At the beginning of Parasha Balak, we read about the delegation from Balak ben Tzipor, king of Moab, that arrives to the Goy prophet Balaam. The purpose of the expedition is to recruit Balaam for a special mission aimed at defeating the Israelites camped on the border of Moab, on their way to Canaan: “And Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘Now, the people of Israel are all around us like the oxen of the field”
Israel is likened to an ox, as the Midrash says, “What an ox has is strength in its mouth, eating and cleaning all the grass around, as is Israel, their strength is in their mouth.” In his mind’s eye, Balak sees how this crowd that came out of Egypt, and which sees itself as grasshoppers, takes over every piece of land under its control, and he is afraid.
What scares Balak? The invasion by people of slaves who recently came out of Egypt
According to Midrash Tanhuma, in the letter of the invitation to Balaam, Balak wrote: “Not that they are more heroes than me, nor their soldiers are more numerous than mine, but that their secret to win is by the power of their mouths (the speech), which I cannot do.” Balak is afraid of the people whose strength is in their mouth, in their prayer, in their faith.
The king Balak ben Tzipor understands that in order to harm Israel he has to act with the same power of the word – Faith and Emuna. He turns to the prophet-magician Balaam, who is known for his ability to hurt people with the power of his mouth – the power of curses, that later on change to be the power of blessings.
To the modern and secular eyes, stories of this type seem legendary, or at most a beautiful psychological analogy – or maybe a primitive practice of ancient times. What is the difference between a myth & legends or a real Emuna -Faith?
In this moment I’m sitting in Israel next to my father`s bed, praying for his good health (Evyatar ben Menorah) and receiving lots of wishes and prayers from so many of my beautiful family of Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel among other friends from different parts of the world and I’m thinking…
Does God work for us?
When a person prays, why does he pray? Is it to take a “time out” from the outside noises? To connect with his ancestors in his current actions? Does he direct himself to the sky or to an “inner center”? Does the praying person believe that there is someone there who hears him, listens to him, accompanies him, asks for him? Does the person believe that his words have the power to influence? To do something? To affect celestial worlds and force change to the world order?
In the Talmud it is said that the Sages sought to integrate parts of Baalam speech, which is shrouded in mysticism, into the daily Kriyat Shema reading, but because the text was too long, they avoided it.
Indeed, reading part of this text is a great prelude to prayer. The reader can understand the value of a word and the power of prayer and faith. Although Balaam’s speech was not included in the Kriyat Shema reading, one verse: “How goodly are your tents Jacob, your dwelling place Israel” were integrated in the beginning of the prayer. We say it in the very first moment when we step into the synagogue.
Perhaps this is a daily reminder for us, a light reminder about the powers of man in this world. Our power is to turn the curse into a blessing, as people of Israel are singing generation to generation “My strength and my song is God, and he is come to be my salvation.”
Thank you all for your blessing and prayers!! Thank you for your warmth and affection!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen