{"id":1108,"date":"2017-07-03T15:27:20","date_gmt":"2017-07-03T15:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/batkol.info\/?p=1108"},"modified":"2017-07-03T15:27:20","modified_gmt":"2017-07-03T15:27:20","slug":"parashat-balak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/2017\/07\/03\/parashat-balak\/","title":{"rendered":"parashat balak"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shabbat Table Talk<\/p>\n

Parashat Balak \u2013 Erev Shabbat 7 July 2017<\/p>\n

Week of 2-8 July 2017<\/p>\n

Torah portion: Numbers 22:2-25:9 Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8<\/p>\n

Download<\/a><\/p>\n

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In my commentary on Bamidbar, I referred to Fox\u2019s theoretical structure of the Book of Numbers. According to this structure the present parashah is found in the second part:The Rebellious Folk: Narratives of Challenge, section C: Encountering the Other (c.22-24) and Final Rebellion: Apostasy (c.25). In that same commentary I wrote about the significance of names, numbers (counting) and wilderness which continue in this parashah.The name of Balak, King of Moab, sounds like the word to destroy while Bil\u2019aam, the sorcerer, suggests swallower (destroying). Beor, Bil\u2019aam\u2019s father, also suggests destroying. So we see two camps \u2013 that of the destroyers and that of the Israelites, separated and powerful with YHWH, their God as the one who blesses and does not allow the sorcerer to curse them.<\/p>\n

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To further summarise this parashah, I suggest a division of five scenarios. 1) Balak sends two sets of messengers to engage Bil\u2019aam\u2019s powers. 2) After the second time, Bil\u2019aam accompanies the messengers on his she-ass. The she-ass sees a vision of a messenger from God which Bil\u2019aam does not see. Bil\u2019aam grows angry and beats the ass because she is hindering his journey to Balak and causing him discomfort. The she-ass speaks to Bil\u2019aam who then sees the messenger and is willing to return home. 3) Bil\u2018aam reaches Balak who takes him to three vantage points to look at the numerous and powerful Israelites in order to curse them more effectively. Each time (3 times) the curse turns out to be a blessing from YHWH, the God of the Israelites. God\u2019s original blessing cannot be reversed. 4) Bil\u2019aam is ready to return to his own home but before he goes he utters a fourth oracle for Balak as a final warning concerning the impenetrable power of God surrounding the Israelites: the same power that controlled Bil\u2019aam to bless rather than curse the Israelites.5) In the camp of the Israelites (in stark contrast to what Balak fears) the wilderness experience of dissatisfaction,complaints and rebellion continues: Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor (25:3a). Israel, blessed by YHWH, is still unfaithful to the Lord their God.<\/p>\n

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As an example of the faithfulness of God we look at Bil\u2019aam\u2019s first oracle (23:7-10). In this he describes how Balak asked him to curse Yaakov. Bil\u2019aam asks how it was possible to curse what God has not cursed and how to destroy from the face of the earth what YHWH loves, guides and protects. As Bil\u2019aam stands on the heights of Baal (the place of worship of Baal) he sees Yaakov: a people apart but secure \u2013 separated from other nations. Deuteronomy (33:28-29) describes how Israel has dwelt securely and is more fortunate than other nations because it is victorious in the Lord: your enemies fawn upon you as you stride upon the heights and You are a people sacred to the Lord your God (Dt 7:6-11).Then Bil\u2019aam speaks about measuring\/counting the dust of Yaakov. We recall what God said to Abram in Gn 13:16 and we remember that numbering or counting a people is to have power over them. Balak and no other nation will have power over Yaakov as long as YHWH is their God, shield and protector.<\/p>\n

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Twice Bil\u2019aam compares the Israelites to a lion the king of the beasts (23:24; 24:9). Genesis (49:9) describes Israel\u2019s blessing for his son Judah: he crouches like a lion recumbent, the king of the beasts \u2013 who would dare rouse him? Out of Judah, God\u2019s people will survive through the line of King David and the Messiah.<\/p>\n

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Reflection: 1) What are your experiences of seeming curses turning into blessings because you have obeyed and trusted the Lord our God?<\/p>\n

Bibliography: Fox, Everett. The Five Books of Moses (New York: 1997); African Bible (Nairobi: 2004).<\/p>\n

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This week\u2019s teaching commentary is by<\/p>\n

Bernadette Chellew, Durban, South Africa<\/p>\n

Bat Kol alum 2008<\/p>\n

Email: btrnchellew@gmail.com<\/p>\n

[Copyright \u00a9 2017]<\/p>\n

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashah commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes. Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.<\/p>\n

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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem<\/p>\n

~~1983-2017~~<\/p>\n

\u201cChristians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.\u201d<\/p>\n

Website: www.batkol.info; Parashat Admin: gill@batkol.info<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shabbat Table Talk Parashat Balak \u2013 Erev Shabbat 7 July 2017 Week of 2-8 July 2017 Torah portion: Numbers 22:2-25:9 Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8 Download \u00a0 In my commentary on Bamidbar, I referred to Fox\u2019s theoretical structure of the Book of Numbers. According to this structure the present parashah is found in the second part:The Rebellious…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":1109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1108"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}