Oliver Evans – Year 11

This week’s parashah, Balak, is about this King of Moav summoning the prophet Bil’am to curse the people of Israel. However, this job isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially with God watching over the Jewish people. That night, Bil’am is visited by God who essentially says, “You better not curse these people or else”. So Bil’am tells Balak’s messengers that he isn’t going to do it. Balak responds with a little bribery to make the deal a little more enticing. After a ‘deep and meaningful’, God allows Bil’am to set out on his mission, but only if he says the words that God provides him with. Bil’am just smiles and waves with his fingers crossed behind his back, but little did he know that fingers crossed don’t work on God.

The next day Bil’am sets out to the Israelite people on his little donkey and some Moavite company. On his journey, God tries one last time to stop him by sending a malakh, a messenger, with a sword, but only Bil’am’s donkey sees it. The donkey knowing how dangerous swords can be, refused to continue, so Balaam struck his donkey. You would think that the donkey being the donkey wouldn’t reply because it can’t speak right? Wrong. The donkey turned its head and looked Bil’am straight in the eyes and said, “Sorry sir but that really hurt. Can you please not do that again.” Although this sounds very polite, it was in fact very angry. God seeing Bil’am not seeing the messenger, opens his eyes so he could. Balaam and the messenger have another ‘deep and meaningful’, where the end result was exactly the same as his conversation with God. Bil’am is feeling a little swayed by now and forgets to cross his fingers.

When he arrives in Moav, Balak greets him with open arms and builds several altars where he sacrifices stuff to God trying to get on his good side. Bil’am and Balak go to a location to curse the Jews, but rather than Bil’am speaking naughty words, he says beautiful blessings towards the Israelite people. Balak, taken a back, is like, “What are you doing? You were supposed to destroy the dark side not join it!” Bil’am just shrugs and says, “I think it was the location. The altitude is messing with my brain.” Balak sighs and takes him to another area, where Bil’am does the exact same thing again. Balak being very angry as he just sacrificed about a years worth of livestock, grabs Balaam and transports the altars and sacrifices to a third place as he mutters under his breath, “third time lucky…” Again, Bil’am says nothing but blessings. At this blessing, Balak undergoes an emotional breakdown and sends Bil’am on his way.

Although this parashah is strange it does have a message. It’s moral is basically that despite the evil that you may feel, your heart will prevail over all. This is shown through the portrayal of Bil’am throughout the parashah and the change of personality he undergoes. Sorry, that sentence was a bit too close to an English speech. But seriously, do you listen to your heart or your brain when you act?