Revelation 7:1-3

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

See Note On Revelation 7:3 below

Zechariah 2:10

ה֣וֹי ה֗וֹי וְנֻ֛סוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ צָפ֖וֹן נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֠י כְּאַרְבַּ֞ע רוּח֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם פֵּרַ֥שְׂתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ 

“Assemble, attend! Move from the land of the north—says Hashem — For I swept you [there] like the four winds of heaven—declares GOD.”

Rashi

Ho, Ho! 

“Ho” is only an expression of proclamation and an announcement of assembly. And so did Jonathan render it: Announce to the scattered ones. אַכְלוּ means announce, as in (II Sam. 22: 14): “The Lord thundered from heaven,” which Jonathan renders: אַכְלוּ מִן שְׁמַיַּא

Flee from the land of the north 

The exiles of My people, [flee] from within Babylon and Assyria.

Which Tribes Are Being Addressed?

Abarbanel on Zech. 2:10

והראיתיך הספיקות שיתחייבו אליהם, ולכן אחשוב שלא אמר זה כי אם על הגאולה העתידה ועל עשרת השבטים שגלו לאשור לארץ הצפון אמר כאילו קורא אותם שיבאו הוי הוי ונוסו מארץ צפון ר"ל בואו משם, ולפי שהם היו רחוקים ממנו מאד אמר כי כד' רוחות השמים פרשתי אתכם ר"ל הרי אתם בגלותכם רחוקים מאחיכם בני יהודה בגלותם כמו שירחקו ארבע רוחות השמים זו מזו על דרך כרחוק מזרח ממערב.

A rough translation leaves open-ended edges for possibilities of thought that a smoother more reasonable and more correct translation closes off. Abarbanel's text does talk about the Israelites from the ten tribes as being far to the north from Judah at the time the prophet was speaking to them. Whereas a better, more reasonable translation may focus on this aspect, the poor and unclear translation leaves open the possibility that on some level Abarbanel may have been thinking about the idea that the prophet was only using the situation of Judah and the Ten Tribes in his day, the day of his giving this prophecy, as positional place holders for the situation which would be fulfilled in the end of days, in the time when the prophecy would be fulfilled. In the end of days it would not just be the Ten Tribes which were in exile in the land of the north but all of Israel, including the Jewish people. And the prophecy would not be fulfilled through only the Ten Tribes being scattered by Hashem as the four winds of the earth but all Twelve Tribes of Israel being so scattered. From Zechariah's own time this could not be reasonably foreseen. But Zechariah's actual prophecy does foresee this and, read carefully, cannot be understood any other way. Nevertheless, in order to be fully understood the full exile of Judah as well as Joseph in the land of the north must be seen as having one part of its foundation on the Assyrian exile of the Ten Tribes and the other part of its foundation on the Babylonian exile of Judah and Jerusalem.

The context of the whole of Zechariah's prophecy in chapter 2 clarifies that the ultimate fulfillment is messianic in the end of days. And this must involve not only the calling of the Ten Tribes from the kingdom of the north but also the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

Indeed, some commentaries (see the following example) point to the thought in Zechariah's prophecy here not so much being the Ten Tribes scattered by the Assyrian exile but the Jews who remained in Babylon, (which also was to the north), and the following verse would seem to support this.

Steinsaltz

Woe, woe, a call of persuasion, designed to spur the listeners into action; flee, leave quickly, not necessarily due to a threat, from Babylonia, the land of the north, and return to your land – the utterance of the Lord – for I have spread you like the four directions of the heavens – the utterance of the Lord. You are scattered throughout all corners of the world.

As said concerning the idea that the call to move from the north has the Ten Tribes in mind, the idea that the call simply has the Jews in mind who remained in Babylon in the time of the prophecy being given does not satisfy the challenge of the context, which reveals a complete and ultimate exile of Israel and a complete and ultimate redemption of Israel from exile among the nations.  

We see that Rashi reads the land of the north as being both Assyria and Babylon. Clearly, whatever else he may be seeing and thinking about in saying this, he is seeing and hearing all twelve tribes as being addressed.

Talmud

Avodah Zarah 10b:13

Ketia, son of Shalom, said to them: It is unwise to do so, for two reasons. One is that you cannot destroy all of them, as it is written: “For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, says the Lord” (Zechariah 2:10). He clarified: What is it saying? Shall we say that the verse means that God has scattered them to the four winds of the world? If so, this phrase: “As the four winds,” is inaccurate, since it should have said: To the four winds. Rather, this is what the verse is saying: Just as the world cannot exist without winds, so too, the world cannot exist without the Jewish people, and they will never be destroyed. And furthermore, if you attempt to carry out the destruction of the Jews, they will call you the severed kingdom, as the Roman Empire would be devoid of Jews, but Jews would exist in other locations.

