Shalom Friends;<\/p>\n
This week, our Parshat HaShavua, Balak is being sponsored by Dov and Lauren Greenberg of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated for Hatslucha for their children as well as for the safe return of all Chayalim, the liberation of all remaining hostages and salvation and true peace for all of Am Yisrael. To the Greenberg family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses. To the Greenberg family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.<\/p>\n
You can celebrate a Simcha \u2014 a birth, a Bar\/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.<\/p>\n
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShavua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.<\/p>\n
Best Regards,<\/p>\n
Moshe Burt Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com<\/strong><\/a> We open this vort with excerpts from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s Parshat Balak summary in his sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” on Sefer Bamidbar (pages 217 – 218) ;<\/p>\n Balak, the king of Moav, fearing the apparent strength of the B’nei Yisrael, attempts to secure the services of Bila’am, a Midianite sorcerer, to curse the Jews. Bila’am, upon Hashem’s instructions, initially refuses the invitation. When a second group of messengers arrives from the king, however, Bila’am inquires again and gains Hashem’s permission to travel to Balak. Hashem informs the sorcerer, however, that he will be limited in his actions by Hashem’s further instructions.<\/p>\n Hashem… allows Bila’am’s participation in Balak’s plot, but warns the sorcerer: “Only the thing that I will speak to you — that you shall do.” (Rabbi Goldin renders to English Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 22, posuk 20)<\/p>\n Bila’am… arrives in the presence of the Moabite king. [He] warns the king that he [Bila’am] will be bound by Hashem’s will but, nonetheless, endeavors to fulfill the king’s wishes by cursing the Jews.<\/p>\n The sorcerer’s first two attempts, however are thwarted when Hashem transforms Bila’am’s words from curses into blessings. On his third attempt, Bila’am has an apparent change of heart, recognizing that “it was good in Hashem’s eyes to bless B’nei Yisrael.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 24, posuk 1) Turning his face towards the wilderness, the sorcerer again blesses the people.<\/p>\n Angered by Bila’am’s failure to curse the B’nei Yisrael, Balak orders him to return to Midian…. The king and the sorcerer part, as Bila’am returns to his home and Balak goes on his way.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n After Bila’am’s attempts to curse the B’nei Yisrael were blunted by Divine mandate, Torah relates:<\/p>\n “Israel settled in the Shittim and the people began to act promiscuously with the daughters of Moav. They [the Moabite women] invited the people to the sacrifices to their gods; the people ate and bowed to their gods. Israel became attached to the Ba’al Pe’or, and the wrath of Hashem flared up against Israel. Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them before Hashem opposite the sun — and the flaring wrath of Hashem will withdraw from Israel.'” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 25, posukim 1-4 as rendered to English in the Sapirstein Edition, Torah with Rashi Commentary, pages 313-314)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Rabbi Goldin provides commentary on Am Yisrael in Shittim in his sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” on Sefer Bamidbar (pages 225-226, 250-251) :<\/p>\n Numerous sources in the Talmud and Midrash place Bila’am in Egypt before the Exodus, in the role of a trusted advisor to Pharaoh; and some sources even name him as the author of several harsh decrees against Am Yisrael, including the the decision to drown the male infants in the Nile. (Rabbi Goldin citing Talmuf Bavli Sota 11a; Yalkut Shimoni, Shmot 166; Midrash Hagadol Shmot 2:23)<\/p>\n A strong tradition builds on a later brief textual source (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 31, posuk 16) identifying Bila’am as the architect of the seemingly unrelated events that bring the B’nei Yisrael to their knees at the end of Parshat Balak. (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 25, posukim 1 – 9) Upon failing to curse the nation, Bila’am designs… a plot to defeat the B’nei Yisrael by leading them down a path of licentiousness [noun: throwing off of sexual restraint; lewd character or behavior]<\/a> and immorality. His efforts bring about the tragic events at Ba’al Pe’or.<\/p>\n Hashem responds with a devastating plague that tragically claims twenty-four thousand victims from among the people.