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Why does Rashi (רש"י) say Balaam loved money when he refused Balak's wealth to obey Hashem (ה׳)? Rashi's precise language reveals Balaam desired "other people's money" - his focus on Balak's specific treasury showed he was calculating and coveting another's assets, not making an abstract statement about spiritual values over materialism.
Rabbi Zweig examines a puzzling Rashi (רש"י) on Parshas Balak regarding Balaam's character. When Balaam tells Balak's second delegation that even if Balak gave him his entire house full of silver and gold, he wouldn't go against Hashem (ה׳)'s will, Rashi derives from this that Balaam loved money. This seems counterintuitive - shouldn't refusing money to obey Hashem be praiseworthy? Rabbi Zweig compares this to positive examples like Reb Yosef ben Kisma in Pirkei Avos who said he wouldn't leave a place of Torah (תורה) for all the wealth in the world, and King Dovid's declaration that Torah is better than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. The key insight lies in Rashi's precise language. Rashi doesn't simply say Balaam loved money, but adds the crucial phrase "u'mechamed mamon acheirim" - he desired other people's money. This distinction reveals the fundamental problem with Balaam's statement. When someone says "no matter how much money you give me, I won't compromise," that demonstrates admirable values. However, when someone specifically focuses on "your money" - the wealth that belongs to another person - it reveals an unhealthy fixation on what others possess.
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Parshas Balak 22:18
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