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What can be said in a Moment? - Brochos 7a
http://kollelbokerbeachwood.com/articles/50/1/What-can-be-said-in-a-Moment---Brochos-7a/Page1.html
Avrohom Adler

 
By Avrohom Adler
Published on 12/29/2007
 
Hashem didn't allow Bilaam to use His moment of anger; what could Bilaam have said in that short amount of time?

Just for a Moment


Ch. 22, v. 22: "Va'yichar af Elokim ki holeich hu" - Why was Hashem angered by Bilom's going, since He said to Bilom "kum leich itom" (verse 20)? The Chid"o in Nachal K'dumim answers with the gemara mentioned earlier, that Bilom wanted to ch"v curse the bnei Yisroel at the exact moment of Hashem's daily anger. The gemara says that since Bilom planned to do this Hashem refrained from being angry during those days, contrary to His regular practice. However, once Bilom took to the road and made his way to Moav, Hashem returned to His daily "anger for a fleeting moment." Since Bilom was travelling he didn't have the presence of mind to calculate the exact moment. This is the meaning of our verse. Hashem was willing to be angry, as is His daily practice of "V'Keil zo'eim b'chol yom" (T'hilim 7:12) because Bilom was travelling.

Taken from Sedrah Selections - Balak