Could someone tell us about Balak's sorcery?

Answer 1

The Zohar states that Balak was a sorcerer and acquired all his wisdom from a bird--and so he was called "Balak the son of a bird." This is how he made the bird: He made the head out of gold, the mouth of out silver, the wings from light copper blended with silver, the body with gold, the feathers with round points of silver, the legs with gold, and he put the tongue of a bird called "known" inside its mouth. Balak would then place the bird by the window in the direction of the sun during the day, and by the window in the direction of the moon at night for 7 days. After 7 days the tongue would begin rattling but would be unable to speak. Balak would then puncture the tongue with a golden needle to which it would be able to speak and reveal the future using the powers of impurity.