Taanit 3b:2

The Gemara asks: However, with regard to winds, from where do we derive that it is not withheld but perpetually blows? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that the verse states: “For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, says the Lord” (Zechariah 2:10). He clarifies: What is God saying to them? If we say that this is what the Holy One, Blessed be He, is saying to the Jewish people: I have scattered you to the four winds of the world; if so,why did He say “as the four winds”? He should have said: To the four winds. Rather, this is what God is saying: Just as the world cannot exist without winds, so too, the world cannot exist without the Jewish people. This interpretation of the verse is based on the claim that the winds never cease.

Midrash

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Taanit 1:2

(Fol. 3) We are taught in a Baraitha: The sages did not make it incumbent upon man to make mention of dew and wind in the prayer; but if one desires to do so, he may. What is the reason? "Because," said R. Chanina, "dew and wind are never withheld." Whence do we know that dew is never withheld? It is written (I Kings 17, 1) Then said Elijah, the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, unto Achab, 'As the Lord the God of Israel liveth, before whom I have stood, there shall not be in these years dew or rain, etc.; and further, it is written (Ib. 18, 1) Go show thyself unto Achab; and I will give rain upon the face of the earth. But in the latter passage dew is not mentioned because it (Ib. b) was never withheld. If so, then why did Elijah swear that it [dew] would not fall? He said thus unto them: "Fructifying dew shall also not fall." Then, why did he [Elijah] not cause the return of fructifying dew? Because there is no distinction [between fructifying and non-fructifying, hence its return was not felt]. And whence do we know that the wind is not withheld? Said R. Joshua h. Levi: "Because it is said (Zech. 2, 10) For just as the four winds of heaven have I spread you abroad. What does the Holy One, praised be He! mean to say thereby? Shall I say that this is meaning: 'I scattered you over the four corners of the globe.' If so, then why does it say, as the four? It should say, over the four. Should we assume that He meant to say, that He will assemble you from the four corners of the globe? If so, then He ought to say from the four corners. We must, therefore, say that this is meaning: Just as the world cannot exist without wind, so also cannot the world exist without Israel." 

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Avodah Zarah 1:16

What happened with K'tiha b. Salum? There was a Caesar who disliked the Jews, and he asked the advice of his officers: Should he who has a fibre in his foot cut it off and be at ease, or should he allow it to remain and be afflicted? And the advice of them all was, that he should cut it off and remain at rest. K'tiha, however, who was one of his officers, objected, saying: "First you cannot get rid of all the Jews, as it is written (Zech. 2, 10) For as the four winds of the heaven have I spread you abroad, saith the Lord. And secondly, your kingdom will be called a kingdom that kills its own subjects." The king then said: "Thy advice is good, but there is a law that he who obstructs the wish of the king, must be thrown into the furnace. When they took him to be slain, he said: "I bequeath all my property to R. Akiba and his colleagues." R. Akiba based his division on the following passage (Lev. 24, 9) And it shall belong to Aaron and to his sons, i.e., one-half for Aaron and one-half for his sons. A heavenly voice was then heard: "K'tiha b. Salum has a share in the world to come." Rabbi then wept and said: "Here we have a man who has bought his world in one moment, while another one has to work for it all his life." Antoninus served Rabbi; Adarchan (a Persian Prince) served Rab. When Antoninus departed, Rabbi lamented: "The bond [of friendship] is severed," and when Adarchan died, Rab lamented: "The bond [of friendship] is severed."

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Amalek 2:41

R. Elazar Hamodai says: When Amalek came to harm Israel under the wings of their Father in heaven, Moses said before the Holy One Blessed be He: L–rd of the universe, Your children, who You are destined to scatter under the winds of heaven, viz. (Zechariah 2:10) "for as the four winds of heaven have I scattered you, etc." — this wicked one is coming to destroy them under Your wings. The book of Torah that You gave them — who will read it?

Midrash Lekach Tov, Exodus 1:2:1

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. The twelve tribes, corresponding to the twelve zodiac signs. Know that all the tribes were named after their greatness in Israel. Reuben, named after "And the Lord saw that the affliction of his people" (Exodus 3:7). Simeon, named after "And God heard their cry" (Exodus 2:24). Levi, named after "And many nations shall be joined to the Lord" (Zechariah 2:11). Judah, named after "I will praise you, O Lord, for you were angry with me" (Isaiah 12:1). Issachar, named after "Because there is a reward for your labor" (Jeremiah 31:15). Zebulun, named after the Temple, "I will build a house for you in Zebulun" (1 Kings 8:13). Dan, named after "I have judged" (Genesis 49:16). Naphtali, named after "He gives sweet words" (Song of Songs 4:11). Gad, named after Haman, "And Haman is like the seed of Gad" (Numbers 11:7). Asher, named after "And all nations will call you blessed" (Malachi 3:12). Joseph, named after "The Lord will once again stretch forth his hand" (Isaiah 11:11). Benjamin, named after "The Lord swore by his right hand" (Isaiah 62:8). We learn that all the names of the tribes were named after the good redemption and salvation of Israel.

