Parshas Balak 5772

‘Parsha Growth Spurts’

Rabbi Dani Staum

Parshas Balak

“Behold, the people coming out of Egypt has covered the surface of the earth.” (Bamidbar 22:11)

When Balak conveyed his fears to Bila’am he referred to Klal Yisroel as a people that “has come out of Egypt” (22:5) in past tense. When Bila’am describes them however, he refers to them as a people that “is coming out of Egypt”, in present tense.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt’l explained that Balak viewed the Jewish people like any other nation which seeks to forget and progress from its lowly origins. Bila’am however, understood that the Jewish people live by different standards and morals. The Jews would not allow themselves to forget their origins. Instead their former servitude would be used as a point of reference to demand personal humility and respect for others. The Jewish People maintain awareness that G-d redeemed them from Egypt with a mission and destiny and therefore they can never assimilate with the other nations. As Bila’am himself expressed in the blessing he unwittingly gave them, “Behold! They are a nation who dwells in solitude (23:9).”

Bila’am understood that the mere historical fact that the Jews had left Egypt posed no threat. His fear was in the fact that the exodus was seared into their consciousness and infused them with the knowledge that they had to live an elite and exemplary lifestyle.

Balak feared a nation which left Egypt, while Bila’am feared a nation which viewed itself as still leaving Egypt, in the sense that they had an obligation to maintain that awareness as the Chosen Nation. Balak feared a loss of power from a nation which was en-route to conquer his country. Bila’am feared a nation which can influence others to be moral and upstanding.

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“If these men have come to call you, get up, go with them…” (Bamidbar 22:20)

Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz shlita notes that at times when a person is seeking to accomplish something and everything seems to be going right he concludes that Hashem must be happy with his endeavor and is therefore making it easy for him. It is apparent from the Bila’am debacle that that is not always the case. At times a person may find success because he has decided that what he is engaged in is correct and “Upon to the path one wants to go, they (heaven) guides him (Makkos 10b).”

Therefore, the only barometer one can use to know if his actins are correct and that it is truly the proper course of action is to ensure that everything he is doing is within the parameters of the Shulchan Aruch and in accordance with Da’as Torah.   

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 “Let my soul die the death of the upright, and may my end be like his.” (Bamidbar23:10)  

Chofetz Chaim noted that living life like a righteous Jew is not a bed of roses. It’s fraught with challenges and difficulties and there are many laws one must adhere to. In addition, it entails living a highly disciplined and regulated lifestyle.

The death of a righteous Jew on the other hand, contains great meaning and profundity. The righteous person does not fear death; for he understands that he is departing a transient temporal world, for a world of truth and eternity. 

Bila’am wanted to die like a righteous Jew, but he did not want to live like a righteous Jew.

Rabbi Dovid Ordman notes that at the levaya of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’l on Purim day (!), there was an estimated 150,000 people in attendance. At the levaya of the Steipler Gaon, there were an estimated 250,000 people in attendance. At the levaya of Rav Shach zt’l – which took place on one of the shortest Fridays of the year – there was an estimated 450,000 people in attendance.

On the morning after Rav Shach’s levaya the front page of the Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot contained a full page picture from the levayah. It seemed like a sea of black hats as far as the eye could see. The caption on the bottom read “Zar lo yavin zos – An outsider cannot understand this.”

The Chofetz Chaim concluded, “It’s no koontz to die like a Jew; the ultimate koontz is to live one’s entire life like a Jew.”

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Sources: Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah; Rabbi Dovid Ordman – heard at this year’s Torah Umesorah Convention; Darash Moshe; Rav Gamlilel Rabinowitz – Tiv HaTorah