This week’s Torah portion, Balak, stands out in the book of Numbers. While most of the narrative in the Torah focuses on the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Jordan river, this portion shifts perspective. Here, we follow Balak, king of the Moabites, and Bilaam, a non-Israelite prophet whom Balak hopes to hire to curse the Israelites. For most of the portion, Israel is seen only from a distance, through the eyes of these outsiders.
The story is straightforward: Bilaam, who has a unique relationship with the God of Israel, is approached by Balak’s messengers to curse Israel. God tells Bilaam not to go, as the Israelites are blessed. After a second, more prestigious delegation and the promise of riches, God gives Bilaam conditional permission to go, provided he follows God’s instructions.
Despite this, Bilaam sets out eagerly the next morning. This angers God, leading to the famous episode where Bilaam’s donkey sees an angel blocking their path and refuses to move. After Bilaam’s repeated beatings, the donkey miraculously speaks, and God reveals the angel to Bilaam, making clear His displeasure.
Bilaam’s mistakes are clear:
- He didn’t fully convey God’s message to the first messengers, omitting that Israel was blessed and could not be cursed.
- He left with the second group without waiting for explicit invitation, as God had instructed.
- Most importantly, he was motivated by greed, eager for the reward despite knowing he could not curse Israel.
Ultimately, God allows Bilaam to proceed, but instead of cursing, Bilaam blesses Israel with beautiful words, including the well-known verse, “Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael”—“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel.”
The story of Balak and Bilaam reminds us that intentions matter as much as actions. Bilaam’s desire for reward led him astray, even when he knew the right path. In life, as in this portion, true blessing comes not from following our own interests, but from acting with integrity and listening closely to what is right.
Nice dvar Torah! Clear, concise, with a meaningful message!