Musar

In discussing the curses and blessings associated with Bieam in his book, Shenei Luchot HaBerit, (Torah Shebikhtav, Balak, Torah Ohr 24), Rabbi Eliyahu Munk Tells us that:

The "winds" mentioned in the Midrash are references to the dispersal of Israel among the nations. We know this from Zecharyah 2,10: "For I have scattered you like the four winds."

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Balak, Torah Ohr 24

It will be helpful to begin here:

The Zohar (Sullam edition Balak page 64), is very explicit in describing Bileam's low character, giving many examples of his appearing to credit himself with great insights and thereby misleading those who considered him a great Seer. Here are a few quotes from that passage in the Zohar "This wicked man took great pride in claiming to know everything. By doing so he misled people into believing that he had attained a very high stature. He blew up every little achievement of his. Whatever he said concerned the domain of the forces of impurity. He spoke the truth, literally speaking. Anyone listening to him would form the impression that he was the most outstanding of the prophets of the world. When he described himself as שומע אמרי קל, ויודע דעת עליון, "privy to the words of G–d, aware of the knowledge of the Supreme One," the impression is formed that he spoke about the G–d in Heaven, whereas in fact he was privy only to אמרי קל, as distinct from אמרי הקל. Had the Torah added the letter ה, we would have credited Bileam with being addressed directly by G–d. As it is, he communicated with the forces of טומאה, forces considered by the nations as deities, though they really were אל אחר, forces of nature that are no better than idols. When he speaks about knowing the דעת עלין, the listener forms the impression that Bileam claimed to be privy to G–d's range of knowledge, whereas in fact he was privy only to the עליון "the highest" of the forces of impurity that G–d has allowed to govern part of nature. Bileam, technically speaking, spoke truthfully, since he was privy to a power which in its field was considered supreme. However, the listener did not know that this power had no independent authority at all but was only an agent of G–d. When Bileam described himself in 24,4 as אשר מחזה שדי יחזה "someone who has visions of G–d, a reader would assume that this was really so, that Bileam could see what no one else could see. However the term מחזה שדי refers to a branch of the three branches that originate in the name Shaddai, corresponding to the three letters in that word. He would have some access to the domains of חסד, גבורה, תפארת. The Zohar continues that עמלק employed these three spiritual domains in his attack against Israel, and that Balak, whose name contained the last two letters of עמלק, felt encouraged that it would help him in his confrontation with the Patron of Israel. 

Thus Bileam is not perceived by the Zohar as having even come close to "prophetic parity" with Moses, as suggested by the statement in the Sifri. 

I am nonetheless inclined to go more deeply into the meaning of that statement in the Sifri and to take it literally. We will find that it is quite possible to understand it. In this connection we need to consider a statement that we find in Baba Batra 14b, that "Moses wrote his book and that of Bileam and Job." How are we to understand this? Is there a single letter in the Torah that is not "Torah," not of Divine origin? If so, what could the Talmud have had in mind with that statement? Rashi comments on this: "His prophecies and parables, even though Moses did not need to, and the Torah would have been complete without them." I have not understood this comment of Rashi. All the stories in the Torah e.g. the slaying of Abel by Cain, are all at first glance not "necessary" parts of the Torah, and yet they are all part of the fabric of תורת השם תמימה, "that the Torah of G–d is complete, perfect", i.e. there is nothing in it that is redundant. Our sages usually point to Genesis 36,12: "and Timnah was the concubine of Esau's son Eliphaz" as an example that there is no word in the Torah that is not of enduring and meaningful significance. Sanhedrin 99, even concludes that we are to learn from this that it is better to be a lowly maidservant to a nation that has blood ties with Israel than to be a Lady in a family that has no ties with the Jewish people. Timnah the daughter of a nobleman, had chosen to demote herself in order to be associated with Abraham's descendants in some way. This verse in the Torah is equal in importance to the "Hear O Israel the Lord our G–d the Lord is One." 

In order to understand this passage in the Talmud, let us begin with a short introduction: We know that there are two paths that emanate from the עולם הבריאה. One is called the סטרא אחרא, the path that contains everything that is impure as distinct from the "right" path. When tracing both paths upwards (in the direction of the ultimate spiritual source), we note that they merge. In the last analysis they both originate from קדושה, holiness. We normally refer to the "correct path" as the סטרא דימינא, the "right" path, whereas the other path is known as סטרא דשמאלא, the "left" path. Moses proceeded along the "right" path, seeing he possessed all the virtues a prophet is capable of possessing. Bileam however, pursued the path of impurity, employing charms and other oracles. He managed to spiritually wrestle his way upwards close to the Holy Source, "higher" than any other prophets. However, he thereupon descended and defiled himself by resorting to all kinds of magic. Therefore it is fair to say of him that just as Moses, he קם, "arose," though once he had come close to the source, he failed to become suffused with its sanctity. Whereas the holiness that Moses "touched," permeated him, Bileam defiled himself. Moses had achieved what Bileam had achieved, whereas Bileam had not achieved what Moses had achieved.. He kept distancing himself further away from that Holy Source. 

