Balak
Numbers 22:2-25:9
Micah 5:6-6:8
Bilaam, a heathen prophet, was hired by the king of Moav, Balak, to curse the Jewish nation. The Jews had been
victorious over the two strongest kings in the area. This caused the other indigenous nations to become extremely fearful. Balak was convinced that the Israelites were intent on destroying him and conquering his nation.
He needed Bilaam’s help to avoid military confrontation with the Jews by cursing them and thereby neutralizing their power.
Bilaam, however, found himself mysteriously compelled to bless the Jews instead of cursing them, perhaps the biggest and most significant “Freudian slip” in history.
Not only was he unable to fulfill his king’s desire (and his own ambitions as well), but also the blessing he uttered is one of the most beautiful testimonials ever offered.
“How goodly are your tents O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel!” (Num. 24:5)
The Talmud in Bava Basra (60d) explains that Bilaam was praising the Jews for arranging the entrances to their tents not directly opposite each other to afford the utmost privacy, dignity and modesty.
“Tents,” however, referred not only to their homes, but to their study halls as well, and “dwelling places” referred to their synagogues.
With the passage of time since Bilaam pronounced this extraordinary blessing, albeit reluctantly, we have been shown the truth of his utterance.
Our schools and shuls have indeed kept us alive and spiritually potent.
Our intellectual pursuits in the halls of yeshivot, together with the expression of the Jewish soul yearning to connect with its Creator through prayer in the synagogue, is the unparalleled blessing that has enabled us to persist through unimaginable suffering.
Because of this, it had become customary to pronounce Bilaam’s blessing each time we enter a shul.
Inexplicably, Bilaam believed that he could curse the Jews surreptitiously without his deed appearing on G-d’s radar.
Rashi teaches that because G-d had come to Bilaam in a dream asking, “Who are these people with you?” (Num. 22:9), Bilaam inferred that there are things that are unknown to G-d.
Yet the Talmud suggests that Bilaam was no simpleton. His prophetic powers were equivalent to those of Moses. (Deut. 34)
How was it possible that a man with such supernatural powers be so dense as to believe that he could hide something from the Almighty?
History is sadly loaded with examples of those wise men who did the most foolish things, and we certainly don’t lack for such examples currently.
Personal desire can paralyze logical thought so that one’s wisdom is useless in preventing senseless behavior.
Bilaam so hated the Israelites and was so bent on destroying them that he launched into a campaign of wishful thinking.
This allowed him to operate under the delusion that he could indeed hide his diatribe from G-d.
King Solomon wisely warned, “Don’t rely on your wisdom.” (Proverbs 3:5) Even concrete wisdom doesn’t preclude our behaving imprudently.
Perhaps the only way to protect ourselves from falling into this trap is to consult regularly with people who can offer an objective opinion with no personal interests or ulterior motives.
Not always so easy to find, but worth the effort.
Shabbat shalom.
Rabbi Pinchas Lipner is dean of the Hebrew Academy in San Francisco.