לקוטי שיחות חלק יג - בלק ב

In Bilam’s prophecy concerning the End of Days, there is a significant difference between Rashi and the Rambam.

Rashi explains that the verses:

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star shall emerge from Yaakov…”

refer to King David, and only the final verse refers to Mashiach.

The Rambam, however, explains that the first half of each verse refers to David, while the second half refers to Mashiach.

At first glance, the Rambam’s interpretation appears closer to the straightforward meaning of the text. According to his approach, the repetition and double expressions found in the prophecy are readily understood, since each phrase refers to a different figure. If so, why does Rashi not explain the verses in the same manner?

The explanation is as follows:

According to Rashi, the expression:

“A star shall emerge from Yaakov”

cannot refer to David as a king.

The reason is that the greatness of a human being—and especially of a king, who represents the perfection of humanity—is higher than that of a star. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to describe David primarily through the symbol of a star.

Consequently, according to Rashi, only the second half of the verse, which speaks of a ruler arising, can properly refer to a king, namely David.

The Rambam, however, maintains that the heavenly bodies possess a level of knowledge and awareness that surpasses that of human beings. Therefore, the symbol of a star can appropriately describe the lofty stature of David.

Accordingly, the Rambam interprets:

“A star shall emerge from Yaakov”

as referring to David,

while:

“A scepter shall arise from Israel”

refers to Mashiach.

Thus, the difference between Rashi and the Rambam stems from their differing perspectives regarding the significance of the symbol of a star. For Rashi, a king stands above such imagery, whereas for the Rambam the comparison is entirely appropriate, allowing the prophecy to be divided between David and Mashiach within each verse.