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Parashat Balaq indirectly references "Tzippor" five times (by introducing Balaq as "ben Tzippor"). I don't believe Rashi brings down any background regarding Tzippor. If the Torah refers to Balaq as "ben Tzippor" so often, who was this mysterious figure?

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Here is something very interesting. Balak as we know was from midyan not moab. The zohar says he was from yisro. –  user2800 Jun 19 '13 at 12:03
Now yisro had a daughter married to moshe called zipporah. Maybe his son was therefore called zippor. I made that up. –  user2800 Jun 19 '13 at 12:04
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The Zohar HaQadosh (3:184) writes:

בן צפור כמו שאמרו. אבל בן צפור ממש שהרי כשפיו היו בכמה מינים של אותה צפור

[Balaq was called] "son of Tzippor" as was already stated; but, [he was] truly a son of birds for his sorcery was conducted with a few species of the same bird!

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