<\/p>\n …The Talmud maintains that… due to the sins of the B’nei Yisrael, the majority of the blessings [of Bila’am] revert back to their original curses. From this rabbinic perspective the story conveys a powerful, counterintuitive [adjective: counter to what intuition would lead one to expect]<\/a> lesson: Bila’am’s words and other similar phenomena, do not matter at all. Ultimately, our fate is determined by our own merit or guilt. <\/p>\n As Am Yisrael emerge unscathed from Bila’am’s external threat, only to fall prey to their own shortcomings, the flow of events mirrors in practice what the Balak\/Bila’am narrative preaches… : We can blame no one else for our failures; our destiny is in our own hands.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Midrash Says (by Rabbi Moshe Weissman, Parsha Balak, pages 350-351) indicates that Bila\u2019am\u2019s Ba\u2019al Peor scheme began by attracting eruv rav \u2014 the Mitzri “groupies” who accompanied the Jews out of Mitzrayim. But, then the attraction lured members of Shevet Shimon. The account states that Hashem revealed those who sinned by removing The Clouds of Glory from above the guilty ones.<\/p>\n The Midrash Says (page 351) provides commentary:<\/p>\n \u2026It was for these people Pinchas later prayed and whose deaths he averted.<\/p>\n The members of the Tribe of Shimon were very distressed because many of their kinsmen had been sentenced to death. They came before their nassi, Zimri, and reproached him, \u201cHow can you keep silent in the face of so many deaths?\u201d<\/p>\n Zimri reacted by brazenly challenging Moshe in public.<\/p>\n Zimri, the prince of Shavet Shimon and the most prominent individual to take part in this act of physical lust, displayed a distorted and false perception and rationale in bringing Kosbi into the Camp and co-habitating with her before The Assembly. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n R\u2019Rafael Katzenellenbogen is cited in Studies in the Weekly Parsha, by Yehuda Nachshoni referring to R\u2019 Sonnenfeld who noted that Zimri\u2019s distorted sense of \u201cacting for the sake of Shemayim\u201d evolved from;<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026a novel, misleading ideology, that evil must be tolerated by incorporating it into the Camp of Israel, to dissuade the lustful man from finding himself in the camp of idolaters.\u201d (Studies in the Weekly Parsha, by Yehuda Nachshoni, Parsha Balak, page 1115.) <\/p><\/blockquote>\n Zimri\u2019s alleged \u201cL\u2019Shem Shemayim\u201d model; bringing co-habitation with Moabite women into the camp of B\u2019nai Yisrael lest men go looking for it outside, i.e., at the Midianite\/Moabite Bazaar where the co-habitation was an enticement and seduction to the avodah zora Ba\u2019al Pe\u2019or, seemed a cover for his (Zimri\u2019s) true motivations and intentions. Zimri\u2019s \u201cIn your face, Moshe\u201d demeanor appeared as motivated by lust for power, just as Korach\u2019s true motivations were covered by rationale of accusation of nepotism against Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron.<\/p>\n But perhaps we can’t entirely equate today’s attempts at incorporation of various alien practices into the camp of B\u2019nai Yisrael with Zimri\u2019s alleged \u201cL\u2019Shem Shemayim\u201d model. R’ Katzenellenbogen’s understanding of Zimri’s actions of incorporating toleration of evil within the Camp of Israel, apparently for the “sake of Shemayim,” might have had some ostensibly outward well-meaning purpose of promoting a sense of unity among varying sectors of the Kehal.<\/p>\n Similarly, there is a tendency today by factions within Am Yisrael to prioritize the return of the hostages, at all costs — including negotiating the exchange of thousands of bloody-handed terrorists enabling Hamas and its other terror entities recoup to strike again, over gaining Total Victory and vanquishing all terrorist entities in this Milchemet shel Torah, i.e. grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory. This tendency could well be understood as another distorted sense of \u201cacting for the sake of Shemayim\u201d — a so-called Israeli misguided sense of “morality,” i.e. another kind of a “novel, misleading ideology.”<\/p>\n The following are excerpts from Rabbi Eliezer Melamed regarding Redeeming or negotiating for captives in Jewish Law on the Yeshiva Har Bracha website:<\/a><\/p>\n Our Sages have taught that the redemption of captives is a great mitzvah for which a person should donate charity, placing it at the top of the list of worthwhile causes because the captive suffers greatly from hunger, medical problems, psychological trauma, and often sub-human conditions whereby his life is often in danger (Baba Batra 8B). Therefore, it is improper to spare means in rescuing captives (Rabbi Melamed citing Rambam, and Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 252:1).<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Chazal postulated the halakha that it is forbidden to pay an over- exorbitant amount for pidyon shivuim (redeeming hostages), as is stated in the Mishna: \u201cThey must not ransom captives for more than their value, for the good order of the world\u201d (Rabbi Melamed citing Gittin 45A). The main reason given for this enactment, in both the Gemara and the Rambam, is to not create an incentive for highwaymen and kidnappers to constantly seize Jewish prisoners, knowing that we are willing to pay any price to set them free. There is another way of explaining this enactment \u2013 not to pressure the public to donate funds beyond their capability. However, most of the Rishonim, including the Rif, Rosh, Rambam, and the Tur, say the principle reason is not to encourage our enemies to kidnap more Jews, and this is the ruling in the Shulchan Aruch (Rabbi Melamed citing Yoreh Deah 252:4).