Now we understand what is meant by the Talmud that "Moses wrote his own book and the book of Bileam." Do not err to think that only because G–d taught him did Moses reach levels Bileam had reached, and that his learning was vicarious, second hand. Rather, Moses had attained the levels Bileam had attained by his own independent intellectual and spiritual efforts. The Talmud tells us that Moses learned all this as an experience, not like we learn history, i.e. from books describing what happened once to someone else.. Whatever Bileam had been able to work out by himself concerning Israel's future, Moses had been able to work out without special assists from G–d. What the Talmud means is that actually the whole portion of Bileam could just as easily have been recorded by Moses without instruction from G–d. There would have been no need for Bileam to pronounce blessings to enable us to learn all the lessons that our sages derive from them. The only "novelty" in the whole phenomenon is the fact that the קטיגור, "counselor for the prosecution," turned into a סניגור, "attorney for the defense." This is something that could only have occurred through Bileam, since he was Moses' counterpart among the nations. We have now illustrated the statement we set out from. The סטרא אחרא is bound to become a source of blessing if one only traces it far enough towards its holy source. We have described this earlier as "blood turning into milk." It follows (again as we have tried to describe earlier) that it is the Gentile nations who are in reality the source of Israel's refinement and consequently of its redemption. 

Now we understand the meaning of Proverbs 27,6: "Wounds inflicted by a loved one are long lasting; the kisses of an enemy are profuse." Taanit 20a explains this verse by saying that the curse that Achiyah Hashiloni cursed Israel with (Kings I 14,15), was better (more beneficial) than all the blessings that Bileam conferred upon it. Achiyah cursed Israel by referring to it as a "reed in water." Just as such a reed can stand in water, its stem can grow back and develop many roots, so that all the winds of the world will not uproot it, but it will bend in the direction the wind blows until the wind has stopped blowing and resume its original posture, so Israel will recover from such storms. Not so the blessings of Bileam the wicked. He compares Israel to the cedar (24,6). A cedar cannot survive in water, its roots are few, its trunk does not grow back once it has been cut. Even though it is strong enough to resist all the storms in the world, a South wind will dislocate it immediately. Comparing Israel to a cedar was not really a blessing. Not only this, but if need be, one can make a quill from the reed to write a ספר תורה, which cannot be done with the remains of a cedar. So far the Talmud on our subject. 

We must ask why Rashi comments on the comparison of Israel to the cedars by saying that these are not Bileam's words at all, but that the שכינה inserted those words! Moreover, all the comparisons drawn by Bileam in these blessings such as the rivulets etc. in 24,6, are all viewed by the Aggadah as having been said by the שכינה! For instance, when Bileam described Israel as similar to גנות, "like gardens," the שכינה is supposed to have added עלי נהר, "along the river." The reason the שכינה added these variations was to rob the previous term of its possible negative connotation. This is a wonderful explanation and enables us to solve a different difficulty, namely the comment of Rashi that neither the honey nor the sting of the hornet is welcome, (based on Bamidbar Rabbah 20,10: לא מדובשך ולא מעוקצך, "spare me your honey and your sting!") How is this an appropriate comparison seeing that in the Midrash the positive, i.e. the honey is mentioned first, whereas Bileam mentioned the negative aspects first? The answer must be that the whole comment is addressed to Bileam's blessings. The Midrash draws our attention to the fact that each blessing contained a deliberate, though not obvious, negative side. This is why the Midrash said that G–d told Bileam, who had offered to bless Israel, seeing that he had not been allowed to curse them, that just as one does not want to have anything to do with the hornet, preferring to forego its honey, so Bileam should not trouble himself to bless Israel. 

If that is so, however, how did Bileam dare transgress what G–d had forbidden him? Did not G–d say to him that he could only say what He would put in his mouth (22,35)? Why did Bileam not add the words עלי מים, "by the waters," himself? Why did the שכינה have to add these words? Another difficulty is that if Bileam thought of the damaging effect of a South wind on cedars, why did the Midrash emphasize the positive aspects first, namely that the cedars can withstand all other winds? Another problem is why the Midrash mentions that one can make quills to write a ספר תורה with the remains of the stem of a reed? 

Altogether, the impression one forms from the Midrash is that the blessings of Bileam were altogether no blessings unless amended! Yalkut Shimoni claims on the other hand, that the blessings of Bileam were greater than the ones Jacob bestowed on his children on his death bed, and even greater than the blessing Moses blessed the children of Israel with before he died! It is quite true that Bileam's blessings surpassed all the other blessings. This is simply because not only were his blessings fulfilled, but also his curses were converted into blessings as explained earlier. The very fact that Bileam's "blessings" had been phrased so that they could be curses in disguise, i.e. that he himself had pronounced curses in an oblique fashion, enabled these curses to be converted into blessings for Israel, thus giving each blessing an extra dimension not contained in the blessings of either Jacob or Moses. All of this occurred according to G–d's will. 

