It may be said that he was with him by day (when he was with Balak). The truth is, however, that at that hour he only made observations by means of his divinations to fix the right hour, and when it says, “he went not as at other times to meet with enchantments” (Ibid. 24, 1), this signifies that he tried to fix the hour, but was not able as on other days, because he saw that there was no great wrath in the world and knew that “it was good in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel” (Ibid.).
For when burning wrath is rife the Left is aroused, and the wicked Balaam knew how to take hold of the left side so as to curse; but on this occasion he looked and saw that the wrath was not there.
דָּבָר אַחֵר כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֵלָי, עַל יְדֵי דְּהַהוּא שְׁלִיחָא דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא בִּימָמָא אִשְׁתְּכַח לְגַבֵּיהּ. (ס"א כד הוה לגביה בלק אלא) אֶלָּא וַדַּאי בְּנַחַשׁ אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ, וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא הֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל לְכַוְּונָא שַׁעֲתָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים. וַיַּרְא בִּלְעָם כִּי טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ' לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶלָּא דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִסְתָּכַּל לְכַוְּונָא שַׁעֲתָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַּח כִּשְׁאָר יוֹמֵי, וּכְדֵין חָמָא דְּהָא רוּגְזָא רַבָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַּח בְּעָלְמָא, כְּדֵין יָדַע כִּי טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ' לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא שָׁבִיק גַּרְמֵיהּ מִכָּל נְחָשִׁים דְּעָלְמָא, וְלָא אִסְתְּכַּל בְּהוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים.
It may be said that he was with him by day (when he was with Balak). The truth is, however, that at that hour he only made observations by means of his divinations to fix the right hour, and when it says, “he went not as at other times to meet with enchantments” (Ibid. 24, 1), this signifies that he tried to fix the hour, but was not able as on other days, because he saw that there was no great wrath in the world and knew that “it was good in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel” (Ibid.).
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּרִתְּחָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, כְּדֵין שְׂמָאלָא אִתְּעַר, וַהֲוָה יָדַע הַהוּא רָשָׁע אֲתַר, לְאַחֲדָא בְּסִטְרָא שְׂמָאלָא, לְמֵילַט. וְאִסְתָּכַּל בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח. כְּדֵין מַה כְּתִיב, (במדבר כ״ג:ח׳) מַה אֶקּוֹב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל וּמָה אֶזְעוֹם לֹא זָעַם יְיָ'. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, (מיכה ו׳:ה׳) עַמִּי זְכָר נָא מַה יָּעַץ בָּלָק וְגוֹ'. וּמֶה עָנָה אוֹתוֹ בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר (בגין כך) זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. (דמאריהון אוכח לון הכי)
For when burning wrath is rife the Left is aroused, and the wicked Balaam knew how to take hold of the left side so as to curse; but on this occasion he looked and saw that the wrath was not there.