Numbers Cycle Three Balak 22:2 to 25:9

Balak


So often I have heard people discussing the question around yetzer harah and yetzer hatov. How do we know one from the other? How do we know if our action is really good?

In the parsha Balak we realize that there is a way to see the yetzer harah. We can see it when it is in movement towards the light. What I mean is that darkness will try to access a certain light if it, itself, is eclipsed by a brighter one. And this same eclipsed light will try to access a higher one, in turn, if it, itself is eclipsed by another. And so on. Finally, at a certain level, the focus is no longer on movement or on the person/force moving. Rather it’s on the reflection. This is when the yetzer harah can be seen clearly.

Of course, this is not the conventional view of this parsha. But in my opinion, one line in particular manifests the process described above. The line is first said from Balak to Balaam. Who you bless is blessed. Who you curse is cursed….asher tivarach mivorach v’asher t’or yu’or. Then a similar line is said by Balaam in reference to the Israelites. Who blesses you is blessed. Who curses you is cursed….m’varchecha baruch v’orrecha arur.

But first let’s do a quick review. Here we are mid Torah and we’ve been religiously following the story of the Israelites and suddenly there’s a cut-to scene. We’re taken to the other side, to the enemy. That’s because in order for us to know ourselves we need to know others. And both Balak and Balam are the enemy. After all, it’s the prophet Micah who says Oh my people remember what Balak King of Moab devised and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him…that we may know the righteous acts of the Lord (Micah 6:5). To emphasize the point, in Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:2 we read that Balaam will have no portion in the world to come. Rashi says that the reason why Balaam falls on his face with his eyes open…why he can’t shut his eyes in full reverence to God…is because he is uncircumcised. But wait, we want to think. Balaam is a good guy. He refuses to attack us. We even sing his words every Shabbat in the prayer Mah Tovu.

In case you don’t know the story, it’s about a King (Balaak) who tries to align himself with Balaam to attack the Israelites because he’s frightened of them. During many adventures that include a talking mule, the admonitions of an angel and many offerings, Balaam finally blesses the Israelites instead of cursing them. Then, they go their separate ways and we cut back to the Israelites. This is when Pinchas throws a spear through the groins of a couple having sex and practicing Bal Peor outside of the Beit Hamidrash.

If anything, some of us think, Pinchas the priest is the enemy, not Balak or Balaam. Balak is just trying to organize Balaam against us…Pinchas actually kills us.

But now let’s look at the lines mentioned above. In the description of Balaam’s ability to bless, the verb makes Balaam the active subject. In the description of Israel’s ability to be blessed the verb makes Israel the passive subject . The emphasis of the former is Balaam who is doing the blessing/cursing. The emphasis of the latter is the force blessing/cursing Israel. In this way, the Israelites are seen as a channel of that force. Balaam is seen as a person without humility. Not only that but the action of Balaam is upward. He is climbing towards God. The action of the Israelites is spheric. Already in a divine place of protection, they can reflect God to others everywhere. Where is Balak? In the darkness. His movement is towards Balaam who reflects the Israelites. And Balaam’s movement is towards the Israelites who hold the refraction from God (from Ein Sof). The Israelites, in turn, can either be like Balaam or they can accept a heightened position and see themselves as vessels, mirrors, lenses through whom the divine can reach to others. Finally, if they can read the letter (see the sign) they can manifest the radiance on this earth.

Sometimes it’s not an easy job. Think of Pinchas. Think of the people he kills. According to Gemara though before Pinchas acts he asks Moses… Should we not kill one who cohabits with an idolatrous woman? Moses responds that he who reads the letter should be the agent to carry out its instructions.

I do not support ruthless killing. I do however support a multi-level reading of Tanach in order to learn and apply heightened lessons to everyday life.

So, may we refract the light of God to bless Ein Sof and to bless each divine spark among our people. May we see the yetzer harah within ourselves and do the necessary work to move beyond it. May we see the angels in our midst. May we see the donkeys. May we see the signs. May we understand that we are channels of divine radiance and messengers of love.