Dear Temple Sinai Members and Friends,
I don’t know about you, but I love this week’s Torah portion, Balak. I love
its drama and the amazing miracle it describes when God changed the words that
Balaam, the sorcerer/prophet, was going to say to the People of Israel from a curse
to a blessing.
The Israelites are again on their way to the Promised Land, this time taking
the long 40-year route. Fresh from victory over the Amorite kings, they settle down
on the border of Moab. The King of Moab, Balak, is fearful of the Israelites for
word has spread of their ability to defeat other nations by the power of their God.
He, therefore, attempts to solicit the help of the sorcerer/prophet Balaam to curse
the Hebrews, for he knows that he cannot defend himself against them when they
decide to enter Moab. I will not share the wonderful part of this narrative of how
Balaam, also fearful of the God of the Hebrews, tries to turn down the King’s order
to curse them. Eventually, he gives in but is stymied by a talking donkey (which
the rabbis said was one of the miracles written into the history of the Jewish
people) that tries to prevent him from completing the King’s task.
Eventually, he makes it to the place on which he would curse the Hebrews.
As described in chapter 23, Balaam has Balak build seven altars and prepares
sacrifices to make to their god (or gods). Then the text says that God then speaks to
Balaam and tells him to go to Balak and speak the words that God has him speak.
Balaam does this and the next four times, rather than cursing the Hebrews, he
offers words of blessing, including the beautiful words that we offer at the
beginning of services and when entering a synagogue, “How beautiful are your
tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel”, Mah tovu Ohalechah Yaacov”.
This is a most amazing biblical narrative and description of an event that is
nothing but short of a miracle, or an actual miracle. There are those who say that
such miracles only happened in ancient times and no longer occur. While it is true
that God still allows the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, to spout his
words of hatred against Israel and the Jewish people, rather than changing the
words he speaks to those of respect and reconciliation, as God did with Balaam,
God has created miracles for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The recent
“Rising Lion” war was nothing short of a modern-day military miracle as a small
country, Israel, with a population of eight million could hold off and severely
damage a nation of eighty million people.
Let us pray for more miracles for our people. The words that are spewing
forth from the mouths of Anti-Semites here in America and throughout the world
might not be changed to words of reconciliation and respect, but we can pray that
God gives us the strength to stand strong against them all. If we can succeed, and I
believe we will, then Am Yisrael Chai, the People of Israel will live forever.
As I wrote in my message last week, please let me know what your interests
are regarding future Adult Education classes here at Temple Sinai. If you or
someone you know wants to become Jewish, please let me know, as I will be
having a class for converts in the fall. Also, we will be holding a class for Adult
Bar/Bat Mitzvah, so again, let us know of your interest.
Shabbat shalom,
Your Rabbi Steve