RABBI WAGENSBERG ON PARSHAS BALAK
12 Tammuz, 5780; July 4, 2020
“I’m Always Watching You”
You should have seen Eric's face when he was writhing in pain on the sidewalk outside the airport terminal. He was rushing to catch his domestic flight from New York to Dallas in order to attend a very important business meeting which his company needed badly. Millions of dollars depended on his presentation which looked very promising. In his haste, Eric twisted his ankle so badly that he could not even stand up. The airport paramedics said that he needed immediate medical attention so that no infection would set in. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Eric was so angry that he began cursing at God for causing him such a financial loss.
While the resident doctor of the emergency room was working on the torn ligaments, Eric was able to see the T.V. screen from his bed. The newscaster was reporting about a tragic plane crash that had just occurred. Eric asked one of the nurses if she would not mind turning up the volume so that he could hear what the details of the incident were. When Eric heard that his airline and flight number were being broadcast, his jaw dropped. That was the flight that he was supposed to be on. There were no survivors. Now Eric began to sing a different tune and began thanking Hashem for saving his life.
This story actually appears in the Talmud in an obviously more ancient form (See Rav Yosef, Niddah, chap. 3, "Hamapeles Chaticha", pg. 31a. based on Yeshaya, 12:1 & Rebbi Elazar, Tehillim, 72:18-19). The Gemara concludes by saying that the lesson that we learn from this is that often enough a person to whom a miracle is being done has no idea that it is even happening. This teaching is very much connected to our portion, Balak.
The mystical war that Balak and Bilam waged against the Jewish People differed from most of the other wars that the Jewish People had to contend with. In most of the other cases, the Jewish People were aware that they were being attacked. So, for example, in face of the noticeable Egyptian threat, the Jews were afforded an opportunity to cry out to God in prayer that He could save them (Parshas Shemos, 2:23). This awakened Divine compassion which resulted in redemption.
Another example is the obvious threat of Amalek who attacked us. The Jews had a chance to assemble an army and fight back and we won that war (Parshas Beshalach, 17:9).
However, regarding Balak and Bilam's scheming plot to annihilate the Jewish people, the Jews had no idea that they were even under attack. Even Moshe Rabbenu was clueless to their plan while it was happening. Only afterwards did God reveal the evil intent of Balak and Bilam to Moshe prophetically (Panim Yafos, Rabbi Pinchas Halevi Horowitz, 1731 Galicia – 1805 Germany, Parshas Balak, 23:23; Chasam Sofer, Rabbi Moshe Sofer, 1762-1839 Frankfurt; Responsa Yora Deah, chap. 356; Imrei Emes, Reb Leibele Eiger, 1817-1888, Poland, Parshas Balak).
This meant that the Jews were unable to defend themselves with prayer. Neither were the Jews afforded an opportunity to mobilize an army. B'nei Yisrael did not even have a chance to use various segulos (charms) to protect themselves from the impure demonic, satanic, and witchcraft forces that Balak and Bilam were summoning.
In spite of their cluelessness, God protected the Jews from any harm. This demonstrated a special love that God maintains for His people. Even when the Jewish People are not engaged in additional Mitzvos (good deeds) in order to increase their merits to deserve Divine assistance, God still shields His people from damage.
The Shvilei Pinchas says that this is why, originally, the Sages wanted to institute the recitation of Parshas Balak together with the Kriyas Shema (Rav Avahu ben Zutrasi in the name of Rav Yehudah bar Zevidah, Berachos, chap. 1, "M'eimasai", pg. 12b). This is because there are two major aspects to the Shema.
The first aspect is that we testify that God is One (Parshas Vaeschanan, 6:4), meaning that there is no other power above or below that can prevent Hashem from carrying out His Will (Sumchus, Rebbi Chiya bar Aba, Berachos, chap. 2, "Haya Korei", pg. 13b; Shulcha Aruch, Orach Chaim, 61:6).
Secondly, we refer to God's protection of us even at night, when we are sleeping (Uveshachbecha) when we are virtually helpless to protect ourselves (Parshas Vaeschanan, 6:7). We have no idea of the existing dangers that threaten us at night, and yet, God still shelters us. Although we may check to make sure that the doors are locked and the gas is turned off before going to bed, we are still extremely vulnerable when we are sleeping. There are so many dangers that could still harm us, and yet, Hashem protects us from them.
These two components are also found in the story about Balak and Bilam. First of all, no power in the world that Balak and Bilam activated had the ability to avert God's plan. Secondly, the story points to God's protection of us even when we lay down to sleep like it says, "Karah Shachav" (when we crouch and lay down, Balak, 24:9) and are helpless to protect ourselves, Hashem watches over us so much that there is no need to worry. (Parshas Balak, 24:9; Rashi, Berachos, chap. 1, "M'eimasai", pg. 12b, divrei hamaschil "Karah Shachav").
If not for overly burdening the congregation with an extra-long prayer, the Sages would have inserted the recitation of Parshas Balak into the daily Kriyas Shema because of these similarities between them.
