Parshat Hashavua Rabbi Michael Laitner If you have comments please feel free to e-mail Rabbi Laitner at: michael@southhampstead.org

‘Behold, here is a people that have come out from Egypt, it has covered the expanse of the land…’ (Bemidbar/ Numbers 22,5)
 
‘Behold, this is the people that have come out of Egypt, it will (‘has’ according to the ‘vav ha-hipuch – vav conversive) cover the expanse of the land.’ (Bemidbar 22,11)
 
Can you spot the differences between the two pesukim (verses) quoted? If not, look at the words in bold! These pesukim are part of an episode that takes place very close to the end of the Jews’ 40-year stay in the desert while they are on the cusp on entrance into the Land of Israel.
 
The first pasuk (verse) was said by Balak, king of Moav in today’s Jordan, when he sent a delegation to Bilam, a man living far away across the Euphrates, to ask Bilam to curse the Jewish people.  Balak appears to fear military defeat by the Jewish people and resorts to what he considers to be spiritual means to defeat the Jewish people.  This approach is consistent with the Jews’ history in the desert as shown so far in the book of Bemidbar.  In general, their punishments in the desert have been for spiritual or behavioural problems rather than military defeat, with exceptions such as the captive taken by the Cenaa’nim (see last week’s Sidra, Bemidbar 21:1).  
 
The second pasuk is said by Bilam when he has communication with G-d.  Although we can ask many questions about this story, not least how Bilam has communication with G-d, let us focus on the difference between the two pesukim. Why does Bilam change the message which Balak sent to him?
 
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, one of the greats of the 20th century Rabbinate, observes that Balak phrased his message because he thought the Jews had forgotten about their roots and their heritage, so that they were just like any of the other local tribes.  Bilam knew better and hence made his changes.  He knew that the Jews had a sense of mission and purpose from the Torah, to improve themselves and the world around them.
 
Balak thought that the Jews had forgotten their purpose and hatched his plans accordingly.  Bilam knew that the Jews were still strong in their purpose so his statement reports this view. He knew that the Jews would prevail and enter the Land of Israel.  His use of words incorporates the ‘vav ha-hipuch/vav conversive’ which changes verbs in the perfect tense to future tense and vice versa.   This shows Bilam’s appreciation of the Jews’ past and his fears as to their bright future.
 
This approach may help our thinking as to the intriguing question of where the text reflects negatively on Bilam who is regarded as an archetypal bad person (see Mishna Pirkei Avot 5:22 – page 560 in the green Siddur). 
 
Why does he appear again almost parenthetically in the Sidra of Matot coming up in a couple of weeks time, when his death is listed? Why is he blamed for the physical problems caused by Moav, despite Balak seeming to prefer a spiritual offensive initially? Why does Bilam make the long journey home and then back again in the meantime? See Bemidbar 24:25, 31:1-12, 31:8, 31:14-16 for some answers.

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