Parshas Balak
22:4
One wonders what prowess was displayed by Moshe through his speech. When fighting and conquering the Amorite nations lead by Sichon and Og, The Jews used physical implements of war. And Moshe used an ax to cut down Og. No incantations or spells were uttered. What lead to this impression that Moshe had a way with words? Unless we conclude that they are referring to
Moshe's incredible influence in prayer to God to withhold punishment, provide sustenance, and repel dangerous enemies. In that case the Moabites and Midianies are trying to reduce the power of Moshe's spirituality and connection to God into terms that they can deal with strategically--ie.that Moshe was simply a manipulator of supernatural forces through speech.
How conveniently they avoid the uncomfortable conclusion that the Creator of the universe is the superpower backing this small battered nation and should therefore concentrate their efforts on building their own merit it the eyes of God. Moab and Midian choose to persevere in their worldview that all problems can be avoided and their lifestyle can be happily preserved if they can just find the right man with the right power of spiritual wielding for the job.
22:5a
Billam is portrayed as the original soldier-of-fortune hiring himself out for any cause that can pay his high fee. No sense of loyalty or conscience will interfere with any opportunity to advance his career. As we will see, this grandiose exploiter of cosmic forces is himself subject to the most basic forms of stick and carrot manipulations. It is only natural that when one's power is based upon the willingness to compromise moral values, then one is prone to the very weaknesses of character that result from a lack values. And as a result, they can beoh-so-easily influenced to act contrary to their own interests and precipitate their own ruin.
22:5b
Here Rashi points to the sad truth about the failure of all kinds of instant fixes and quickie solutions to the problem of rotten character or what our culture refers neutrally as 'maladjustment'. No amount of special incentives or dynamic presentations can replace the long and difficult work of refining a bad habit and adjusting a warped personality. Instead of bringing the idol worshipping nations to a higher plane of morality, their inability to take on the necessary regimen caused the granting of a prophet in their midst to have the opposite effect. The nations preferred to remain corrupt and use the power of prophecy to further their own warped agenda.
22:7
How revealing it is to see the suspicion and second-guessing that is needed when dealing with unscrupulous individuals. Nothing they promise can be taken for granted, one must always be calculating when their vested interest might part ways withyour goals and will promptly abandon you in your time of need.
22:8
As noted by Rashi in verse 5, God makes a special attempt to establish a prophet for the Non-Jewish nations and this Rashi highlights the unworthiness of the recipient of these prophecies.
We see in Billam the classic prototype of one who possesses incredible talents and deep levels of insight, inspired by divine spirit, yet falls so short of anything near perfection in his personal life. Be wary of the towering intellects that don't stand up to the most basic levels of ethical scrutiny. They feel qualified to provide guidelines and state opinions on every ethical matter by virtue of their sheer brilliance. But they are simply incompetent to render judgement on any moral issue because they lack the self-discipline needed to measure what standard can be expected from people. Their benchmark is that much lower because of their own arrested moral development.
22:9
Here in this exchange between God and Billam we have, as seen in Parshas Shelach, a double-entente set up by God to test Billam's ability to recognize God's wishes and give up his private ambitions. The Midrash cites a few instances where God engages man in conversation hoping to draw from him pangs of conscience and regret or to make honest self-evaluation. But Billam, blinded by his pursuit of honor, wealth and vengeance, reads God's initiation of dialogue as a sign of infirmity that can be exploited (like everything else) to Billam's advantage.
22:10
This sub-conscious admission of Billam of his unworthiness before the eyes God is immediately followed by an attempt to bolster his self-esteem by citing his great stature in the eyes of mortals. Rabbi Abraham J. Twersky M.D. who is known for his insights on low self-esteem often makes the observation that people will be obsessed with superficial gestures and symbols of approval in direct proportion to the extent that they feel they lack genuine self-worth inside. It is perhaps this inner void that exists in Billam which prevents him from acknowledging God's true intentions and thereby taking the less lucrative path of compliance with God's wishes. Psychologically, Billam doesn't think he can afford the blow to his image by bowing to moral demands, even though ironically, such a yielding would fill that inner void of unworthiness and make affordable any sort of damage to his outer stature. What a pitifully vicious cycle! Often it is the thing we most dread doing which holds the key to our spiritual liberation.
22:11
One wonders what gave Billam such venomous hatred of the Jewish people in whom he had nothing to gain from their total annihilation? The Midrashim refer to Billam in the context of a number of different watershed events in Early Jewish history. He was there among Pharoh's advisers when Pharoh sought counsel on the first 'Jewish Question' and it was Billam who proposed the 'semi-final solution' of male genocide. At the time of the Divine Revelation at Mount Sinai, 80 years later, The Nations again turn to Billam for an explanation as to what earth-shattering event was apparently transpiring. Now the Jews are at the verge of the culmination of their nationhood: entering the Land of Israel, and once again, Billam is at the crossroads, trying to foil the Divine scheme of almost half a millennium! His hatred of Yisrael has become a long standing vendetta. See Midrash Shemos Rabba 27:3,6 depicting Yisro as the inverted image of Billam which might explain this deep-seated animosity. Yisro was also an adviser to Pharoh with Billam, and took a decisive stand against the persecution of the Jewish population. This being an unpopular position, Yisro was promptly ousted from the palace and had to become a refugee. The reward for Yisro's sacrifice was immense as well and enduring for all time. Billam, by contrast, who gave the more popular suggestion, and no doubt furthered his position in Pharoh's court as a result, achieves only temporary success and comes to a disgraceful and violent end. Assuming that he is aware of this through prophetic insight, Billam must harbor such bitterness towards the people from whom this stark contrast of fates has been fostered.
