(Rabbi Annie has invited members of the congregation to be guest speakers from the pulpit on occasion.  Last Friday, June 26 Simone Schicker spoke to us.)

Parsha Balak

When I looked up the portion for this week I was thrilled to discover that it is the parsha Balak.  When I think about all the drama that happens in this one short portion, so short in fact that it is often part of a double portion, all I can think about is the movie trailer Disney Pixar would have for the film.

Balak!  The new animated film from the team that brought you "Moses and the 10 Commandments;" as well as the blockbuster hit "Abraham!"  Balak will be coming to a theatre near you Summer 2011.

The parsha, which can be found in Numbers chapter 22:2 through chapter 24:25, really would make an excellent Disney Pixar movie.  It has all the aspects of a blockbuster that would enthrall generations of children and their parents too.  Right off the bat you have the typical good verse evil set-up that makes for a blockbuster movie for all ages.  The parsha starts off with Balak, King of Moab, talking to himself about the disaster that is about to befall him and his people if something is not done to destroy the Israelites.  He therefore sends the elders of Moab and Midian out to Balaam, a gentile prophet, to ask Balaam to curse the Israelites.  When the elders reach Balaam and give him Balak's message he tells them he must consult with G-d, and when G-d tells him he is not to curse the Israelites for they are a blessed people he tells the elders to return to Balak and tell him no.  Balak cannot take no for an answer, so he sends more distinguished people to Balaam to try to reason with him.  This time G-d tells Balaam that he may go with the people but he must only say what G-d tells him to say.

This is where the portion gets interesting, and where most of the rabbis draw their interpretation from. Balaam saddles his donkey in the morning and heads out in the direction of the Israelites camp.  But the Torah tells us that "G-d was incensed at his going; so an angel of the LORD placed himself in his way as an adversary."  This is where the drama of the movie would come into play.  The donkey is able to see the angel and swerves off the road to avoid the angel and the sword but Balaam is unable to see the angel and beats the donkey for going in the wrong direction.  The donkey avoids the angel and sword three times and each time is rewarded by Balaam beating her with a stick.  After the third time, G-d grants the donkey the ability to speak.  Then the LORD opened the ass's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?"  Balaam said to the ass, "You have made a  mockery of me!  If I had a sword with me, I'd kill you."  The ass said to Balaam, "Look, I am the ass that you have been riding all along until this day!  Have I been in the habit of doing thus to you?"  And he answered "No." 

Then G-d opens  Balaam's eyes and he is able to see the angel, and he prostrates himself down in front of the angel.  The angel tells Balaam that he shouldn't have beaten the donkey, and if he had come upon the angel anyway then the angel would have killed him and spared the donkey!  Balaam apologizes and says he will go no further if it displeases the angel.  The angel says go ahead but say only what I tell you. Balaam continues on his way and meets Balak at his camp, and prepares a sacrifice to G-d along with telling Balak that he will only say what G-d allows him to say.  He then proceeds to bless the people of Israel not once, not twice but three separate times.  The prayer Mah Tovu comes from the third blessing that Balaam bestows on the people Israel. Each time Balak gets more angry and Balaam replies that he speaks only what G-d allows him to utter. 

What a Disney ending!  The character that appeared to be helping the bad guy is redeemed, and the good guys are rewarded just for being themselves.

The most common lesson that the rabbis draw from this portion is the importance of seeing what is truly central, the importance of embracing the divine spark that is within each of us.  Too often one takes the easy way out without truly listening to that part inside of us that speaks with the voice of goodness.  When we do not take the time to see past the surface or are too pleased with ourselves and do not pay attention to the signs the universe is sending us we land up running into problems.  In contrast, when we slow down and smell the roses or in Balaam's case when he slows down once his donkey starts speaking to him, we are able to see the path we should take or the inner goodness within a person. 

If there is only one thing we learn from this week's portion it is that we should all slow down, and listen to the divine spark within us that is guiding us towards our destiny.