Parshas Balak: A Lesson in the Art of Good Living

The Torah portion this week, Balak: Bamidbar (Numbers)22:2 - 25:9, gets its name from a Midianite prince who fears the Israelite army will attack Midian after neighboring tribes who act as a strategic buffer suffer surprising losses from the small army of Jews new to the area. Balak approaches the Moabite elders, convincing them they are next. He appeals to them to work together to defeat their common enemy. Balak is appointed Moabite king and tasked with neutralizing the Israelite threat.

Balak knows military strength is no match for the Heavenly aid that Moses' army receives, so he employs the sorcerer Balaam to curse the Jews in order to weaken their martial strength. An angel preempts Balaam's assignment and God demands that the prophet bless the Jews, and he does. Balaam explains to his irate Moabite bosses that he can only do the will of God, a God who loves His chosen people and champions their success. He suggests another strategy to weaken the Jews that will remove God's protection, thus allowing the Moabites to prevail in battle.

Although this generation of Jews adheres to the laws given at Mt. Sinai, they are not immune to seduction. Celebrating two major military victories that yield much wealth and feeling invincible, military men have no defense against the terror attack on the spiritual battlefield designed to defeat them. Merriment and partying with the Moabite women serve as gateways into idolatry, adultery, prostitution and debasement. This behavior infects the civilian population to some extent, but those who remain loyal to God fail to correct their neighbors, precipitating a plague that strikes indiscriminately the guilty and the innocent. The Almighty identifies the 157,200 offenders and demands that each one be publicly stoned and hung as a disincentive to everyone else for disobedience in the future.

This alarming conviction and punishment provokes Zimri, an offender from the Simeon tribe, to amass 24,000 men and kidnap a Midianite princess. He brings her back to camp and confronts Moses, declaring that because Moses married Zipporah, a Midianite woman, he has permission to have relations with the princess. Zimri drags her into his tent and has his way with her. As another major transgression ensues, no one intervenes until Pinchas slays the couple by impaling them together on his spear and displaying the gruesome deed to the crowd. 24,000 people succumb to the plague before it ends.

The Haftarah portion this week, Michah (Micah) 5:6 - 6:8, refers to Balak and Balaam. Micah lived in the 8th century BCE, when the Israelite nation loses much territory as the Assyrians wage wars to expanded their borders. Micah correlates disobedience to God's word with territorial losses. He reminds the people about the miracles and wonders of the Almighty God, emphasizing that God desires holiness and loyalty, not wickedness amended by animal sacrifice. He patiently explains the basics of Judaism to those who cannot understand, "He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord demands of you; to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

Approximately 2775 years later many of us still do not understand the basics of good living. It can be very confusing. Justice is now racism, mercy is now cruelty, and pride has replaced humility as a character asset. Sexual sin in various forms is now legalized and espoused forcefully or minimized strategically in political discourse. Ardent defenders of the good and holy endure financial ruin from legal attacks, face unprecedented prison terms, lose jobs, family ties and even their lives.

Now we have the long view and an historical record to guide us. We can learn how to behave and why to behave rightly. We can recognize the Balaks and the Balaams in our midst, and see them as players in a drama in which their wicked actions eventually produce positive results. Balak is a descendent of Ruth, the Moabite convert who produces a great grandson, King David, the progenitor of the Messiah. Balaam's curses turned to blessings as he reveals the future redemption of the Jews in the Holy Land, a revelation that sustains us through many trials and tribulations.

As events change rapidly in our modern high tech world, we can proceed in the understanding given to us in Genesis 50:20, where Joseph consoles his contrite brothers. "Indeed, you intended evil against me, [but] God designed it for good, in order to bring about what is at present to keep a great populace alive." Time will show us the hand of God in our present circumstances.

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Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.