Remembering this message is so crucial that the Zohar (Parshas Bechukosai, pg. 112a, Rebbi Yosi) says that God does not pay attention to us when we ask Him to
remember our
tragedies (Eicha, 5:1; Tehillim, 137:7; Tehillim, 74:2; Tehillim, 106:4) because
we
do not
remember
the story of Balak and Bilam (Micha, 6:5). The Shvilei Pinchas explains why acceptance of our prayers is dependent on remembering the story of Balak and Bilam.
Remembering the story of Balak and Bilam strengthens our faith in God that He is the only Power Who saves us even when we are not privy to the dangers. If we do not remember the story about Balak and Bilam, we grow weak in our faith in God. This is why God chooses to not remember us in our difficulties. It is because of our feeble and frail faith in God. After all, why should God help us if we don't believe in Him anyway?
The Shvilei Pinchas says that this weekend, we are afforded an opportunity to remember the story of Balak and Bilam because it is this week's parsha. Whenever we have the ability of hearing the Keriyas HaTorah of Parshas Balak, we should keep in mind that we want to fulfil the Mitzva M'divrei Neviim (the commandment from our prophets) of "Ami Zechor Na Ma Ya'atz Balak Melech Moav Umeh Ana Oso Bilam ben Beor" (My People, remember now what Balak, the king of Moav, schemed and what Bilam, son of Beor, answered him; (Micha, 6:5; See Ramban commenting on Rambam's Sefer Hamitzvos, Mitzvas Asei 7, Zechiras Ma’aseh Miriam; Chidah, Rabbi Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai, 1714 JM – 1806 Italy, Avodas Hakodesh, Kaf Achas, 25:9).
It is no coincidence that this section from the book of Micha is part of the Haftarah read in conjunction with Parshas Balak. This Haftara is meant to remind us to fulfill this Mitzvah of remembering the story of Balak and Bilam.
The Talmud teaches us that it takes twelve months for a person to forget the passing of a loved one; however, when a year passes, he becomes forgotten from the heart (Berachos, chap. 9, "Haroeh", pg. 58b; Rashi; Tehillim 31:13). This principal of forgetting after a year is extended to other matters as well. Therefore, it is important to remember the story of Balak and Bilam at least once a year in order to keep its message in our minds.
However, it would be advisable to remember this Balak and Bilam story on a more regular basis because every time we do, we fulfil the Mitzva M’divrei Neviim of remembering this story.
Perhaps we could suggest a more regular practical application that is relatively easy to do. Not only once a year, but every single day, after Shacharis, let us remember the story of Balak and Bilam and its message by reciting the aforementioned verse from Micha (Ami Zechor Na etc...). Fulfilling this Mitzvah once a year during Keriyas HaTorah does not mean that we cannot keep it every single day.
A support to this would be the Mitzvah of remembering Amalek (Parshas Ki Seitzei, 25:17-19). Although we fulfill this Mitzvah once a year, in Shul, with the reading of the Torah on Parshas Zachor (Mishna Megillah, chap. 4, “Bnei Ha-ir”, Mishna 4, pg. 29a; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 685:2), we still find the remembrance of Amalek in our Siddurim (prayer books) at the end of Shacharis (the morning service), implying that we should remember Amalek every single day.
The Slonimer Rebbi (Rabbi Shalom Noach Berzovsky, 1911 Belarus – 2000 Israel, Parshas Zachor, #3) explains why we do both (1: Remembering Amalek once a year with a Keriyas HaTorah and 2: Remembering Amalek every day after Shacharis). When we mention Amalek each and every day, we are trying to remember that we have a responsibility to eradicate the Amalek within which attempts to make us callous and indifferent. This is called annihilating Amalek on the individual level.
Once we are rid ourselves of the Amalek within, we can get together once a year as a community to hear the reading of the Torah about Amalek --when we remind ourselves to destroy the threat of Amalek from without on a national or even global level.
Perhaps we could borrow this idea from the Slonimer Rebbe and apply it to the Mitzvah of remembering the story about Balak and Bilam. When we mention, each and every day, what Balak and Bilam tried to do to us, we are reminding ourselves how God constantly saves us, on the individual level, from dangers that we are not even aware of.
However, when we gather together once a year to hear the reading of the Torah about Balak and Bilam, we are reminding ourselves how God constantly saves us, on the national level, from dangers that we are not even aware of.
In the merit of this Mitzvah, God will also pay attention to our difficulties and bring about the complete redemption.
So, may we all be blessed with a good memory, keeping in mind what we are supposed to, and strengthen our faith in God, reminding ourselves that only He can save us, and thus deserve that God keep us in mind as well, and listen to our cries, and protect us from all the dangers in the world, with or without our knowledge, and bring about the Final Deliverance, when we will praise God together with all the nations of the world who know just how many times they tried to destroy us, but were withheld by Hashem (GR”A on Tehillim, 117:1-2).
Good Shabbos, Warmest wishes, Aba Wagensberg
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