Did Bilaam's donkey (aton) really talk?

Maimonides insists that several incidents in the Torah which seem out of the ordinary, are in fact allegorical—they really didn’t occur.  Among these incidents are: the episode when the three angels visit Avraham (Abraham), (Genesis 18) the wrestling between Yaacov (Jacob) and the mysterious man, (Genesis 32) as well as the talking of Bilaam’s donkey in this week’s portion. (Numbers 22)  All of these episodes were visions seen by Avraham, Yaacov and Bilaam.

Nachmanides disagrees.  He maintains that each of these events actually did take place.  In a strong critique of Maimonides, Nachmanides wonders—if the wrestling of Yaacov (Jacob) and the mysterious man was allegorical, why then did Yaacov leave the fray physically injured and limping?  (Nachmanides, Genesis 18:1)

Interestingly, Abarbanel of the fifteenth century argued that in effect, Yaacov’s limping was psychosomatic.  So engrossed was he in the vision of the fight, that it affected his psyche.  He, therefore, exited, injured in the thigh.

Even if one maintains that these events were allegorical, there are deep messages that they intend to teach.  In Avraham’s case, the incident with the angels teaches the importance of visiting the sick and welcoming strangers.  In Yaacov’s case, the importance of standing strong despite one’s adversaries is learned.  But what is the message of Bilaam’s talking donkey?

Bilaam was a profoundly gifted man, having been endowed with a great ability to speak.  Commenting on the words, “there has arisen no prophet in Israel like Moshe” (Moses-Deuteronomy 34:10) the Sifrei states “but in the gentile world, there has arisen. And who?  Bilaam.” 

Tragically, Bilaam corrupted that ability.  In the words of Professor Urbach as quoted by Nechama Leibowitz “Bilaam represents the type of man who has been given the opportunity to scale the loftiest spiritual heights, but fails to stand the test and forfeits his status.” 

This may be the meaning of the talking donkey story.  As Bilaam was traveling to curse the Jews, his donkey reminds him that his [Bilaam’s] power of elevated speech, was a gift from God.  If abused, Bilaam’s speech turns into nothing more than the words of an ass—a donkey—an aton. 

The Targum understands God’s breathing a breath of life into Adam as being the breath of the power of speech.  Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, the medieval poet and philosopher describes the human being as superior to the lower animals because of the power of speech (medader).  The allegory of Bilaam’s talking donkey reminds us that speech can lift the human being above the animals.  But if abused, it can become nothing more noteworthy than the speech of the aton—the words of an ordinary donkey.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Avi Weiss