Weekly Sidra: Balak
Torah Portion: Bamidbar/ Numbers 22:2-25:9
Haftorah: Micah 5:6-6:8

Bamidbar 22:2 And Balak son of Zipor saw all that Israel did to the Emorites.

Balak the king of Moav is introduced to us as בן צפור Ben Tzipor. Why are we only told he is the King of Moav later in the passage? 

וירא בלק Vay’ar Balak And Balak saw- Rabbi Avshalom ben David states: “Contrast this with another passage in Exodus where Jethro, the priest of Midian, merely ‘heard’ about what G-d had done for Moshe and Israel. Despite the fact that Balak saw the miracles that G-d accomplished through the Israelites, he remained resolute in his idolatry and refused to repent. Balak set himself against G-d’s people even to the extent of attempting to have them cursed. In contrast, Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the L-rd.’(Ex 18:13) All this because he merely ‘heard’ about, but did not actually ‘see,’ the miracles of G-d. Having ‘heard’ about the G-d of Israel cause Jethro to become a believer. (Ex 18:11) What was the difference between the one who ‘saw’ G-d’s miracles directly, yet cursed Israel and the other who merely ‘heard’ indirectly about G-d’s miracles, yet blessed Israel? Balak and Jethro differed in their respective attitudes. Balak sought for himself, Jethro sought G-d. So too, it is with us. If we maintain an attitude of self-seeking, though we see miracles, we will find neither G-d nor His blessings. We will never be completely satisfied, even though we acquire riches and everything our flesh desires; true peace will elude us. 

On the other hand, if we maintain a G-d seeking attitude, we have to but ‘hear’ about G-d and receive blessings. We will remain content, whether or not we have riches, because we will realize that G-d owns everything and ultimately, all things are for good. Jethro, after looking for G-d in every other religion, found Him with Israel.

What can we learn from this passage of the parasha? First cursing Israel, G-d’s people, results in self-destruction. Second, it is not necessary to ‘see’ miracles to believe. Though we pray for miracles and they occur, our faith does not depend on them. We do not say, ‘Come to our congregation and you will see G-d’s miracles,’ we say instead, ‘Come and you will hear G-d’s word.” The Talmud counsels us not to rely on miracles. If it is G-d’s will, a person may be introduced to Him through miracles. However, a person introduced to G-d through miracles may come to expect them and suffer emptiness and lack of faith if the miracles cease. Concerning this, Rabbi Shaul wrote in Romans 10:17, ‘So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of G-d.’ Also, let us not forget the words of Yeshua in John 20:29, ‘Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believe.” 

These insights give us a stark contrast between people of faith and those who lack it. We know that faith is a gift so what is that Hashem deems correct in a person that He would give it to one person and not the other? The idea behind faith is not something totally absent from our being and it is not something that just appears unexpectedly. We are reminded that Israel did not completely believe in Hashem’s proclamations until after the splitting of the Yam Suf when they said, “they believed in Hashem and His servant Moshe.” Why? One understanding is that they were given the Ruach Kodesh at that time and was lifted up to place where they were all prophets. The other more understandable idea is that they finally saw Hashem and trusted that He did as He said He would do. (i.e., bring them to freedom). They had faith in what they had heard Moshe proclaiming by what they saw. Nevertheless, this goes to prove the point R. Ben David showed us about never being satisfied. The song was based on what was seen and thus we find the incident at Marah happened shortly thereafter. Perhaps this is why Hashem tells to שמע (shema /hear) in the first commandment. 

Balak saw the world around him changing and did not submit his ideas and worldview in lieu of the changes. Israel was rising like a lion in the midst of the wilderness and nothing could stop him. The strongest nations were trampled underfoot when they confronted them and the mightiest of men (Pharaoh, Sichon, and Og the giant) were destroyed when they did. Balak the son of Zipor, even though a king, was reduced to facing his mortality and shortcomings. He was reduced to a man (son of Zippor) before Israel and the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He. 

It is said Balak was a greater magician than Bilam, yet in the face of political turmoil and world events, he could not ‘summon’ the strength to face Israel. The sages say that he was place as king over Moav recently and that his position was not very secure after the defeat of Sichon and Og. Without faith, man will do almost anything to retain his power, comfort and perspective, even in the face of overwhelming evidence contrary to them. Balak was no different; he summoned a wicked prophet to curse Israel. However, this was not possible, for they were blessed. 

Today the world faces the same sort of issues. The kings of the earth have seen nations fall before Israel on several accounts. Israel asks for peace, just as Moshe asked for peace while trying to cross over to the Land promised to them, but they were attacked. Israel has been raised from the ashes of the Holocaust and time as shown that it is growing mightier in all areas. The kings are looking for a man who will curse Israel in the time of its strength. Many are tempted with gold and silver, prestige, and a place among the kings only to fall before the Watcher of Israel. 

Believers, also, must choose to bless or curse Israel. We are given many reasons, both politically and religiously, to curse Israel because of we see as potential harmful to our worldview. However, we must have faith, in spite of some of these things, that it is Hashem Who is over the nation and has His eye on it. We should not be reduced to a mere man, like Balak, in the sight of all the issues that arise and be tempted to run to the enemy for a solution. We must be like Jethro, who heard the good news and of awesome deeds that Hashem performed and seek to know more about Him. This is Hashem’s ideal for all situations, that we seek Him. Israel was and is a messenger of Hashem, in spite of all it goes through as a nation, and we should not speak or act negatively about them in situations that may arise that are questionable. We must first be faithful to Him and bless Him for what He is doing in our midst. This will allow our perspective changed as is needed, and we can keep the inheritance that is ours to begin with, unlike Balak. 

Ultimately, seeing is not believing, as is shown in this parasha. We must combine the things we hear in the Word of G-d with what we see around us. This will mold our perspectives on life so when we encounter things that may confront us, we can change without humiliation or suffering. The sages say, “Man is led on the path he wants to follow.” We should strive to follow the Way of G-d and have His Spirit guide us in our ways and not follow after the example of Balak who ultimately was killed for his lack of insight when, “he saw” Israel in their glory and chose to curse rather than bless.

Writen by The Jewish Carpenter (דוד בן גבריאל)