It may well be that this is what Rashi meant when he described the שכינה as supplying extra attributes to each of these blessings. When Rashi comments in Sanhedrin 106, that a בת קול, a "heavenly echo," added the words נטע השם in 24,6, this need not be meant literally, but refers to a prophetic insight granted Bileam by G–d at the time, which he was forced to express. Since it had been his original intention to employ the formula of blessing as a curse, the term בת קול used by Rashi is quite appropriate. Just as an echo is a follow-up to the original sound, so these words were "follow-ups" to the first part of the blessing. In the discussion of the Talmud of Bileam's blessings on folio 105, Rabbi Eleazar says that the words וישם השם דבר בפי בלעם, refers to an angel who instructed Bileam, whereas Rabbi Yonathan says that G–d put a fishhook in Bileam's mouth, i.e. He had to pronounce this prophecy whether he liked it or not. 

G–d wanted him to wait a little after saying the word כארזים, "like cedars," so that it would be noticed that it was meant as a curse, not a pious wish. [The tone sign Tipcha, which is a tone sign that separates from what follows, is somewhat unexpectedly under the word ארזים, supports the thesis of the author. Ed.] It also hints at the "separation" of Israel from its roots, i.e. exile, and that is why the Talmud in Taanit says that Achiyah's curse, which did not envisage separation of the Jewish people from its homeland was more beneficial than Bileam's blessing. The South wind, which is capable of "dislocating" the cedar is a reference to Israel in exile, i.e. the cedar that has been "dislocated." The dislocation is for Israel's good however, enabling it to become refined, cleansed from sin. We see the curse as a coin with two sides, one of which contains a great blessing. All of this is predicted in the Torah's "reproofs," in Leviticus 26,44: "Yet, even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or spurn them, etc." This is the blessing in disguise that we have talked about. 

Now Bileam concludes the blessing with the words עלי מים, words of which G–d fully approves, and he grants Him Divine insight, so that he can say that nothing will actually destroy such a cedar. A cedar planted on the waters is superior to a reed that stands in the water, since it is far stronger. It is impervious to all winds, whereas the reed is bent over by most winds. This is a clear allusion to the fact that something that was once subjected to a curse emerges much stronger than before it had been cursed. Even while the curse, i.e. exile, was the fate of the Jewish people, only the South wind, could affect it; other winds did not prove harmful. 

The "winds" mentioned in the Midrash are references to the dispersal of Israel among the nations. We know this from Zecharyah 2,10: "For I have scattered you like the four winds." Rashi on Genesis 25,21, explains the word ויעתר to mean repeating, multiplying; he cites Proverbs 27,26: "the kisses of the enemy are profuse," in support of this. We already said that this verse in Proverbs alludes to the curses turning into blessings, i.e. the "enemy" showers you with kisses. Another thoroughly treacherous aspect of Bileam comparing Israel to cedars prior to adding the words עלי מים, is that the ארזים are always a symbol for the Patriarchs. The merit of the Patriarchs has always stood by Israel and saved it from destruction. Bileam wanted them to rely on that merit, thus make them feel they did not have to repent while in exile. This is why he emphasizes "there is no harm in sight for Jacob, no woe in view for Israel" (23,21). By lulling Israel into complacency with these flattering comments he hoped to prevent Israel from returning to G–d in penitence. If someone truly loves a person, has his real interests at heart, he will reprove him rather than flatter him, and will draw attention to any blemish such a person may suffer from. The word ארזים, cedars, also has a connotation of stubbornness as we know from Taanit 20b, that "a person should strive to be soft as a reed and not hard like a cedar. The remedy to such hardness lies in one's humbling oneself." Words of Torah are compared to water, since just as water starts in a high place and flows downwards, i.e. water is content to "lower" itself, so words of Torah which originate in high places cannot be fulfilled except by people who are first prepared to humble themselves (Taanit 7a). In light of the foregoing, the comparison to "cedars" is a great blessing indeed. It means that we ourselves are now comparable to the Patriarchs who in turn had been compared to the "cedars of Lebanon." 

To return to the subject that it was a cosmic necessity that the cursed Bileam pronounce these blessings rather than anyone else. In order to be converted into a blessing they first had to be intended as a curse. When Bileam claimed that he wished himself an end like that of the Jewish people, ותהי אחריתי כמוהו, he indicated awareness that though his "beginnings" had been similar to that of the Jewish people, namely holy, his end was not likely to be. Hence he prayed that in spite of everything he had done he should be rehabilitated after death (23,10). 

There is another mystical dimension namely that only Bileam was the one who could turn curse into blessing. Just as he was the head of the nations who suffer from being accursed, so he was simultaneously the head of the tribes of the Jewish people who are blessed. This is why only his curse could become the source of the most effective blessings the Jewish people ever received. 

