tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7186734097245460670.post850487181072984173..comments2024-03-08T23:57:17.923+02:00Comments on Achas L'Maala V'Sheva L'Matta: What Nationality was on Ruth's Teudat Zehut? - Parsha Challenge: Parshat Ki TeitzeiYechezkel Hirshmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18417734718880643428noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7186734097245460670.post-23976966024050764332008-09-09T14:14:00.000+03:002008-09-09T14:14:00.000+03:00Interesting question. I don't know of any commenta...Interesting question. I don't know of any commentary that addresses it. Two possibilities come to mind, but you may well have a much better one:<BR/><BR/>1) These are separate midrashim that are not meant to be harmonized.<BR/><BR/>2) While that was his Balak's origin, at the time of the Biblical command, he was already joined to Moav, such that while he was descended from Midian and the people of Moav might question his credentials, his nationality at the time of the command would encompass anyone that had joined the nation of Moav up to that point.<BR/><BR/>Indeed, the psukim themselves relate the hiring of Bilaam to the prohibition:<BR/>לֹא-יָבֹא עַמּוֹנִי וּמוֹאָבִי, בִּקְהַל יְהוָה: גַּם דּוֹר עֲשִׂירִי, לֹא-יָבֹא לָהֶם בִּקְהַל יְהוָה עַד-עוֹלָם. ה עַל-דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא-קִדְּמוּ אֶתְכֶם, בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמַּיִם, בַּדֶּרֶךְ, בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם; וַאֲשֶׁר שָׂכַר עָלֶיךָ אֶת-בִּלְעָם בֶּן-בְּעוֹר, מִפְּתוֹר אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם--לְקַלְלֶךָּ. ו וְלֹא-אָבָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל-בִּלְעָם, וַיַּהֲפֹךְ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְּךָ אֶת-הַקְּלָלָה, לִבְרָכָה: כִּי אֲהֵבְךָ, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ. ז לֹא-תִדְרֹשׁ שְׁלֹמָם, וְטֹבָתָם, כָּל-יָמֶיךָ, לְעוֹלָם<BR/><BR/>and if it says וַאֲשֶׁר שָׂכַר עָלֶיךָ אֶת-בִּלְעָם בֶּן-בְּעוֹר, מִפְּתוֹר אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם--לְקַלְלֶךָּ, it would be exceptionally surprising for Balak, who was in charge of the actual hiring, not to be included in this prohibition on Moav in general.<BR/><BR/>Kol Tuv,<BR/>Joshjoshwaxmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149022516101476797noreply@blogger.com