Overview of the Weekly Reading: Balak
To be read on 14
Tamuz 5764 (July 3rd
)
Torah: Num.
22:2-25:9
Haftorah: Michah 5:6-6:8 (mentions Billam, Balak, and their
plots)
Balak is the 7th Reading out of 10 in
Numbers and 40th overall, and 35th
out of 54 in overall length.
Pirkei
Avot:
Chapter Six
Parshat
Balak opens with Balak, king of Moab, hiring Balaam, the gentile
prophet, to curse the Jews. Despite Balaam's numerous sacrifices
and attempts to curse the Jews, all he succeeds in doing is blessing
the Jews! When Balaam and Balak realize the futility of trying to
curse the Jews, they decide to try to cause the Jews to sin and
thus arouse G-d's anger toward them. The parsha concludes telling
how many of the Jews sinned with the Moabite women, worshipped their
idolatry, and were punished subsequently with a plague. One of the
tribal princes even sinned publicly, but was killed by Pinchas,
the grandson of Aaron, whose act of zealousness simultaneously staved
the plague.
FROM THE MASTERS
OF KABBALA (K:40-64/Balak)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:40-64/Balak)
The
invitation raises the consciousness of the diners to bless the source
of all blessing and in so doing causes unity between the spiritual
and physical worlds.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy
Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed
(A:40-64/Balak)
Know
that all these things are based on the transmigration of the souls
[of these nations] and [the significance of] their origins. Amalek
is the waste product of evil that was separated out of [the soul of]
Cain, the son of Adam.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the Shelah,
Shney Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
(S:40-64/Balak)
Bilaam
saw a vision of the greatness of the Mashiach, someone greater than
himself. What he did not appreciate was that that purity could be
rooted in impurity, just as Abraham came forth out of a Terach. When
the Mashiach arrives, the last vestiges of the dross remaining from
former efforts at distilling the pure out of the impure will vanish.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V40-64/Balak)
"He has not beheld any wrong in Jacob...the L-rd
his G-d is with him." (23:21)
When the word "Jacob" is used for the Jewish people, it
alludes to the inner struggle of the G-dly soul against the animal
soul. Yet, even on this level, the Torah states that the Jew is
without wrong. Where does the Jew derive the strength to prevail?
From his unique Jewish soul, of which it states, "the L-rd
his G-d is with him." The Jewish soul, a "veritable part
of G-d Above," is endowed with the power to transform even
the animal soul into holiness.
(Lubavitcher Rebbe)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click here)
(W:40-64/Balak)
Balak is the name of a non-Jewish king who attempted to destroy
the Jewish people. How can the Torah name a portion after such an
evil person? The Rebbe points out that the answer lies in what is
written in the Talmud (Sotah 47a). There it says that Balak, the king
of Moab, was the ancestor of Ruth the Moabite, who was the ancestor
of King David, and from whom eventually will come the Mashiach
(speedily in our days!).
Thus, Balak represents the transformation of darkness to light -
the metamorphosis of the idolatrous kingdom of Moab to the sacred
kingdom of David and Mashiach. Just as Balak was transformed
from evil to good, darkness to light, we too are reminded that if
we make the effort, every obstacle can be overcome and the light revealed.
Similarly, we see that the portion speaks mostly about the non-Jewish
prophet, Balaam, whom Balak had hired to curse the Jews. Since this
is so, why is the portion named after Balak and not after Balaam,
the main antagonist?
The simple answer is that Balak was the initiator who hired Balaam
in the first place. This same truth can be applied to ourselves. It
is sometimes easy for us to discount our impact on others. "What
they do is their problem," we excuse ourselves. "After all,
we only gave them a little bit of advice!" This portion teaches
us that we must be very careful even with a small bit of advice. As
the Shelah points out, Balak used the words "Ara li"
- "curse for me". This can also be translated as "curse
me". Because of his careless speech, this is in fact what actually
occurred - Balak himself was cursed.
Balak sends a message to Balaam asking him to curse this large nation
that had come out of Egypt. Why? Because they are "greater"
than me (Num. 22:6). The Shlah explains a deeper dimension
of these words. The phrase can be read like this: "Their greatness
comes from me!" What is the greatness of the Jewish people that
derives from Balak? King David and Mashiach, who descended
from Balak himself! This too connects to our previous point.
After accepting Balak's commission to try to curse the Jewish people,
Balaam travels by donkey to meet with Balak. On the way an angel,
armed with a sword, blocks the road; however, the angel is visible
only to Balaam's donkey, and not to Balaam himself. Balaam's leg is
crushed (ibid. 22:25) as the donkey struggles to protect them both.
Finally, when Balaam complains to his donkey for its intransigence,
the donkey opens his mouth and begins to speak (ibid. 22:28).
The Oneg Shabbat comments that the world thought that the
power of Moses was his faculty of speech, his ability to mesmerize
the Jewish people and even G-d. Balaam, who was renowned for his magical
oratorical abilities, was therefore called upon to counter Moses and
the Jews. What did G-d do? He demonstrated that if some are so infatuated
with Balaam and his speaking ability, well, then even a donkey can
speak.....
The Kli Yakar sums it up nicely: So as not to be proud of
his prophetic ability, Balaam was warned not to speak about the Jews
without permission. He was supposed to take a lesson from his donkey.
His donkey certainly did not deserve to see an angel or to speak;
nevertheless, it did, because it was important for the Jewish people
and G-d's grand plan. Similarly, Balaam's prophetic ability was granted
only because it was of use to the Jewish people.
Although the Almighty warned Balaam that he may not even speak without
G-d's permission, Balaam repeatedly tries to curse the Jewish people,
but to Balak's dismay, only blessings are uttered. "How goodly
are your tents Jacob, and your dwelling places Israel." (ibid.
24:5)
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi writes that the different words used
to describe the Jewish people in this verse are appropriate. "Yaacov"
(Hebrew for "Jacob"), which is connected to the word "ekev",
meaning "heel", alludes to a person who works on his feet
all day to make a living . On the other hand, the letters that compose
"Yisrael" (Hebrew for "Israel"), can be rearranged
as "li rosh", meaning "a head for me".
This refers to a person who is always learning Torah, which requires
constant use of his head; essentially his trade is Torah study.
For the above reasons, "tents" are more appropriately associated
with Jacob. When a working person studies, it is not his full time
occupation, so his living space is a just a tent, a temporary accommodation.
Whereas concerning a full time learner, the phrase "dwelling
places" applies, for this is his true and permanent abode.
The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe adds that our generation, the final
days of the exile, is a time when extreme self sacrifice is required
in order to overcome the obstacles that confront us. Yet, despite
the hardships, we are bidden to maintain a true Jewish lifestyle.
And since both lifestyles, learning Torah and working, are mentioned
in the same verse, this teaches us that both endeavors are equally
difficult, and therefore equally praiseworthy.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
Leiter
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click here)
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