Balak
This parasha tell the story of King Balak of Moav, who asks the prophet Bilaam to curse the Israelites. God intervenes and makes Bilaam only able to bless the people instead. The Israelite men mix with the women of Moav and Midian and worship strange gods, angering God. The parasha concludes with the story of Pinchas slaying an Israelite man and Midianite woman.
Balak – Vered Hollander-Goldfarb
Vered Hollander-Goldfarb teaches Tanakh at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem. She has lived, studied and taught in Sweden and New York, and currently lives in Jerusalem with her family.
Can a human being deceive and manipulate God? Bilam, a gentile prophet, was arrogant enough to think he could. The subtle confrontation between Bilam and God takes place against the backdrop of the request by Balak to curse “a nation coming out of Egypt.” Blessings and curses were a serious business with real repercussions (as we saw with Jacob and Esau).
A cursory reading of Numbers 22 seems to indicate that Bilam is acting innocently, even naively. A closer reading reveals his cunningness. Let’s follow the text:
Balak king of Moav sent this message to Bilam:
“Now then, pray go, damn this nation for me… for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you damn is damned!” (Num.22:5-6)
When asked by God who the people with him are, Bilam answers:
Balak son of Tzippor, king of Moav, has sent to me: Here, the people that came out of Egypt…now, pray go, revile it for me…. (Num. 22:10-11)
But God responds to Bilam:
You are not to go with them, you are not to damn the people, for it is blessed! (Num. 22:12)
If you read carefully, you have realized to whom God is responding: Not Bilam. God’s answer matches perfectly the request by Balak. Perhaps the change that Bilam introduced when repeating Balak’s words was due to carelessness? Not in a well crafted biblical narrative. Every word counts. Every change has a reason. Bilam changed Balak’s words that were too reminiscent of God’s promise to Avraham: “I will bless those who bless you, he who curses you I will damn! (Gen 12:3) lest God remembers that promise.
Bilam is viewed in rabbinic literature as one of the greatest prophets ever, perhaps on par with Moshe. He knew that God would refuse the request to curse “the nation coming out of Egypt,” but thought that he would be able to deceive God into giving a positive answer. He assumed that God does not see everything all the time, a common polytheistic view. God has blind spots which Man can use to his benefit. This approach caused the rabbis to consider him the archetype of arrogance (Avot 5:23, where he is countered with Avraham); Man is above God.
To this attitude, the prophet Micah retorts, in the closing line of the Haftarah of this Parasha: “He has told you, O Man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Another Voice - Vivi Lachs
Vivi Lachs is a Yiddishist, performer and teacher. She gives talks about Yiddish songs of London and performs with Klezmer Klub.
When Balak, a powerful dictator requests Bilam, a prophet to do some work for him, curse the children of Israel, Bilam doesn’t immediately agree. He thinks and communes with God and says no. Eventually he agrees to meet Balak, but when he does so, assessing the situation and using his inspiration, Bilam does what he thinks right and praises the children of Israel. Bilam, with courage and conviction goes against authority.
It makes me think of those who dissent, refuse to be bystanders. and brings to mind a Yiddish song by Itzik Manger. Written towards the end of the second world war, it is a song of praise. It is praising the person who doesn’t only hear the ‘dunert in himl’, the thundering in the mountains, but also hears the ‘khlipert in tol’, the sobbing in the valleys.
Az voyl iz tsu dem vos hot dos khlipen derhert
Dir iz aza herung gevezn bashert
Un a trer iz gefaln in dayn gemit
Un mit vund un mit vunder zikh tseblit in dayn lid.
Praised are those that hear the sobbing.
That act of hearing was destiny
And a tear falling on the body
With wound and wonder becomes the song.
