S.A.L.T Parashat Balak

S.A.L.T – PARASHAT BALAK

By Rav David Silverberg

Motzaei Shabbat

TheTorahinParashatBalaktellsoftheattemptsmadebyBilam,agentileseer,toplaceacurseuponBeneiYisraelatthebehestoftheMoaviteking. GodpreventedBilamfromplacingacurse,andforcedBilamtoblessBeneiYisrael,instead.

TheGemarainMasekhetBerakhot(7a)discussesthisepisode,andinafamouspassage,explainshowithappenedthatBilamfailedinhisquesttocurseourancestors. Bilam’spower,theGemaracomments,stemmedfromhisabilitytodeterminetheprecisemomentwhenGodbecomesangryeachday. TheGemaracitestheverseinTehillim(7:!2),“Ve-Kelzo’eimbe-kholyom”–“Godisenragedeachday,”andexplainsthistomeanthatthereisatimeeverydaywhenGodbecomesangry. Bilamhadthepropheticpowertodeterminethismoment,andwasthusabletoplaceacursebydeclaringhis“spell”atthisprecisetime. HisattempttocurseBeneiYisraelwasunsuccessful,theGemaracomments,becausethroughoutthisperiod,GodmadeanexceptiontoHisordinaryroutine,asitwere,anddidnotbecomeangry.

Amidstthisdiscussion,theGemaratakesnoteofthefactthatthisdailymomentof“za’am”(“rage”)isinfinitesimallysmall. Oneviewstatesthatitlastsforjust1/58,888thofanhour,whereasaccordingtoanotherview,itlastsfortheamountoftimeneededtosaytheword“rega”(“moment”).

LikemanyAggadicpassagesintheTalmud,weshouldassumethatthereisadeeperlayerofmeaningunderlyingthetext,andthatourSagesheresoughttoconveytousimportantlessonsthroughtheuseofmetaphorandallegory.

IthasbeensuggestedthattheGemara’sdiscussionisintendedtoteachusthattheessenceofa“curse”isaninordinatefocusonthedailymomentsof“rage”thatweexperienceeachday. Theconceptof“Ve-Kelzo’eimbe-kholyom,”thatGodbecomesangryeachday,isthateachandeveryoneofusexperiencessomekindofmisfortune,whethersignificantortrivial,eachandeverydayofourlives. Nodayisperfect,andeverydaybringswithitsomechallenge,someformofdisappointment,frustration,anguishoraggravation. Bilam,whoepitomizedthequalityof“ayinra’a”–viewingpeopleandtheworldwithan“evileye,”withnegativity(Avot5:19)–masteredtheartoffocusingonthismomentofangst. Apersonis“cursed”whenhislifebecomesdefinedbythedailymomentsof“za’am,”offailureanddisappointment. Whenweinflatethemishapsweexperienceandourfrustratedambitions,thenwelive“cursed”lives,livesofunendingmiseryanddespair.

Theoppositeofthis“cursed”mindsetistheabilitytorecognizetheinfinitesimallysmalldurationofourmomentsof“za’am.” Ifweviewourliveswithan“ayintova”insteadofan“ayinra’a,”wewillbeabletoputourfrustrationsanddisappointmentsintoproperperspective,andrecognizejusthowinsignificantlysmalltheyareinrelationtotheblessingsinourlives. TheGemarateachesusthatwehavethepowertoreducethe“za’am”ofeverydaytoaminusculeproportionofourdailyexperience. Wehavethechoicetoeitherallowittodefineourentirelife,ortoacknowledgeitasjustasmallportionofanotherwisehappy,successfulandfulfilledlife. Whilewecannotdenytherealityof“Ve-Kelzo’eimbe-kholyom,”thateverydaybringsitsshareofchallengesanddisappointments,wemustensurenottofollowBilam’sexampleoffocusingontheseelementsofourlives,andmustinsteadlivewithan“ayintova,”andtrytoputour“za’am”intoproperperspective,sowecanlivetrulyhappyandblessedlives.

Sunday

Yesterday,wenotedtheGemara’senigmaticdiscussioninMasekhetBerakhot(7a)ofBilam’sfailedattempttoplaceacurseonBeneiYisrael. TheGemaracommentsthatthereisamomenteachdaywhenGodbecomesangry,andBilamhadtheuniqueabilitytodeterminethatmoment,enablinghimtosuccessfullyplaceacurseuponhisfoes. HewasunsuccessfulincursingBeneiYisrael,however,becauseGodwasnotangryatanypointduringthatperiod.

ChatamSoferoffersacleverexplanationoftheGemara’sdiscussion,suggestinganinsightwhichisladenwithprofoundsymbolicmeaning. Henotesthatlater,theGemaracitesRabbiMeir’scommentthatGod’sdailymomentofangeroccurssoonafterthesunrises,whenthekingsoftheeasternregions,thefirsttoseethesunrise,worshipthesun. Godisthenfilledwithangerattheentireworld,ChatamSoferexplains,becausethesunatthatmomentbecomesanobjectofidolatry,andthusallpeopleonEarthendupbeingsustainedbyanarticleofforeignworship. Sincethesunisneededtoproducevegetation,allpeopleintheworldingesttheeffectsofthesun’srays,andsotheyallbecometaintedbythestainofidolatry. Inthewilderness,however,BeneiYisraelatethemanna,whichoriginatedfromthehighestregionsintheheavens,beyondthesun,anddidnotneedthesunforitsproduction. Assuch,Godwasnotangryatthemduringthisperiod,andBilamwasthusunabletoplacehiscurse. ChatamSoferexplainsonthisbasisthesinofBa’alPe’or,whichtheTorahtellslaterintheparasha(25:1-9),andwhichChazalsaywasinstigatedbyMoavattheadviceofBilam(Sanhedrin106a). ChazaldescribehowBilamadvisedMoavtohaveitswomenseducethemenofBeneiYisrael,intheprocessofwhichtheyfedthemtheirfoodandhadthemworshiptheirdeity. ChatamSofersuggeststhatthestrategywastohaveBeneiYisraelpartakeoffoodotherthanmanna,wherebytheybecamesubjecttoGod’sdailymomentofangerovertheworshipofthesun. Atthatpoint,Bilam’scursetookeffect.

UnderlyingChatamSofer’screativeapproachisthefundamentaltruismthatweare,invariably,affectedbythebeliefsandpracticesoftheworldaroundus. Wesharetheworldwithothernations,andarethereforeboundtobe“tainted”bythe“sun,”byforeigninfluencesthatclashwithourvaluesandprinciples. Forthisreason,duringtheyearsoftravelinthewilderness,whenournation’sreligiousidentitywasbeingforged,BeneiYisraellivedseparateandapartfromtherestoftheworld,encircledbyCloudsofGloryandsustainedbyheavenlyfood. Ineffect,theylivedintheheavens,andnotinthisworld,andwerethusabletolearntheTorahfromMosheandforgetheirreligiousidentitywithouttheadulteratinginfluenceofforeigncultures.

Afterthisforty-yearperiod,ofcourse,BeneiYisraelcamebacktoEarth,so-to-speak,andwereonceagainsustainedbythe“sun,”bytheordinaryforcesofnature. TheidealisnotforAmYisraeltoexistinisolationfromtherestoftheworld,astheydidinthewilderness,butrathertoliveaspartoftheworldtogetherwithothernations,andtherebyupliftthem. However,eventhen,wemustensuretoavoidGod’s“anger”byremainingsteadfastlycommittedtoouruniquevaluesandlifestyle,byresistingtheinfluencesofforeignculturesthatconflictwithourideals,andensuringthatwesustainourselveswiththeheavenly“manna”–withtheprinciplesofthepure,heavenlyTorah.

