We look at Parashat Balak, and find a stormy relationship between Balak and Bilam. Something strange going on--  why have we jumped away from the main story of Bemidbar to a strange self-contained story- the “Book of Bilam”? Why does it appear in the Torah -what is the connection to the rest of Bemidbar? 

Bilam's hubris - his grand claims and arrogance followed by the demonstration that he does not see as much as his own donkey, turns into a commentary on the character of someone else: Moshe. Bilam is a foil for Moshe's prophecy and humility.