Parshat: Listen to the Talking Donkey

This shabbat, we read from the second triennial sections of the Torah portions Hukkat and Balak (Num 21:21 - 22:38).

Our reading picks up at the point where the Israelites approach Emor, where Sihon is king (East of Canaan), asking permission to travel through its land on their way to the promised land. The Amorites refuse to allow them passage, but instead show up with a military force to attack them, whereupon the Israelites kick their tuchas and take over their territory. Then Og, king of Bashan, attacks them, only to be conquered as well. At this point, Balak, king of Moab,sends for the prophet Bilaam to curse the Israelites. Bilaam initially refuses to go, but at the insistence of Balak (and the promise of fabulous wealth), he agrees to go a-cursin', with the caveat that he can only bless one whom God wants to bless and curse only those whom God wants cursed.

As he starts the journey to see the Israelites and curse them, God sends a "military angel" with a sharp sword to stand in the way of Bilaam's donkey.When Bilaam hits his animal to get it to move, the donkey opens up its mouth and speaks (quite eloquently, it seems) to Bilaam, forcing him to see what has been before his face the entire time, but he had no eyes to see it.

What a great story: somebody should make it into a children's book. But the surprise is not the talking donkey. The surprise is the donkey who sees more clearly than a prophet of God where the danger lies. Bilaam should be humbled and learn his lesson about the danger of proceeding on his chosen path. If he had, though, he would never have gotten to the point where he could see the Israelites arrayed according to their tribes, forcing him (as it were) to come out with the words "Ma Tovu," with which we begin our every service.

You see, sometimes you need to have an outsider's perspective in order to find the right words to see clearly and to follow the right path. It happens with a donkey and with a prophet, but the result is the same. The desire of God is channeled into the world, spreading blessing to where it needs to go. We human beings can either help by becoming it's conduit, or we can try to get in its way. The path of wisdom lies in finding the good and helping to lead it to its deserved blessing. What greater mission can there be in life than to take part in what is right and good?

Shabbat Shalom

R' David Bockman

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