22:12
Rashi gives us clear warning against even accepting favors and kindness from those who would rather see us done in. Don't let a sudden show of benevolence take us off guard. If they have not shown a genuine change of heart, better keep a safe distance, lest we allow ourselves to be duped into believing they are no longer an enemy. This will surely leave us vulnerable to a devastating surprise.
22:13
Here we see that Billam cannot personally afford to declare the truth about his incapacity to curse the Jews. See Comment to 22:10 above.
22:18a
More bluster on Billam's part exaggerating his abilities to the point of hinting to a guarantee. He makes himself even more fragile and prone to ridicule with the slightest indication of his dependency on Divine approval.
22:18b
In the same breath, Billam is forced to concede his limitations. No doubt Billam only sees this as a formality to appease God by giving Him 'due recognition', but between the lines he is pompously alluding to his assurance of success worthy of the grandest sum. It appears that Billam assumes he has the talent to manipulate even God to assist him in his nefarious designs against God's own Chosen People.
22:19
Rashi points out, almost comically, the simultaneous counter-manipulation of Billam by God, when using Billam's own words as an omen of the approaching fiasco! God has an uncanny way of orchestrating justice so subtly and thoroughly by using the very instruments of rebellion against Him (Billam's mouth) as the means of correction and recompense.
22:20
Here God reiterates His stance and states unequivocally that it is Billam that will do God's biding and not the other way around. It does seem to have an effect on Billam: he no longer is CERTAIN that he will have his way. Now he qualifies his self-assurance with a 'PERHAPS I will persuade God into changing His mind'! We need to learn from Billam that we humans are capable of pursuing a goal even to the point when God Himself becomes merely a means to our ends. There is a fatal flaw in that kind of ambition, and it is in our long term interest to curb it.
22:21
One wonders what can be achieved with this display of exertion and effort when it is trying to accomplish something evil? Does effort alone posses any supernatural potency? Rashi must be drawing our attention to some hidden message that Billam is sending and then informs us that he has been preceded by Abraham's legendary alacrity. Rav Moshe Feinstein has a powerful insight into this strange gesture. It is indeed a message to God as an indictment upon the Jewish people in THEIR lack of enthusiasm and zeal in fulfilling God's wishes. When Billam can show there are ambitions in this world that can really drive a person to the point of absolute obsession, and the Jews don't have that same level of intensity when it comes to spiritual challenges, there is an indictment being submitted on them. Bilam is trying to illustrate the unworthiness of the Jews of having God's special protection to prevent Billam from cursing them.
22:22
What an incredible juxtaposition of these two events that Rashi depicts for us! Immediately after we're informed that Billam in starting his journey in spite of Hashem's clear implicit wishes to the contrary, Hashem still pursues a plan of mercy to avoid having Billam bring himself to ruin. This is anunmistakable example of what we say in the Ne'ilah prayer at the closing of the Yom Kippur service quoting from Ezekiel 18:23
"Do I desire at the death of the wicked man- the words of my Lord, Hashem- is it not rather his return from his ways, that he may live?"
Here in practice we see God's unshakable commitment to us failing mortals not to close us off from finding the correct path of life. But the chances are only made AVAILABLE to us. We still retain the freedom of will to reject them and cause God to follow our que to self-destruction.
22:23a
It is said by King Solomon in Koheles that and increase of understanding and awareness fosters an increase in anxiety and frustration. Would we only come to realize the true nature of our problems and actual destructive consequences of our actions, and how much of our pain and troubles have been self-imposed, we would certainly be seized by paralasis- afraid to do anything- overwhelmed by our responsibilities and the fragile state of our existence. God has benevolently allowed us to function by cutting off from view large chunks of reality that threaten to bring us to total distraction.
22:23b
Hashem gives a subtle message to Billam charging that he has misused his spiritual gifts. The power of speech and prophecy was given to man to be inspired and enlightened, to promote his elevation to a higher plane of existence. Billam has instead made this sublime faculty into a club (or sword) to be used to further the beligerent drives of conquest and domination. Let Billam use a sword for his mission and not corrupt that most holy medium. Indeed, his end will be that of a coarse soldier, by the brutal cut of a saber.
22:26
The Maharal elucidates the Midrash by saying Billam's options to curse rested on the spiritual deficiencies of his target as we saw above in verse 21. The Midrash points out that such flaws are to find their expression in one's offspring. Yaakov Avinu had dedicated his life's work at refining his essence so commesuratly that his progeny would issue pure and free of blemish. This purity was so thorough as to last till now, protecting the Jewish People 200 years after his passing, and continues through time. When we pray in the merit of our forefathers, it has long proven itself to be effective as is evident in our long history of survival.