The Tziyoni explains it thus: Numbers 22,24, describes the she-ass of Bileam being hemmed in through גדר מזה וגדר מזה, "a fence on one side and a fence on the other side." Rashi describes these fences as ordinary fences. The Kabbalists, however, believe that the wicked also experience migration of their souls, re-incarnations, etc. They base this on both Jacob and Laban building a גל, stone heap, when they part from one another the last time in Genesis 31,52. The word עד used there is an allusion to עדות השם נאמנה, that the testimony of G–d is true, and that יד העדים תהיה בו בראשונה that "the witnesses have to be the first to carry out the judgment by their own hands" (Deut. 17,7). We have the example of the weasel and the pit in Taanit 8.[The story about the weasel and the pit: A young man had rescued a maiden from a pit, and they had promised to be married to each other, and had selected witnesses to confirm their agreement, namely the pit, and a weasel which happened to be passing at that moment. After a while, the young man forgot about his promise and married another woman and had children by her. His oldest son died by falling into a pit, whereas the second one was torn to shreds by a weasel. At that point the young man realized why this tragedy had befallen him and he returned to the girl whom he had promised to wed.] So far the Tziyoni. He means to say that Jacob and Laban concluded a covenant not to cross that pile of stones with hostile intentions towards the other, and that they would consider that pile of stones as witness to their covenant. The stone fence that the she-ass became aware of, was that very יגר שהדותא, as Laban had called that stone-heap in Genesis 31,47. The she-ass squeezed the leg of Bileam, the re-incarnation of Laban, since the "hands of the witnesses have to be the first ones to execute the judgment" if someone violated the covenant. 

He was also called כושן רשעתיים, to indicate he had committed two wrongs against Israel; one in the time of Jacob, the other during the reign of the Judges. What was his real name? לבן הארמי. So far the quote from Sanhedrin 105a. The Talmud then considers Bileam identical with (or rather a re-incarnation of) Laban. The other comments all pertain to the characteristics of Bileam, who had been accused on the same folio of having used his she-ass as his sexual outlet. When Rashi writes on that folio that the word בעור refers to Bileam's father, this is clearly some printer's error, since the same line of Rashi concludes by calling כושן רשעתיים as identical with Laban. The Targum Yonathan also hints in Deut.26,5: ארמי אובד אבי וירד מצרימה, "my father was a wandering Arami who descended to Egypt," that the meaning is that Bileam and Laban were identical, i.e. one was the re-incarnation of the other. It means that because of two wrongs committed by Laban, Jacob, i.e. the Jewish people, wound up in exile in Egypt. The two wrongs were that at first Laban tried to destroy Jacob and his family; later, having moved to Egypt, he became an advisor to Pharaoh advising him on how to harm the Jewish people. Sanhedrin there explains that Pharaoh had three such advisors, namely Yitro, Bileam and Job. Bileam was the one who advised killing Moses outright as a baby, since one could not be sure he would not be the saviour of the Jews. The Targum Yonathan spells this out on Numbers 22,5. From all the foregoing, we see that the entire family of Jacob originated with Bileam (the latter having been Laban the father of all of Jacob's wives). This lineage was reinforced further through Balak who as king of Moab was also the ancestor of Ruth who became the great grandmother of King David, who embodies everything that Israel is proud of and looks up to including the Messiah. 

Kuzari

Kuzari 2:24

24. The Rabbi: This is a severe reproach, O king of the Khazars. It is the sin which kept the divine promise with regard to the second Temple, viz.: Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion' (Zachariah 2:10), from being fulfilled. Divine Providence was ready to restore everything as it had been at first, if they had all willingly consented to return. But only a part was ready to do so, whilst the majority and the aristocracy remained in Babylon, preferring dependence and slavery, and unwilling to leave their houses and their affairs. An allusion to them might be found in the enigmatic words of Solomon: I sleep, but my heart waketh (Song of Songs 5:2-4). He designates the exile by sleep, and the continuance of prophecy among them by the wakefulness of the heart. 'It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh' means God's call to return; 'My head is filled with dew' alludes to the Shekhinah which emerged from the shadow of the Temple. The words: 'I have put off my coat,' refer to the people's slothfulness in consenting to return. The sentence: 'My beloved stretcheth forth his hand through the opening' may be interpreted as the urgent call of Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Prophets, until a portion of the people grudgingly responded to their invitation. In accordance with their mean mind they did not receive full measure. Divine Providence only gives man as much as he is prepared to receive; if his receptive capacity be small, he obtains little, and much if it be great. Were we prepared to meet the God of our forefathers with a pure mind, we should find the same salvation as our fathers did in Egypt. If we say: 'Worship his holy hill--worship at His footstool--He who restoreth His glory to Zion' (Psalms 99:9, Psalsm 99:5), and other words, this is but as the chattering of the starling and the nightingale. We do not realise what we say by this sentence, nor others, as thou rightly observest, O Prince of the Khazars. 

