Monday, July 2, 2012
Parshat Balak
Bamidbar 22:2 – 25:9
12 Tammuz 5772 / July 6-7, 2012
Bamidbar 22:2 – 25:9
12 Tammuz 5772 / July 6-7, 2012
Own your Jewish Karma
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ
Holy Blessings Batman!
When Balak, the King of Moav, enlists the desert dwelling prophet
Bilaam to curse the Israelite nation, words of blessing emerge that
become timeless as part of our daily prayer. Balaam is summoned to an overlook
where he can see the entire Israelite encampment. He intends to curse the
people, but has promised that he will only speak the words that G-d puts into
his mouth. Balaam closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and chants these
famous words that have found their way into scripture:
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ה מַה-טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל. |
5 How goodly are thy
tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!
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6 As valleys stretched
out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars
beside the waters;
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ז יִזַּל-מַיִם מִדָּלְיָו, וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים;
וְיָרֹם מֵאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ, וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכֻתוֹ.
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7 Water shall flow from
his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be
higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
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ח אֵל מוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם, כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם לוֹ;
יֹאכַל גּוֹיִם צָרָיו, וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶם יְגָרֵם--וְחִצָּיו יִמְחָץ.
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8 God who brought him
forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall
eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in
pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.
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ט כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ;
מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ, וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר.
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9 He couched, he lay down
as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one
that blesses thee, and cursed be every one that curses thee.
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Balaam’s prophecy is a timeless blessing that includes us, the current generation of Jewish people. Our pluralistic and progressive homes are tents of Jacob and dwelling places of Israel. And so they are good. What is the goodness that this familiar line (verse 5) of prayer is talking about? Perhaps there are clues to be found in the lesser known continuing lines.
How exciting that verses 6 and 7 contain beautiful images from the
natural world! “Gardens by the river side,” and “water shall flow from his
branches.” Our generation is engaged in the process of exploring the deep bond
between Jewish identity and caring for our planet. True to Balaam’s verses, we
are discovering that our homes are good places because we do not see them as
completely separate from the world outside of our windows. We know that we need
to use natural resources responsibly in order for goodness to
continue.
Verses 8 and 9 are less politically correct and so perhaps, a bit
harder to digest. The blessing connects our relationship to a G-d of war and
power. Is that what we need G-d for? To eat up nations and crush their bones?
I want to suggest that we read the end of the blessing as a
progression. We began with the need for a G-d that destroys our enemies (verse
8), but we head towards a relationship whereby we have the power to bestow
blessings and curses because of a connection with G-d within (verse 9).
Stephanie Nash is an actress and meditation teacher that talks
about the resonance between two pitchforks. If you strike one pitchfork at the
end of a gymnasium, a second pitchfork at the other end of the room will begin
to chime in tune. Human relationships are guided by this phenomenon too. When
we watch a movie and witness strong and powerful emotions we begin to
experience the same feelings. Might the same be true for the blessings and
curses that we put out into the world.
“Blessed be every one that blesses thee, and cursed be every
one that curses thee.” If we choose to see truth in these words, then it is
our responsibility to ensure that we act in ways that people will bless us, so
we can all (Jews and non-Jews) benefit from increased blessing in the world.
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