Once again it is Friday morning and it is time to write the Parsha discussion. This week is Parsha Balak which is in the Book of Numbers 22:2-25:9.

The last two weeks we have witnessed a great drop in the Children of Israels trust in Hashem. Many of those who left Egypt had died in the desert from a number of decrees. Korach and his wicked band were swallowed by the earth, there were plagues and some were killed. Despite this the core of the people were accepting the Torah and looking forward to moving into the land which Hashem had promised.

Then we read parsha Chukas, which told of Moshes mistake of hitting the rock instead of speaking to it. The people were complaining again and G-d sent snakes to punish them. Moshe was told, by Hashem, to create the image of snake on a staff and the people should gaze on it when bitten to cure them of the bite.

At the end of the story of Chukas we learn of Israels miraculous defeat of the Emorites and Bashan {King Sichon and King Og}. Now starts the story of Balak.

Balak was an evil king who feared Israel. He had a vision that Israel would spread out over the land and conquer all who stand in their way. He realized that the strength of Israel was in its closeness to Hashem. So in order to fight against the Israelites he must employ spirituality against them. Balak finds an evil gentile prophet by the name of Bilaam who is his only hope for destroying Hashems chosen people.

2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was terrified of the people, because they were many; and Moab was overcome with dread because of the children of Israel. 4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian: ‘Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.’–And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.– 5 And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying: ‘Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me. 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.’

(more…)