This Shabbat we read the story of Balak, the Moabite ruler who sent the prophet Bilaam on a mission to curse his enemy—our Israelite ancestors. Bilaam accepts the assignment, but tells Balak that he can only say the words that God puts in his mouth. So instead of cursing the Israelites, he offers words of blessing, saying: “How goodly are your tents O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel!” (Numbers 24:5)
Bilaam’s example reminds us to be open and present. Instead of simply believing what we’ve been told, we are asked to cultivate awareness so that we can describe honestly what it is that we have experienced. Despite what he was likely told about the Israelites, despite what he was clearly expected to say, Bilaam saw beauty and goodness in the Israelites and accordingly offered them the blessing of his heart.
Last week, my family and I arrived in Israel after three long years away. Despite the imperfections, the inequities, the intra-religious tensions, the pain of a decades-old conflict that remains still unresolved, how can one not acknowledge the extraordinary beauty of this place? How can one not admire the resilience of its peoples? How can one not esteem a young nation—just 74 years old—that has come so far against such tremendous odds?
Here, in this place, I am inspired by the blessings I see, by a place that is diverse, vibrant, self-reflective, and dynamic. This week’s parasha invites each of us—no matter where we are, no matter our preconceived notions—to acknowledge the beauty and the goodness of that place, of that moment.
May we be graced with awareness of the beauty that surrounds us. May we be gifted with gratitude for the blessings in our lives. And may we be granted the wisdom to see others—and more broadly, the entire world—not for what we’ve been told they are, but for what it is that we truly experience.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi