The Strength of the Jewish People

Jun 19, 2013 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Balak

The opening of this week’s parashah centers around the desire of Balak, the king of Moav, to curse the Israelites as they make their way toward the Land of Israel.

Living the Life Waiting for Us

Jul 7, 2012 By Abigail Treu | Commentary | Balak

Each of us has our version of the story: the infertility, the divorce, the toilet flooding before the Rosh Hashanah guests arrive. Mentsch tracht, gott lacht: man plans, God laughs, as the Yiddish expression goes. Only, most of the time it really doesn’t seem so funny.

Between Cursing and Blessing, Peace and Truth

Jul 4, 2014 By Tim Daniel Bernard | Commentary | Balak

That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. And God was very angry when he went. (Num. 22:20–22)

Balam: Prophet, Sorcerer, Saint or Sinner?

Jul 3, 2015 By Jonathan Lipnick | Commentary | Balak

Reading Parashat Balak along with Rashi, the medieval 12th-century French exegete par excellence, one quickly discovers how vilified Balaam is in midrash. But not all biblical commentators side with Rashi. There’s a fantastic chapter by Nehama Leibowitz  in Studies of Bamidbar entitled “Prophet or Sorcerer?” Rabbi Jacob Milgrom, too, has an article on the subject entitled “Balaam: Saint or Sinner?” in his extraordinary JPS Commentary to Numbers.

Balak

Jan 1, 1980

⁶ The remnant of Jacob shall be,
In the midst of the many peoples,
Like dew from the Lord,
Like droplets on grass–
Which do not look to any man
Nor place their hope in mortals.

Balak

Jan 1, 1980

² Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Hukkat-Balak

Jan 1, 1980

¹ The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ² This is the ritual law that the Lord has commanded:

Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.

A People Dwelling Apart

Jun 19, 2013 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Balak

Balak’s mix of poetry, narrative, and prophecy raises questions about Israel’s status as “a people dwelling apart” that are still with us today—questions that, in my view, make Balak one of the most troubling portions in the entire Torah.