במדבר, פרק כ״ב, פסוק כ״ד

After the donkey veers off the main road and into the open field, the angel of God moves ahead, waiting further down the path. Rather than chasing Balaam, the angel takes a stationary position. It is God's way to allow those who bring guilt upon themselves to advance on their own toward the divine messenger waiting for them [שפתי כהן, העמק דבר]. This second encounter takes place in a much more confined space, where the angel stands firmly in the middle of the route, completely blocking the way [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The path itself is extremely narrow, winding between vineyards [רלב״ג]. It is so tight that a person can only walk through it by placing one foot directly in front of the other [רש״י, רש ר הירש].

Partitions flank this narrow path on both sides, separating the walkway from the surrounding vineyards [שד״ל]. The primary approach among commentators is that these are simple stone fences designed to enclose agricultural lands, rather than massive, fortified city walls [רש״י, שפתי חכמים, מזרחי, ברטנורא]. However, a deeper historical and legal significance is attributed to these boundaries. They are seen as the very mounds of stones erected long ago by Jacob and Laban the Aramean to serve as a witness to their peace treaty. In this view, Balaam is identified either as Laban himself or as his direct descendant. By traveling to curse the Israelites, he actively violates the ancient oath never to pass that mound of stones with evil intent. Consequently, the very stones that witnessed the original treaty become the instrument of his punishment, later crushing his foot against the wall for breaking the vow [תולדות יצחק, חזקוני, ברטנורא]. Conversely, an alternative perspective argues that the walls were merely made of packed dirt, suggesting that the association with stones stems entirely from the historical tradition regarding Laban's treaty [תולדות יצחק].

Beyond the physical setting, the encounter carries profound symbolic weight regarding the spiritual protection of the Israelites. The vineyards represent the nation of Israel, likened to God's own vineyard, a people who cast off the burden of Egypt to accept the authority of heaven [שפתי כהן, הדר זקנים]. Furthermore, the setting evokes God's deep love for His people, serving as a reminder of the miraculous well of water that sustained them throughout their journey in the desert [שפתי כהן]. The presence of walls on both sides is also highly symbolic, representing the two stone tablets of the covenant—which were engraved on both sides—as well as the dual heritage of the Written and Oral Torah. Through these physical barriers, the angel delivers a clear, silent message: it is impossible to overpower a nation that is completely surrounded and protected on all sides by the merit of the Torah and its commandments [שפתי כהן, אדרת אליהו, דברי דוד, הדר זקנים].