This week parsha has a famous story and an infamous story, back to back.
The famous story is of the prophet Balak, who was hired to curse the Jewish people. Balak starts with the intention to curse Israel, but ends up blessing the people of Israel multiple times – after HaShem helps by intervening.
And then, right after this tale is told, we are told of the infamous tale of the people of Israel consorting with Moabite and Midianite women, bringing HaShem’s wrath on us until one of the priests, through swift (and very violent – see the summary below) action, ends the transgressions and sinning.
What a weird pairing of stories. These are the people HaShem went to so much trouble to save from a curse?
What I find inspiring about the way this week story is structured is that one message should be clear… we have the ability to act on our own accord. Now in the world of religion, this was (and is) a big deal. Action that is controlled by our will creates choice and accountability. It changes the nature of belief, namely to believe in a deity requires you believe in yourself, and it changes the nature of humans relationship to the deity.
Our experience of HaShem must be out of our choices and destiny. The Torah clearly reminds us that no matter what – we have the power to act. Our choices may not always be the wisest, but they are always ours. This leads us to the type of action we must make.
When HaShem sent a plague on the Israelites, the sins and debauchery did not stop. Everything was waiting on a human to take action for things to return to have they “should” be.
This very much ties into last week, when the red heifer taught us that we must act. This week we not only see that we must act, but that sometimes that we must act boldly and decisively. We see the power of doing what is right, and the risks of when we act destructively.
When placed next to each other this week sends us a very clear message: HaShem can protect us against everyone but ourselves. This is our job.
Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat Shalom.
Parsha Summary
| General Overview: In this week's Torah reading, Balak, King Balak ofMoab retains the sorcerer Balaam to curse the Jewish people. Instead of curses, only blessings come out of his mouth—including prophecies concerning the Messianic redemption. Moabite women entice some of theIsraelites to sin, resulting in a plague amongst the Jews. Phinehas zealously kills two of the high-ranking offenders, and the plague comes to an end. First Aliyah: The Israelites have just conquered the Emorites and the Bashanites, the two mighty neighbors of Moab. Balak, king of Moab, worries that his nation would be the Israelites' next victim. He sends messengers to the Land of Midian, to Balaam, a famed non-Jewish prophet and sorcerer, asking him to come and curse the Jews. G‑dappeared to Balaam that night and instructed him not to go to Moab. "You shall not curse the people because they are blessed!" Second Aliyah: Balaam sent word with Balak's messengers that G‑d doesn't permit him to go with them. So Balak sent more prestigious messengers to Balaam, promising him great riches in return for his services. Once again G‑d appeared to Balaam. This time G‑d allowed Balaam to go -- provided that he only speak the words which G‑d dictates to him. Third Aliyah: Balaam leaves together with the Moabite dignitaries. G‑d sends an angel with a drawn sword to block Balaam's path. While Balaam couldn't see the angel, the she-donkey he was riding did, and refused to move onwards, causing Balaam to strike her. The donkey miraculously speaks, admonishing Balaam for striking her. Eventually, G‑d "opens Balaam's eyes," and he sees the angel. A conversation between Balaam and the angel ensues, wherein Balaam is chastised for his behavior towards his donkey, and again he is reminded only to say what G‑d dictates to him. After this humbling episode, Balaam arrives in Moab where he is greeted by Balak. Fourth Aliyah: Upon Balaam's instructions, Balak builds seven altars and offers sacrifices to G‑d. G‑d "chances" upon Balaam, and dictates to him the words he should repeat to Balak and his ministers: "From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the mountains of the east: 'Come, curse Jacob for me and come invoke wrath against Israel.' How can I curse whom G‑d has not cursed, and how can I invoke wrath if the L-rd has not been angered?..." Balaam then proceeded to shower the Israelites with beautiful blessings and praises. When Balak responds angrily to the blessings, Balaam reminds him that he can only say that which G‑d tells him to say. Fifth Aliyah: Balak takes Balaam to another location, hoping that this new venue would be more inauspicious for the Jews. They again build altars and offer sacrifices, and again G‑d dictates blessing for the Jews which Balaam repeats. "G‑d does not look at evil in Jacob, and has seen no perversity in Israel; the L-rd, his G‑d, is with [Israel], and he has the King's friendship..." Sixth Aliyah: The entire process repeats itself once again, Balak takes Balaam to another place, hoping that Balaam can curse the Jews from there. For a third time they build altars and bring offerings, and for a third time, only blessings issue from Balaam's mouth: "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! ... G‑d, who has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness He shall consume the nations which are his adversaries ... Those who bless [them] shall be blessed, and those who curse [them] shall be cursed." At this point, Balak despairs of accomplishing his goal, and sends Balaam on his way. Seventh Aliyah: Before leaving, Balaam prophesies about the end of days: "I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth..." He also speaks about the eventual destruction of Esau, Amalek and Assyria. Following Balaam's unsuccessful attempt to curse the Jewish nation, Moabite and Midianite women seduce many Jewish men. In the course of their seduction, they also entice the Jewish man to worship the Baal Peor deity. G‑d commands Moses to execute the guilty people, and simultaneously a lethal plague erupts amongst the Jews. A Jewish leader, Zimri, publicly displays the Midianite princess with whom he was consorting. Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, kills them both, and the plague is halted. Jordan River, just across from the city of Jericho in the land of Israel. |
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