Thismessageresurfaceslater,inSeferDevarim,whereMosheforeseesthetimewhenBeneiYisraelwillcapturetheLandofIsraelandtakepossessionoftheCanaanites’largehomes,fieldsandwells,inheritingthedevelopedinfrastructureleftbehindbythevanquishednatives(Devarim10-11). MosheproceedstowarnBeneiYisraelnottoresorttoidolworshipaftertakingpossessionandmakinguseoftheCanaanites’infrastructure. ItseemsthatMoshefearedthespiritualeffectsofBeneiYisrael’sbenefitingfromthematerialgoodsleftbehindbytheCanaanites,thatthismightsomehowleadtoidol-worship. RavElchananSametexplainedthatMosherefersheretothechallengeofusing,participatinginandembracingtheeconomicandtechnologicalcultureofothernationswithoutalsoembracingtheirvalues. RavSametwrites(translatedfromtheHebrew):

Itis…clearwhatconcerntheTorahisvoicinghere:theinheritanceofamaterialculture(Canaan)byanationwitharelativelyinferiormaterialculture(Israel)mayturnouttobeaPyrrhicvictory.Feelingsofinferiorityandinsignificancemayleadthevictoriousnationtoenterthemateriallyrichercultureofthedefeatednation,adoptingitwholeheartedly,includingitsreligiousaspects.Thedefeatednationcouldthensay,“Theybeatus,buttheyacceptedourphilosophy.”Suchaprocesshasoccurredmorethanonceinhumanhistory.

Therefore,theTorahdemandsofIsraelthatadistinctionbemadebetweenthegoodcities,thehousesfullofalltypesofgood,andtheentireCanaaniteinfrastructure–allofwhicharegiventoIsraeloutofGod'skindness–andthebeliefsandphilosophiesoftheCanaanitesandtheirtangibleexpression

InlightofChatamSofer’sexplanationoftheincidentofBa’alPe’or,wemightsaythatMoshewarnsthepeopleoftheeffectsofthe“sun”whichtheywouldbesharingwithothernationsoncetheyleavethe“heavenly”existenceofthewilderness.

RavSametconcludeshisdiscussionbynotingthecontemporaryrelevanceofMoshe’swarning:

…weareabletoenjoyeveryculturalachievementfromeverypartoftheworld;itarrivesatourdoorstep–orstraightintoourhomes–withoutanyeffortonourpart.Thequestionposedtousistowhatextentwearecapableofdrawingadistinctionbetweenmaterialculturewhichimprovesour“qualityoflife,”andthespiritualvaluesofthecreatorsofthatculture.

Theabilitytodrawthisdistinctioninourgeneration,andtheknowledgeofwhereexactlythelineistobedrawn,isoneofthemostcomplexanddifficulttasksthatweface.ThisisbecausewesterncultureisnotapagancultureaswastheCanaanitecultureinitstime.SomeofthespiritualvaluesofwesternculturefitinwiththeTorahandareindeednourishedbyit.Nevertheless,othervaluesstandinclearcontrasttoourTorah.Wemayrunawayfromthistaskbyclosingourselvesofffromanymanifestationofthisculture.Butsomeonewhoseekstoaddressit,toextractitsgoodwhilerejectingitsnegativeelements,mustpayattentiontotheTorah'swarning…

Monday

ThefinalversesofParashatBalaktellofthedisturbingincidentofBa’alPe’or,whereBeneiYisraelengagedinrelationswiththewomenofMoavandworshippedthatnation’sdeity,andthetriballeaderofShimon,Zimri,publiclycohabitedwithaMidyanitewoman. Godpunishedthenationbybringingadeadlyplague,untilPinchashaltedtheplaguebykillingZimriandtheMidyanitewoman.

Rashi(25:7),citingtheGemara(Sanhedrin82a),describesPinchas’reactiontothesightofZimri’spublicoffense,writing,“Ra’ama’asehve-nizkarhalakha”–“Hesawtheact,andwasremindedofthelaw.” Thisreferstotheextraordinaryprovisionof“kana’inpog’inbo”whichappliesinveryrare,exceptionalcases,authorizingazealottokillaviolator(thoughalsopermittingtheviolatortokillthezealotinself-defense). WhenPinchassawZimri’spublicbreach,hewasremindedofthishalakhaandproceededtoactuponit.

Wemightask,whatexactlydoestheGemaraseektoaddtoourunderstandingofthisincidentthroughthiscomment? GodlaterexpressesHisemphaticapprovalofPinchas’controversialviolentact(25:10-13),clearlyindicatingthatPinchas’exceptionalzealotrywasjustified. WhatdoChazaladdbytellingusthatPinchassawwhatZimrididandthenrememberedtheextraordinaryprovisionauthorizingaviolentresponse?