Kuzari 2:26

26. The Rabbi: The expression: By My fires removes all difficulty. It states that offering, bread and sweet savour, which are ascribed to Me, in reality belong to My fires, i.e. to the fire which was kindled at God's behest, and fed by the offerings. The remaining pieces were food for the priests. The deeper signification of this was to create a well arranged system, upon which the King should rest in an exalted, but not local sense. As a symbol of the Divine Influence, consider the reasoning soul which dwells in the perishable body. If its physical and nobler faculties are properly distributed and arranged, raising it high above the animal world, then it is a worthy dwelling for King Reason, who will guide and direct it, and remain with it as long as the harmony is undisturbed. As soon, however, as this is impaired, he departs from it. A fool may imagine that Reason requires food, drink, and scents, because he sees himself preserved as long as these are forthcoming, but would perish if deprived of them. This is not the case. The Divine Influence is beneficent, and desirous of doing good to all. Wherever something is arranged and prepared to receive His guidance, He does not refuse it, nor withhold it, nor hesitate to shed light, wisdom, and inspiration on it. If, however, the order is disturbed, it cannot receive this light, which is, then, lost. The Divine Influence is above change or damage. All that is contained in the 'order of sacrificial service,' its proceedings, offerings, burning of incense, singing, eating, drinking, is to be done in the utmost purity and holiness. It is called: 'Service of the Lord,' 'the bread of thy God' (Numbers 8:11, Leviticus 21:8), and similar terms which relate to his pleasure in the beautiful harmony prevailing among the people and priesthood. He, so to say, accepts their hospitality and dwells among them in order to show them honour. He, however, is most Holy, and far too exalted to find pleasure in their meat and drink. It is for their own benefit, as is also the proper working order of the digestion in the stomach and liver. The nobler ingredients of the food go to strengthen the heart; the best of all, the spirit. Not only are heart, mind, and brain regenerated by means of this food, but also the digestive organs and all other organs through the strengthening matter which reaches them through the arteries, nerves and sinews. Altogether, this is so arranged and prepared, as to become fit to receive the guidance of the reasoning soul, which is an independent substance, and nearly approaches the angelic, of which it is stated: 'Its dwelling is not with flesh' (Daniel 2:11). It inhabits the body as ruler and guide, not in the sense of space, nor does it partake of this food, because it is exalted above it. The Divine Influence only dwells in a soul which is susceptible to intellect, whilst the soul only associates with the warm vital breath. The latter must needs have a mainspring to which it is attached, as is the flame to the top of the wick. The heart is compared to the wick, and is fed by the flow of blood. Blood is produced by the digestive organs, and therefore requires the stomach, the liver, and lower organs. The heart, in the same way, requires the lungs, throat, nose, the diaphragm, and the muscles which move the muscles of the chest for breathing, as well as to keep in balance the temperature of the heart between the air which enters, and that which is expelled. It further requires for the removal of the food, refuse expelling forces, viz. the excretory and urinary organs. In this way the body is formed from all the component parts mentioned. It also requires organs of motion from place to place, in order to procure its wants, to avoid that which is harmful, and to attract and to repel. It requires hands and feet, advisers who distinguish, warning against what is to be feared, and advising what is to be hoped for; who keep account of what has taken place, and record what has passed, in order to recommend care or hope for future events. It requires the internal and external senses, the seat of which is in the head, and which are assisted by the functions of the heart. The whole body is thus harmoniously arranged, but under the control of the heart, which forms the primary home of the soul. Its localization in the brain is of secondary importance, the heart remaining its regulator. In exactly the same way is the living, godly people arranged, as Joshua said: 'Hereby shall ye know that the living God is among you' (iii. 10). The fire was kindled by the will of God, when the people found favour in His sight, being a sign that He accepted their hospitality and their offerings. For the fire is the finest and noblest element beneath the sphere of the moon. Its seat is the fat and vapour of sacrifices, the smoke of the incense and oil, as it is the nature of fire to cling to fat and oil. So also does natural heat cling to the finest fatty globules of the blood. God commanded the construction of the altar burnt offerings, the Altar of Incense, and the candlestick; their holocausts, incense, and the lamp oil. As regards the altar of burnt offerings, it was destined to bear the visible fire, whilst the Golden Altar was reserved for the invisible and finer fire. The candlestick was to bear the light of wisdom and inspiration; the table that of abundance and material provisions. The sages say: He who wishes to be wise must turn to the south; he who wishes to be rich must turn to the north. All these implements stood in the service of the Holy Ark and the Cherubim which occupied the place of the heart, and the lungs above it. The vessels, such as the laver and its foot, tongs, firepans, dishes, spoons, bowls, pots, and forks, etc., were all required. A place was wanted to house them, viz. the Tabernacle, tent and cover, and the court of the Tabernacle with its appurtenances, as an enclosure for the whole. As bearers of the entire household God appointed the Levites, because they were nearest to Him, especially after the affair of the golden calf, as it is said: 'And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto Him' (Exodus 32:26). From among them He chose Elazar, the finest and noblest of them, as it is said: 'And to the office of Elazar the son of Aaron the priest [pertaineth] the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil' (Numbers 4:16)--things to which the finer fire clings. The light of wisdom, however, and inspiration was attached to the Urim and Tummim, as well as to the most select section of Levites, viz. the family of Kohāth, who carried the appurtenances of the internal service: the Ark, Table, Candlestick, Altars, and the Holy Vessels 'with which they served.' With regard to them it is said: 'Because the service of the sanctuary belonged unto them, they should bear upon their shoulders' (Numbers 7:9)--just as the internal organs of the body are without bones which help to carry them, but are, themselves, borne by the innate powers in conjunction with all that belongs to them. Another branch of the children of Gershōn bore the more delicate external appurtenances, viz. the carpets of the Tabernacle, the Tent and its cover, and the covering of badgers’ skin that was above it. The lower section of the B’nē Merāri bore the grosser utensils, viz. its hooks, boards, bars, pillars, and sockets. The last two sections were aided in carrying their burden by having chariots, as it is said: 'Two wagons for the Gershoni and four wagons for Merāri according to their service' (Numbers 7:7-8). All this was systematically arranged by God. I do not, by any means, assert that the service was instituted in the order expounded by me, since it entailed something more secret and higher, and was based on a divine law. He who accepts this completely without scrutiny or argument, is better off than he who investigates and analyses. He, however, who steps down from the highest grade to scrutiny, does well to turn his face to the latent wisdom, instead of leading it to evil opinions and doubts which lead to corruption.

