Our Gemara on Amud Aleph ponders why bee honey is permitted to eat even though we have a principle that something that comes out from the body of an unkosher animal is itself unkosher. The Gemara explains that the honey generated from the pollen does not actually come from the bee’s body, but rather is somehow processed through its system, though its system does not contribute anything of its own. From a scientific biological perspective bees have what’s called a “honey stomach” where it is stored and regurgitated, and this is biologically very different from, say, how an animal makes milk. One opinion in the Gemara holds that this is strictly by bees; on the other hand, wasps produce honey in a different way and it is indeed not kosher.
Shem MiShmuel (Balak 5) applies this distinction metaphorically in a beautiful way to resolve a contradiction regarding God’s attitude toward Bilaam’s so-called blessings. In Bamidbar (22:12) God tells Bilaam, “Do not go with these emissaries, and do not curse the Jewish people because they are blessed.” Rashi (ibid, quoting Midrash Tanchuma) notes the redundancy of “do not go with them” and “do not curse them.” This hints at an additional dialogue. Bilaam asked, “Could I then go and bless them?” God says, “No, not even to bless them.” The Midrash says this is like the adage we say to the wasp: “We don’t need your honey nor do we need your stinger.” Bilaam is the classic manipulator and seeks some way to break boundaries, if you will, to groom his prey and gain access by even offering something positive like a blessing. However, God is having none of that. Thank you, but no thank you.
Shem MiShmuel asks: this contradicts another Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 1) which states:
“The rebukes should have been said from the mouth of Bilam, and the blessings from the mouth of Moses; however, had Bilam rebuked them, Israel would have said: ‘An enemy is rebuking us.’ Had Moses blessed them, the nations of the world would have said: ‘The one who loves them is blessing them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let Moses, who loves them, rebuke them, and Bilam, who hates them, bless them, so that it will be unquestionable that the blessings and the rebukes are deserved by Israel.”
This contradicts what we saw before; here a blessing is desired from Bilaam. How do we resolve this contradiction? We can resolve this by understanding that the Midrash was careful in its choice of words in its metaphor, using “a wasp” instead of a bee. As we saw, the bee simply is a conduit for the honey while the wasp somehow contributes part of its body and that’s why it’s not kosher. So too, Bilaam’s version of blessing would somehow have toxic elements. Ultimately, when Bilaam was possessed by a true prophetic experience, he was merely a mouthpiece and spoke God’s truth. He was then like a bee, a transmitter without adding anything of his own.
sponsored by https://empowermentaftertrauma.com/
Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation
Free resource for couples/families:
The Chosson and Kallah Shmooze You Wish You Had But Never Got
Over 80 lectures on heathy communication, marriage and sexuality from a Torah perspective Click here
If you liked this, you might enjoy my Relationship Communications Guide. Click on the link above.
Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com