Theanswer,perhaps,isthattheGemaraseekstoemphasizethatthevalidityofazealousresponsewasnotonPinchas’mindbeforewitnessingZimri’sact. ThelicensegrantedtozealotsunderthesecircumstanceswassomethingthatenteredPinchas’awarenessasaresultofthesighthebeheld,notsomethingwhichhadalwaysbeenonhismind. Somepeoplelivetheirlivesas“zealots,”activelypursuingacause,eagerlysearchingforsomethingtoprotestandoppose. Thesepeoplearenot“reminded”ofthelawof“kana’inpog’inbo”;thislawisattheforefrontoftheirconsciousnessatalltimes,andtheyconstantlylookaroundforsomeimproprietytowhichtheycanjustifyfierceopposition. Pinchaswasnotlookingforsomethingtobezealousabout. Hesawanoutrageandthenrecalledthatzealotryinsuchacaseislegitimate;hewasnotoutsearchingforanopportunitytoactzealously. Chazalhereteachusthatevenintheveryrarecircumstanceswhenfierceoppositioniswarranted,itlosesalllegitimacyifapersonislookingforsuchopportunities. Thesesituationscallforstrongactiononlyifonedoesnotlookforthem,andneedstobe“reminded”ofthelicensetoreactstrongly.

Tuesday

Aswediscussedearlierthisweek,theGemarainMasekhetBerakhot(7a)explainsthatthesecrettoBilam’ssuccessinplacingcursesuponhisfoeslayinhisabilitytodeterminetheprecisemomenteachdaywhenGodbecomesangry. Bilamusedthisknowledgetoseizetheopportunitytoplacehiscurse. HewasunsuccessfulinhisattemptstocurseBeneiYisrael,theGemaraexplains,becauseGoddidnotbecomeangryduringthisperiod.

Later,theGemaracitesaseeminglypeculiarremarkbyAbayeiidentifyingtheprecisemomentwhenGodbecomesangry. Abayeisaysthatthisoccurseachmorningatthemomentwhentherooster’screstturnswhite. Whenalltherednessinthecrestisgone,anditturnscompletelywhite,thisisthemomentwhenGod’sangerisaroused.

Toexplainthisenigmaticpassage,RavYitzchakStollmansuggestsinhisMinchatYitzchakthattheroostersymbolizestheopportunitiespresentedtous,andtoallmankind,eachandeverymorning. Therooster’scrowatthedawnofthenewdayrepresentsthecalltocorrectthemistakesofthepreviousday,thatwehavetheopportunityforanewbeginning,tochangeourselvesandtheworld. Asthesunrisesandbeginsanewday,theroostercrowsto“awaken”mankindbothliterallyandfiguratively,summoningustoseizetheopportunitiesaffordedbythenewdaytomakesubstantivechanges. Severalhoursintothemorning,whenitbecomesclearthatthedayisunfoldingjustlikeanyother,thatmankindisagainsquanderingtheopportunitiesofthenewday,theroosterturns“white”fromshame,havingfailedinitsroletospuraprocessofpositivechange. Andatthismoment,Godbecomesangry. WhenHeseesthatwearegoingaboutouraffairsnodifferentlythanonthepreviousdays,withoutheedingthecallforchange,thecallsoundedbytherisingsun,bythedawnofanewday,Heisdisappointed,asitwere,inHiscreations.

Inwhatatfirstappearsasastrange,enigmaticremark,theGemaraininfactteachingustheimportanceofseeingandseizingtheopportunitiespresentedtouseachdayforanewbeginning. Wemustfirmlybelievethatyesterday’smistakescanbecorrected,thatthefailuresofthepastcanbetransformedintosuccessesinthepresentandfuture. TheGemarahereurgesusnottogetcaughtinarut,inaroutineoffailure,disappointmentandmediocrity,buttoinsteadseizeeachday’sopportunitiesandtrustinourabilitytochangeandimprove.

Wednesday

TheTorahinParashatBalaktellstheunusualstoryofBilam’sjourneytoMoav,duringwhichanangelblockedhispathonthreeoccasions. TheangelmadeitselfinvisibletoBilambutvisibletotheangel,andsoonallthreeoccasions,whenthedonkeyeitherveeredfromthepathorsimplystoppedtraveling,Bilambeattheanimal. Finally,theTorahtells,“TheLordopenedBilam’seyesandhesawtheangeloftheLordstationedontheroadwithitssworddrawninitshand”(22:31).

