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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
בלעם, Bilaam, we are taught was gifted by Hashem with the extraordinary perception of the makeup of the spiritual world, of the upper spheres, a prophet on the same level as משה רבינו, Moshe, our leader. The פסוק says that no prophet will arise akin to Moshe Rabeinu amongst the Jewish nation- but it infers that from the gentiles one will arise- who? Bilaam. We can’t imagine his exceptional phenomenal powers!
But we can ask, how then is it possible for one who understands the makeups of Hashem could lead himself astray? Hashem repeatedly let him know of his displeasure concerning his involvement with Balak’s desire to join him. Finally, when he was travelling to join him, a remarkable miracle takes place. His donkey rebukes him for his terrible behavior. Nevertheless, he still feels he can convince Hashem to allow him to curse them, despite that due to his supreme prophetic power, he was aware that Hashem had not allowed Himself to become “angry”– to invoke the metaphysical domain of punishment.
In Tractate Shabbos 153a it states; “Rav Eliezer taught ‘Repent one day before your death’. His students asked him “Does a person know the day on which he will die?’ He said to them ‘All the more so (this is good advice) one should repent today lest he die tomorrow, in this manner one will spend their whole life in a state of repentance!’” This is what שלמה המלך, King Solomon taught, “At all times your clothes should be white and oil shall not be absent from your head.” (קהלת ט,ח)
Bilaam stated the opposite, “תמת נפשי מות ישרים ותהי אחריתי כמהו” (בלק כג,י) “May I die the death of the upright, may my fate be like theirs” . Bilaam acutely recognized the achievements of those who followed the Torah, their selfless compassion even towards the nations of the world (Netziv). He expressed his desire to 1) gain that purity the last day of his life, 2) thereby gaining for him that after his death he would be embraced by Hashem.
Unfortunately for him, he was not honestly cognizant of human nature. Rav Eliezer was demonstrating that the only viable way to develop a spiritual, selfless, honest living experience. One has to steadfastly, persistently, with resolution always perceive that one is standing on front of Hashem. The idea of the need to repent every day is exactly that; how can one not have remorse for their actions that are not appropriate? After all, Hashem is my benefactor, how can one act in a contrary manner?
Bilaam was a manifestation of one who clearly knows what is expected and required but shoves it aside, by claiming that one can do what they want, and rectify all at the end. “It’s my life, and it’s my desire to gain wealth, acclaim, and power. In this world its about me, in the next world it’s about G-d.”
Balak was in some manner the opposite. The Torah starts off in Numbers: 22, 2 “And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites (They had defeated a most powerful nation). And Moav was alarmed… they dreaded the Israelites. And Moav said to the elders of Midian… They will lick clean all that is about us… And Balak the son of Zippor was the king of Moav at that time.”
Why does the Torah wait till the third verse to relate to us that Balak was the king? It should state it in the first verse, when ‘introducing’ him. Rav Yerucham Levovitz זצ”ל explains that the Torah is teaching us the reason he was the king. Many times, one can witness a battle, war, or any event and walk away knowledgeable about the story and its conclusion. To actually take the time to analyze, perceive and with clarity understand the myriad of factors and causations of an event is time consuming and laborious.
Balak investigated. He concluded that the Israelites are a nation that exists on a metaphysical plane, one where the laws of nature don’t govern, but rather they are under the guidance and governance of G-d. They left the world’s empire (Egypt), they were saved at the Reed Sea, G-d spoke to them and sustained them miraculously in the desert for forty years. Their king, Moshe Rabeinu is not a warrior, a five-star general, but rather a person gifted with the ability to converse with G-d and to beseech Him to protect His people. Therefore, he seeked a person who had the same gifted qualities in order to neutralize Moshe Rabeinu. Who? Bilaam, who was blessed by G-d to be the same. He even joined Bilaam in sacrificing seven bulls and seven rams s a means of connecting to Hashem, hoping to gain His providential assistance in defeating the Jewish nation.
Yes, one can be fully understanding of G-d’s interaction with humanity. But it must be totally selfless; recognizing what Hashem demands and desires, not telling Him how to act!
Bilaam said; “They are people that rises like a lioness, leaps like a lion, rests not till it has feasted on its prey and drank the blood of the slain.” (Number 23:24) The Netziv explains; why is the lion given the title, king of the animal kingdom? A lion is one that will never allow another animal to be superior to it. It will with ‘adrenalin’ force itself to raise itself beyond its natural strength and power to defeat or best another.
In the same manner, Klal Yisrael will exert every effort to find superhuman strength to be on time to davening, learning or whatever; to declare what has to get done will have to be accomplished no matter all obstacles!
That strength is a consequence of relentless, selfless obligation to engender what is beneficial to one and all, to facilitate that the ‘wishes’ of hashem are actualized. Hashem tells us ,“Open for me a small door, and I will open a palace door” Hashem’s desire has to take place, he just demands that one truly, selflessly desire it to become a reality.
