Sanhedrin 105: Punishments; Balaam the Wicked

Continuing their conversation about who does not have a share in the World-to-Come, the Gemara considers a number of different ideas

• Shmuel explains that the person who transgresses is often at fault, just as the Jewish people are often at fault for G-d's punishments
• David and Nebuchadnezzar were both described as my slave: a slave ultimately belongs to his/her master, who in this case is G-d
• The evil inclination is ultimately instructed by G-d; we are able to control our lives if we choose to do so
• Four commoners, Balaam, Doeg, Ahithophel and Gehazi have no share in the World-to-Come
• Balaam transgressed in many ways:
• his name might mean 'without a nation', 'wore down the Jewish people', or son of Beor thus one who engaged in bestiality
• wicked Jews are turned back to the netherworld, but Gentiles who forgot G-d are turned away
• two dogs fought against each other but together attacked and killed a wolf
• Balaam hosted the princes of Moab against the will of G-d
• Balaam was disabled in one leg, as he limped
• Balaam is said to have had sex with his donkey, based on Numbers (24:29) and Judges (5:27) where sexual connotation is attributed to the word "fallen".  
• Balaam as above is said to be a diviner with his penis
• a similar reference is applied to the words, "am I not your donkey" "upon which you have ridden" "your whole life until this day" (Numbers (21:30)
• Balaam critiqued G-d's anger
• "Punishment, even for the rihteous, is not good.  Even with regard to heretics, a righteous person should not state a curse to punish them".
• G-d becomes angry when the sun rises and kings put on their crowns and bow to the sun
• Rabbi Yehuda said that Rav said that a person should always study Torah and do mitzvot for their own sake but if not, they should continue to do them, for eventually they will do them for their own sake like Balak and his 42 offerings
• was it an angel (Rabbi Elazar) or a hook (Rabbi Yonatan) placed in Balaam's mouth by G-d?
• Balaam's wickedness was replaced by blessings
• Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that Rabbi Yochanan said that better is the curse that Ahijal the Shilonite cursed the Jewish people than the blessing that Balaam the wicked blessed them