<\/p>\n Whether to Surrender to the Demands of Terrorists?<\/p>\n …In a case of an ongoing war between Israel and terrorist enemies, it is forbidden to give in to any coercion on their part, for it is clear that if we were to concede, our enemies would view this as a sign of weakness, raising their morale and increasing their incentive to strike at us further. As we have learned from the past, every time terrorists succeeded in getting their way, it motivated others to join them in their war against Israel. Additionally, if we give in, terrorists will not be concerned about getting caught, trusting that if they are apprehended and put in Israeli jails, they will be freed quickly in the next prisoner exchange. Also, it is a proven fact that a percentage of the released terrorists will return to carrying out attacks against Jews. Therefore, despite the pain of the matter, we are not to give in to coercion and pay an excessive price for the hostage, above and beyond the customary payment demanded in kidnappings, i.e., a one-for-one exchange.<\/p>\n The rule is that during time of war we do not give in to any demand from the enemy, and even if one Jew is taken hostage, we set off to war to free him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n We seem to be seeing positive changes with appointments of a new defense minister, foreign minister and military chief of staff who seem to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary\u2019s intentions and concern for Israel\u2019s sovereignty and security. The pre-emptive actions against Iran are nothing short of miraculous, B\u2019Yad Hashem. May we see our government and military become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called \u201csuper powers.\u201d And may see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May these words come to fruition B\u2019Esrat Hashem.<\/p>\n Rabbi Goldin concludes (page 251) :<\/p>\n From start to finish, this Parsha is designed to sensitize us to the role that we play in determining our own fate.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Not withstanding the previous horrendous \u201cceasefires\u201d and drips and drabs of hostages in exchange for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, may it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of malfeasance and nonfeasance by their previous high command to date, but now under command of both a new defense minister and chief of staff, emerge totally victorious \u2014 eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, Islamic Jihad, their other terrorist buddies, UNWRA and the so-called \u201cinnocent civilians\u201d of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds. May our Chayalim return home whole \u2014 physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. May we see a Final and Decisive victory by our Chayalim, mandated by a government secure in it\u2019s foremost service of and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B\u2019Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.<\/p>\n May we, the B\u2019nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren \u2014 the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole \u2014 be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed \u2014 physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem \u2014 as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel,<\/a> the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman<\/a> as well as the recovery of the remains of Oron Shaul<\/a> as should the remains of the other chayal from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V\u2019Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V\u2019Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel\u2019s and Judaism\u2019s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass \u2014 via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem\u2019s blueprint of B\u2019nei Yisrael as a Unique people \u2014 an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with \u201cthe nations\u201d and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge\u2019ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; \u201cKi Karov Yom Hashem Al\u2019Kol HaGoyim\u201d, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b\u2019yamainu \u2014 speedily, in our time\u201d, \u2014 Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
\nolehchadash@yahoo.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
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\nMoshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network.<\/strong><\/a> He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.<\/p>\n