenosecha Yisrael"; that their kingdom should not last ? "ki'Nechalim Nitayu" (Pasuk 6); that they should not have olives and vineyards - "ke'Ganos alei Nahar"; that they should not have a pleasant aroma - "ka'Ahalim Nata Hashem"; that they should not have kings of great stature - "ka'Arazim alei Mayim;" that they should not have a king the son of a king (hereditary kingship) ? "Yizal Mayim mi'Dalyo" (Pasuk 7); that they should not rule over other nations - "ve'Zar'o be'Mayim Rabim"; that their kingdom should not be brazen - "ve'Yarom me'Agag Malko"; that their kingdom should not rise - "ve'Sinasei Malchuso." Refer also to 24:6:1.1:1 and note.
In order to break the connection between Yisrael and the Shechinah - See Sifsei Chachamim. See also Rashi in Ta'anis, 29a.
Sanhedrin, 105b: And all of them reverted to K'lalos, with the exception of the current one - "Mah Tovu ... ". Indeed, the Batei Keneisiyos and Batei-Midrashos have been the linchpin of our existence throughout the Galus up to the present day.
Seforno: As in Toldos Bereishis, 9:26 & Toldos Bereishis, 25:27.
Targum Yonasan: See Toldos Bereishis, 25:27.
How do we know that all the curses reerted to curses except for the curse inherent in ?Mah Tovu Ohalecha Ya?akov??
Sanhedrin, 105b: From the Pasuk in Ki Seitzeei Devarim 22:6 ?Vayahafoch Hashem Elokecha es ha?Kelalah (singular) li?Verachah? ? implying that, exept for one, 1 Hashem left all the K?lalos intact.
See Torah Temimah, note 9.
What is "Mishkenosecha" referring to?
Rashi #1 (citing Targum Onkelos): It refers to their encampments.
Rashi #2: It refers to the Batei-Mikdash. Which will be taken away from them as a security, 1 to atone for their sins. 2
Ramban (on Pasuk 7): Refer to 24:5:1:3.
Seforno: It refers to the Batei Keneisiyos and the Batei-Mikdash 3 in which Hashem rests His Name and where He answers the Tefilos of those who pray there. 4
Targum Yonasan: It refers to the Ohel Mo?ed - surrounded by the residences of Yisrael'.
Since "Mishkan" (alias Mikdash) has connotations of 'Mashkon' - a security.
Rashi: as the Pasuk indicates in Eichah, 4:11.
See also Ba'al ha'Turim.
Seforno: Which are good, not only for those who frequent them, but for the entire nation.
The Gemara says in Sanhedrin 105b, that all Bil'am's B'rachos turned into be curses, except for "Mah Tovu Ohalecha." What makes this B'rachah different?
Kli Yakar (in Devarim 23:6): Everything that Bil'am wanted to curse (such as 'their kingdom should not last' - Refer to 24:5:1:6*), he saw them in Yisrael's astrology. Hashem changes the Ma'arachah (the arrangement of the stars) to help Yisrael only if there is no other way. For exsmple, the star 'Ra'ah' was destined to come against them, indicating blood; Hashem switched it to Dam Milah. All his intended curses, there was no way to fulfill the 'decree' without harming Yisrael, so Hashem needed to suppress the Ma'arachah. When Yisrael sinned, and had no merit against the Ma'arachah, they returned to be curses. However, not to have Batei Kenesiyos could be fulfilled; "Mishkenosecha" ? they were a Mashkon (security) for their sin. It was better that Hashem destroy the Mikdash, and not Yisrael! Therefore, that curse itself was a Brachah ? "Mah Tovu", that they save Yisrael. Therefore, it remained a Brachah even after Yisrael sinned.
