The Story of Bilaam

The story of Bilaam raises some intriguing questions: why does the Torah dedicate three chapters to this story (Numbers, chapters 22-24)? What kind of figure is Bilaam? Are we meant to admire or despise him? How do the episodes reported in the original version shed light on Bilaam`s final act of defiance (Num. 31, 16) and death (vs. 8)? We will suggest answers to these questions by analyzing the story both from a traditional parshanut standpoint, as well as on the basis of literary clues and considerations.