TheMidrash(LekachTov),commentingonthisverse,writes:“ThisteachesthattheentireworldispresumedblinduntiltheAlmightyopenstheireyes.” JustasBilamcouldnotseetheangelblockinghispathuntilGodopenedhiseyes,similarly,weareallincapableofseeingwithouttheAlmightygrantingusvision. TheMidrashpointsalsotoasecondexample,namely,thestoryofHagar,whoseson,Yishmael,wasdyingofdehydrationuntil“theLordopenedhereyes”andshowedherawellfromwhichshedrewwatertosaveherson’slife(Bereishit21:19).

ThetwostoriesaddressedherebytheMidrashrepresenttwodifferentcontextsinwhichweneedGod’sassistanceto“see.” WeneedHishelptoseethesolutionstoourproblems,asinthecaseofHagar,andweneedHishelptoseeandavoidlurkingdangers,asinthecaseofBilam. TheMidrashhereurgesustoappreciateGod’sroleinhelpingusfindsolutionsandavoiddanger,hisgivingustheintelligenceandtheinformationwesooftenneedtosolveourdilemmasandtotakenecessaryprecautions. Thismightlikelybethemeaningoftheblessingwereciteeachmorning,praisingGod“pokei’chivrim”–“whogivessighttotheblind.” Thislikelyreferstonotonlythegreatgiftofeyesight,whichwecaneasilytakeforgranted,butalsothe“vision”weneedsoofteneachdayofourlivestofindeffectivesolutionstoourproblemsandtoavoidthedangersthatlurk.

Importantly,however,inbothcasesnotedbytheMidrash,thepeopleinvolvedwerereprimanded,inoneformoranother,fortheirhandlingthegivensituation. InHagar’scase,theTorahwritesthatGodshowedherthewellinresponsetoYishmael’sprayers(“Va-yishmaElokimetkolha-na’ar”–Bereishit21:17),indicatingthathewassavedonlyinhisownmerit,notHagar’s. Hagaractedimproperlybydespairing,leavinghersontodiewhilemovingawaytoweep,ratherthancontinuingtosearchforwater,anditwasonlyinresponsetoYishmael’sprayerthatGodintervenedtorescuehislife. AndBilam,ofcourse,wasscoldedbytheangelforbeatinghisdonkeyratherthanunderstandingthattherewassomethingblockinghispath(22:32). AlthoughGodmercifullyopenedHagarandBilam’seyes,theyweretohaveworkedhardertoopentheirowneyes–tocontinuelookingforasolution(Hagar),andtounderstandthatdangerlurkedevenwhenthiswasnotevident(Bilam). AsmuchaswemustrecognizeourdependenceonGod’shelpin“opening”our“eyes”andenablingustoseeallthatweneedtoseetosucceed,wearealsotoexertourownefforttofindsolutionsandidentifypotentialdangers.

Thursday

UndoubtedlythemostfamouswordsofpraisespokenbyBilamofBeneiYisraelishisproclamation,“MatovuohalekhaYaakov,mishkenotekhaYisrael”–“Howgoodareyourtents,OYaakov;yourresidences,OIsrael”(24:5). Chazalofferseveraldifferentinterpretationsofthisverse,oneofwhichappearsinahalakhiccontext. InMasekhetBavaBatra(60a),theGemaraexplainsthatBilamsawthatBeneiYisraelarrangedthedoorstotheirtentsinsuchawaythatfamiliescouldnotseeintoeachother’shomes. Hisexpressionofadmirationforthispracticeformsthebasisofthehalakhaforbiddingneighborsfromhavingtheirwindowsordoorsfacingoneanother. Asecondinterpretation,whichappearsinMasekhetSanhedrin(105b),isthatBilamherepropheticallypraisedBeneiYisraelfortheirsynagoguesandstudyhallswheretheywouldgathertoprayandtolearnTorah. (ThisinterpretationformsthebasisofthecustomfollowedbymanytorecitethisverseuponenteringthesynagogueforShachariteachmorning.)

