The Mishna (Avot 5:23) says “Whoever possesses the following three attributes is a disciple of our father Abraham, and whoever possesses the three opposite traits is a disciple of the wicked Bil’am : a good eye, a humble spirit and an undemanding soul, these are the characteristics of the disciples of Abraham; an evil eye, a haughty spirit and a demanding soul are the characteristics of the disciples of Bil’am.”

From the behavior of Bil’am we see that he displayed these three negative qualities. He had the evil power of destruction and criticism in his eye, he was arrogant and he had a great appetite for material comforts and pleasures. He represents the diametric opposite to Abraham’s personality . Abraham had a good eye, representing someone with the ability to see things optimistically and with a belief in the inherent goodness of people. Consequently, he does not criticize or easily find fault in others. His sensitivity to G-d and His world led him to perceive realistically his position in the world with humility and modesty. Abraham accepted without questioning G-d’s command to leave his home and go to a strange land. Finally, he did not have an appetite for material things. Although blessed with wealth, he used it to display generous hospitality in order to bring people closer to G-d. He was generous towards Lot and refused the great booty offered to him by the king of Sedom.

On the other hand, a person with the opposite traits behaves very differently. The person with a negative eye sees everything critically. He looks unkindly upon others and finds fault with everyone. He does not trust people and he becomes egotistical and arrogant. Finally, he finds pleasure only in accumulating material possessions and wealth and never satiates his covetousness and hunger.

The Sfat Emet raises an interesting question, Why does the Mishna call people with these negative traits “disciples of Bil’am?” We can understand that in order to develop good traits, one should spend time reflecting on the deeds of good people and learning from them. But to act with negative traits, any fool can do it without any effort! The Sfat Emet explains that even the wicked sometimes suppress their appetite and will before G-d but their purpose is ultimately self-aggrandizement. The wicked consider any effort in the direction of goodness as a big “sacrifice” on their part for which they should be immediately and grandly rewarded. This in itself demonstrates their insatiable appetite and demanding soul. This “lesson” is what the wicked learn from Bil’am: the cleverness of their action which appears as good when it is vitiated by an arrogant and haughty soul. The cover-up, the pretense—these are the pointers which Bil’am has bequeathed to his “disciples.”

This should be a warning to anyone seeking perfection in their lives. Rabbi Kook said that the search for “perfection” could actually be the sign of arrogance and pride and therefore the search is doomed from the beginning. A person should not attempt to be perfect in order to become even more proud and praised. The desire to be a better person should emanate from a sincere submission to the Creator and a feeling of humility. The righteous seek to be close to G-d, to direct their deeds in a way that does not contradict His will. The desire to bring G-d’s spirit upon this world in itself creates the type of moral perfection and goodness that we see in the righteous people. Their goodness is not the result of some “search for perfection” but rather from a humble submission to G-d and a sincere wish to spread His spirit in the universe. They understand that all reality exists only because of G-d’s power and by their awareness of this fact they bring reality in touch with its spiritual sources. Therefore, every action is suffused with a consciousness of inner spirituality. This is what makes the good people act the way they do. This is the lesson we can learn from our father Abraham.