Parshat Balak

In this week’s parsha we hear an amazing story. The story is about a king (named Balak) who is worried about the Jews. There’s also a magician (named Bilam) and a talking donkey. The king hires the magician to curse the Jews because the magician had the reputation of being able to curse effectively. Whenever he cursed a nation its army would be defeated in battle. The king planned on having the magician curse the Jews so that he would defeat the Jews in war. The irony of the story is that the Jews had no intention of attacking the king, the king had no need to worry, and that the Jews would kill this magician in another battle.

There is a wide divergence of opinion about “magic” among the Rishonim. The Rambam (Hilchot Avoda Zara, chap. 11) says the belief that there is any validity to the claims of magicians and fortune-tellers is idiocy. The Ramban (in his commentaries to Devarim 18:9 and 18:13) takes issue with the Rambam. He says there are “occult powers” in the Universe, but we, as Jews, as Hashem’s people, have no need to turn to the occult.

The Sfat Emet to this week’s parsha (in his torah for the year 5652) mentions a Gemara in Nedarim 33a that says ,”Anyone who avoids magicians will merit a place in heaven that even the angels cannot enter.” The Ran (the standard commentator to Nedarim) explains that this reward is earned because the person showed his absolute trust in Hashem and refrained from trying to manipulate his fortune. The Sefat Emet elaborates on this idea. Pirkei Avot (chap. 5 mishna 23) compares Avraham Avinu to Bilam. Avraham Avinu possessed ayin tova, ru’ach nemucha and nefesh shefala. Avraham Avinu devoted his life to accepting Hashem’s will. This led to Avraham Avinu’s generosity, humility and graciousness. The Mishna describes Bilam as the antithesis of Avraham Avinu. Bilam’s character was marked by “ayin ra’a, ru’ach gevoha and nefesh rechava.” Bilam devoted his life to satisfying his greed. This insatiable greed led to Bilam’s stinginess, arrogance and meanness of spirit.

Neither the Mishna nor the Sfat Emet discuss the issue of whether Bilam’s sorcery “worked.” They are concerned with the lessons and guidance that can be gotten from studying the lives of Avraham Avinu and Bilam. The Mishna says that those who follow the way of Avraham Avinu will have what to eat in this world and inherit the World to Come. But those who follow in the way of Bilam have only Hell and the Abyss.

Bilam spent his life in the pursuit of his desires. Such a person never knows rest or fulfillment since he always wants more. And his efforts at prognostication proved futile when he tried to change a decree of Hashem. But Avraham Avinu’s followers know tranquility because they accept Hashem’s will. They don’t need to agonize about the future because they can trust Hashem inspire them to follow the correct course.

Life is a test, and we are judged by the choices we make. Bilam amassed a fortune and was sought out by the monarchs of his time. Our task is to resist the temptation of his early success. Our task is to remember the transient nature of this world. Hashem used Bilam to send us this blessing: Mah tovu ohalekha Ya’akov mishkenotekha Yisrael. Bilam mentioned first our “tents” (ohalekha) and then our “homes” (mishkenotekha). When we remember not to take this world too seriously, when we relate to it as we would to a tent, then we will be blessed with dwellings in Olam Haba.