-D’var Torah-
The Essence of the Jewish People
Belief in this unattainable essence underlies the ruling that even when a Jew is coerced to comply with the halachah, the subsequent act is volitional, since every Jew wants to do the will of Hashem. Until the positive expression of desire to comply with halachah becomes evident, we view his yetzer hara as suppressing his inner will. It is the yetzer hara which is literally beaten away, giving his true inner will freedom to surface and be expressed.
Now, the commentary of Ibn Ezra is easily understood. In order for a curse to take effect, there must be a flaw in the essence of the one cursed. Therefore Hashem prevented Balaam from uttering the curse.
Even essentially pure and holy individuals can at times commit sins, even serious sins, which demand severe corrective measures. But the sins still remain peripheral and do not affect the essence and foundations of Klal Yisrael.
The Bad Eye
For I know what whom you bless will be blessed, and whom you curse will be cursed (Bamidbar 22:6).
Sforno comments that Balak knew very well that Balaam had no ability to bless but only to curse. Had Balaam had such a power, Balak would have requested that he bless him in addition to cursing Bnei Yisrael. But Balak felt that even for a rasha like Balaam it would be insulting to describe him as having only the power to curse. So he falsely attributed to him the power to bless as well.
The answer is that being overly critical, rather than being a sign of having learned too much, is a sign of not having learned enough. Extreme and constant negativism is the product of not being able to evaluate a situation in its totality.
Balaam is described as having but one eye. Using one eye alone robs a person of the perspective necessary to assess a situation properly and to see both the positive and negative sides. That is why excessive negativity is referred to as the evil eye, not the evil eyes.
The followers of Balaam inherit Gehinnom (Pirkei Avos 5:22). Some explain that their way of life makes this world a Gehinnom. People who know only how to criticize and find faulty create Gehinnom for everyone — themselves as well as others. Conversely, one who has a good eye to counterbalance the evil eye, creates a Gan Eden for others and for himself.