Significantly,thesetwointerpretationsreflecttwoopposite,butcertainlynotcontradictory,admirablequalitiesofBeneiYisrael. Thefirstrelatestoprivacyanddistinctiveness,howfamiliesliveprivate,independentliveswithoutpeeringintooneanother’saffairs. Theidealof“Matovuohalekha”accordingtothisexplanationisoneofindividualismandseparateness,ofdistinctfamilyunitsconductingtheirprivateaffairsintheirownway,assuitsthem,withoutlookingatwhatotherpeoplearedoingorworryingaboutpeoplelookingatthem. Thesecond,bycontrast,speaksofthegreatnessofthelargeinstitutions,thehousesofworshipandlearningwherelargecrowdsofdifferentkindsofpeoplecometoprayandstudytogether. Accordingtothisinterpretation,Bilampraisesnotthepeople’sseparateness,butrathertheirabilitytojointogetherinthedevotedserviceoftheAlmighty.

Itisperhapsthecombinationofthesetwointerpretationsthatposesthegreatestchallengeforus,andwhich,whenachieved,becomesthegreatestsourceofpraise. WearetoservetheAlmightybothindividuallyandcollectively,byforgingourownindependentidentitieswhilestillbondingtogetherwithourfellowJewsforjointprayerandstudy. Bilam’sblessingtousisthatweshouldsucceedinmaintainingthisdelicateanddifficultbalancebetweendistinctivenessandunity,livingseparatefromoneanotherbutalsojoiningtogethertoformcohesivecommunitiesandtoworkasasinglenation. Theblessingofunityisnotachievedbyeverybodyfollowingtheprecisesamelifestyleanddoingtheprecisesamethings. Tothecontrary,unityisachievedwhenpeoplewhosetentsdonotfaceoneanother,wholiveseparateandapartfromoneotherandconductlivesthatareverydifferentfromanother,jointogetherinjoyandharmonyinthedevotedserviceofGod. Thismightbethetruemeaningof“MatovuohalekhaYaakov”–successinmaintainingbothourindividualidentitiesaswellasourunityandcollectivedevotiontoTorah.

(BasedonanarticlebyRavYehoshuaPfeffer)

Friday

WereadinParashatBalakthatasBilampreparedtoattempttocurseBeneiYisrael,hehadBalakbuildseveralaltars,andthetwoofthemofferedsacrificesonthealtars. Rashi(23:4),citingfromtheMidrash,writesthatBilamhadthesealtarsbuiltandofferedthesesacrificesinordertoclaimreligioussuperioritytoBeneiYisrael. HetoldGodthatBeneiYisrael’sfounders–Avraham,YitzchakandYaakov–builtfortheAlmightyatotalofsevenaltarsamongallofthem,overthecourseoftheirlifetimes,whereasBilamhimselfofferedthatsamenumber.

TheMidrash(BamidbarRabba23)proceedstotellthatGodrepliedtoBilambycitingtheverseinMishlei(17:1),“Drybreadamidserenityisbetterthanahomefilledwithfeastsoffighting.” GodtoldBilamthatHeprefersfewandsimplesacrificesoverthoseofferedbyBilam,“foryouseektointroduceafightbetweenMeandIsrael.” The“serene”sacrificesofthepatriarchswerefarpreferabletoBilam’ssacrificeswhichwereofferedforthesakeofarousingGod’sangeruponHisbelovednation.

TheMidrashherewarnsagainstusingreligiousobservanceasasourceofcompetitionandone-upmanship. Goddoesnotlookkindlyuponthosewho“buildaltars,”whoperformspecialreligiousacts,forthesakeof“introducingafight,”toshowthattheyarebetterthanothers. OurserviceofGodmustbegearedtowardsupliftingandinspiringotherpeople,notmakingusfeelsuperiortoothers. “Sacrifices”offeredforthesakeofexperiencingasenseofsuperiorityisnotactofserviceofGod,butratheranactofservingoneselfbytryingtoboostone’sego. Chazalhereteachusthatallour“sacrifices”mustbegenuineandsincere,andshouldneverbemadeascheapattemptstofeelwearebetterthanthepeoplearoundus.

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