MY DAILY LIFE TORAH COACH:
Parashat Balak N.41

Cursing and Blessing the Israelites. Miriam and Aaron die and Moses and the Israelites must fight against the Edomites, Canaanites, Emorites and Amorites to continue toward G-d’s Promised land. Each time G-d helps the children of Israel win. Now, Balak, the King of Moab, sees how the Hebrews had won these wars. Balak sends messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, to tell him about the powerful Hebrews: “Come with us Balaam to curse these Hebrews. We know that whomever you bless, Balaam, is blessed and whomever you curse, is cursed.” Balaam answers: “I will spend the night here. G-d will speak to me and then I will give you an answer.” Later G-d says to Balaam “Who are these people?”. Balaam answers: “Balak has sent messengers to ask me to curse the Hebrews and drive them out.” G-d says to Balaam: “No. Do not go with them! You will not curse the Hebrew people for they are blessed.” So Balaam tells the messengers: “No.” When Balak hears Balaam’s answer he sends more important messengers to ask Balaam to curse the Hebrews. But Balaam would not saying: “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go against G-d’s word. And now, stay, and I will find out what else G-d says.” This time G-d tells Balaam: “You may go but do only what I say to do.” In the morning Balaam saddles his donkey and goes with the Balak’s officers. G-d’s anger flares as Balaam goes so an angel of G-d stands in the path to stop him. Balaam’s female donkey sees the angel of G-d standing with a sword in his hand and turns the other way. Balaam hits the donkey to get her back on the path. Three times this angel leads the donkey away from the path and three times Balaam hits his donkey in anger. Then G-d opens the mouth of the female donkey and she says to Balaam: “What have I done to you that you hit me three times?” Balaam answers: “Because you act against me. If I had a sword in my hand I would kill you.” The donkey then says: “Am I not your faithful donkey whom you always ride? Have I ever done this to you before?” When Balaam answers, ¬G-d suddenly opens his eyes, so he could see the angel of G-d standing in the path with his sword in his hand. Balaam quickly bows. Then the angel of G-d says: “Why did you hit your donkey three times? Maybe she turned from me in fear. If she had not turned away I would have killed you and let her live.”