It won't make The Rabbis happy; they have been railing about Balaam for lo these many generations, but save for mistreating an animal, he wasn't a bad guy. Really.
The Rabbis berate Balaam for doing what any logical person would do. (Does that mean The Rabbis lack logic?)
From the source - Numbers, Chapter 22:2 through 25:9, inclusive במדבר בלק כ''כ - כ''ה (Hertz Soncino translation and spellings).
Verse 5: And he (Balak) sent messengers to Balaam וישלח מלאכים אל בלעם . It wasn't Balaam's idea to do anything to any one. If there is a "bad guy" that person is Balak, the instigator.
OK, Balak's messengers travel from Moab to find Balaam in Pethor. We don't know if that's home for Balaam or if it was a job site.
The messengers, speaking Balak's words in Verse 6, implore Balaam to "Come, ... curse these (Israelite) people for they are too mighty for me" ועתה לכל-נא ארה-לי העם הזה כי-עצום הוא ממני Balak is diplomatically begging Balaam to curse the Israelites. A quick read of the 7th aliyah of Parasha Chukkat will explain why Balak and his fellows were concerned.
Balaam tells the messengers (Verse 8) to spend the night while he confers with G-d ; he will give the messengers an answer on the morrow לנו פה הלילה והשתה אתכם דבר כאשר ידבר '' אלי .
Balaam is up front with Balak's messengers and tells them he only does what HaShem allows.
Obviously Balaam had a close and long-time relationship with G-d to confidently tell the messengers they could expect an answer in the morning. Granted, the relationship was not face-to-face as it was with Moses, but then who but Moses had such a relationship?
The Torah records a conversation between HaShem and Balaam, but I suspect the exchange is for our benefit, not HaShem's nor Balaam's. In the end, Balaam is told (Verse 12) "You shall not go with them (Balak's messengers); you will not curse the people." לא תלך עמהם לא תאר את-העם.
Balaam relates G-d's decision and sends Balak's messengers on their way.
They report to Balak, with I suspect more than a little trepidation, that Balaam refuses to do Balak's bidding. Balak, being a "man of the world," apparently feels Balaam is just holding out for a bigger payday. He tells his messengers to return to Balaam with Balak's promises of great honor and whatever the seer might desire.
Back at Pethor, the messengers relay Balak's message to Balaam.
At this point, The Rabbis and I part company.
The Rabbis castigate Balaam for even considering Balak's second offer. This and only this marks Balaam as an evil person.
But consider what might have been Balaam's through process.
If HaShem didn't want me (Balaam) to consider Balak's second proposal, he could have done a number of things, including "but not limited to," striking down Balak or his messengers. HaShem could easily have prevented the messengers from reaching Balaam using any method that pleased Him.
But the messengers arrived, and according to the Torah, there is no mention of any incident along the way.
Once again, Balaam welcomes the messengers - just as Abram welcomed messengers to his tent.
Once again, the messengers deliver their spiel.
Once again, Balaam tells his guests to spend the night while he asks HaShem for directions. The Torah does not state that Balaam was asking for permission - he was asking G-d "What should I do?"
This going back to the Boss really aggravates the rabbis. How DARE Balaam ask G-d if he should go to Balak when G-d already told him "No" once.
Balaam tells Balak's messengers (Verse 18) that he only does what G-d allows; even if Balak were to offer Balaam "his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the L-rd, my G-d to do any thing." אם יתן-לי בלק מלא ביתו כסף וזהב לא אוכל לעבור את פי '' אלוהי.
The Torah does not state that Balaam was asking for permission - he was asking G-d "What should I do?" In Verse 19, he tells his guests to stay the night while he "may know what the L-rd will speak unto me" ואדעה מה-יסף '' דבר עמי
During the night, HaShem visits Balaam and tells him (Verse 20) "If the men are come to call you, rise up and go with them."
There is never any question that Balaam will say anything on his own. He told the messengers and he will soon tell Balak.
When he meets with Balak, he repeats to the king of Moab what he told the king's messengers.
There is no suggestion in Torah biktav that Balaam did anything but what HaShem directed him to do.
True, there is the story of Balaam's ass, but that story suggests that HASHEM was unable to make up His mind - send Balaam to bless the Israelite masses or go back home. That should give The Rabbis pause; HaShem tells Balaam to go with the messengers and THEN sends an angel to stop Balaam and "remind" him of this duties. Would the Hakham Bakshi need to be reminded to put on tefillin in the morning? There is never any reason to think Balaam would do anything other than what HaShem directs him to do. The fact that the ass talks - one of only two occasions of talking animals in Torah biktav - is another matter for The Rabbis to discuss.
Balak, not Balaam was the bad guy. But even then, he was doing a kingly thing.
He realized that the Israelites had defeated other peoples and he early on admitted he lacked the resources to do battle with the refugees from Egypt. He was trying to protect his lands and his people (probably in that order).
HaShem had other plans, and Balaam was a tool of HaShem, not Balak.
How can Balaam be so bad if HaShem regularly communicated with him.
In modern vernacular, "It doesn't compute."