Note On Revelation 7:3 

1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

Mahx Note:

These verses are to be read and understood in light of the teaching of the Tanach on the spiritual meaning of the four winds. The references are found in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. As well these sources are referenced and what is learned from them is discussed many times in the Torah sources, as represented above.  Masters in the Torah would understand clearly that these four winds addressed here by the angels of the Revelation of Yehoshua HaMashiach are the longstanding agents of the judgments of Hashem in the earth, both for life and for death.  There is a specific history of judgments having already been carried out, or to be carried out, according to the prophecies of the Tanach through the agency of the four winds. Now the whole of the final corrective judgments in the earth are held suspended under the agency of these four winds.

There has always been an inherent correlation between the four winds, the four corners of the earth, and the four camps of the twelve tribes of Israel (together with the central camp of Levi representative of the Mishkan). Now this correlation comes to the front. The placing of the seal of the name of the Father of Yehoshua upon the forehead, (corresponding to the head tefilin), upon the representative perfect number of members of the 12 tribes in their four camps of 3 tribes each is itself the basis for the final releasing of the four winds of Divine corrective judgment in the earth. 

To speak of 144,000 is, of course, to speak of placing this tefilin seal on 12x12, the 12 tribes united by new relationships reinforcing adjacency relationships and beyond to new opposite camp relationships, numbering 12 direct relationships between the 12 tribes. This perfect linkage between all tribes forming one sealed soul of one Israel. The representational count is then for 12,000 souls for each of the 12 tribes, 1,000 for each tribe to carry the agency of joining directly to each and every other tribe of Israel, in order that Israel might be perfect as both 12 and 1.

The tribe of Levi is counted as one of the 12 sealed tribes and Dan is not, for this vision of the four camps is dynamic.  It is simply that Dan is here being called Levi and in the next turning Dan will be named and Issachar or another tribe will be called Levi. For the Levites form the core of each and every tribe and the leading edge of seals and of the relationships linking them all together.

This is the organic image of the unified Messianic Torah Israel, and as it is for her sake that the final corrective judgment come, which manifests the revelation of Yehoshua HaMashiach in the world, the judgment cannot come upon her, just as the judgment of the Passover could not come upon the children of Israel in Egypt who were sealed by the blood of the lamb being placed upon their doorposts and lintels.

Here, therefore, the tifilin of the final corrective judgment in the earth are seen as representative of the blood of the Lamb who was slain from the foundations of the Creation.

Concluding Note On The Four Winds in Revelation 7

There are primarily two understandings to become aware of concerning the meaning of the four winds in the Reveleation of Yehoshua HaMashiach — two understandings which can be arrived at through a study of the meaning of the four winds throughout the Tanach.

The First Understanding Concerning The Four Winds

As it is through the force of the winds that blow physically through the earth that life is forced to be activated and thrive, to it is by analogy true spiritually as well.  Even as the four winds will bring judgment, it is through judgment that they will bring life. When they are held back and don't blow judgment is held back but so is life. When the angels of the Revelation command the winds to hold back until the servants of Hashem are sealed, it is not that this holding back is something new.  This holding back of the spiritual winds of judgment and the renewal of life has been the state of the world through the many generations of the Babylonian Galut until this point. And the the world is spiritually suffocating.

The Second Understanding Concerning The Four Winds

Once all the servants of Hashem are sealed in their foreheads with the seal of the Revelation Tefilin, even though it is not said directly, the four winds immediately begin to blow.  And the immediate result is that countless multitudes of new members of the redeemed body of Torah Israel appear before the throne of Hashem as a testimony that all the judgments to come are judgments of salvation, the redemption of Adam in the corporate redemption of Jerusalem with the twelve tribes in her Pesach womb.