"...bring about a world of peace and harmony"
Parashat Balak tells the story of Balak, the king of Moab, and his attempt to curse the Israelites. Balak is afraid of the Israelites because of the stories he has heard of their military victories, so he hires Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, to curse them. However, HaShem intervenes and turns Balaam’s curses into blessings.
One of the most striking aspects of this story is the intense hatred that Balak and the Moabites have for the Israelites. This hatred is not based on anything the Israelites have done to harm the Moabites; rather, it seems to stem from fear and jealousy. Balak sees the Israelites as a threat to his power and his way of life, and he is willing to go to great lengths to try to eliminate that threat.
This kind of baseless hatred is unfortunately all too common in the world. We see it in conflicts between nations, between religious groups, and between political factions. People often fear what they do not understand, and they hate what they fear. They see the other as a threat to their way of life, and they are willing to do almost anything to eliminate that threat.
But as Jews, we have a particular responsibility to oppose this kind of hatred. Our tradition teaches us that all human beings are created in the image of G-d and that we must treat everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, religion, or nationality. We are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves and to seek peace wherever we can.
This is not always easy, of course. When we see others acting in ways that we find threatening or offensive, it can be hard to remember that they too are created in the image of G-d. It can be difficult to separate the person from their actions and to see them as deserving of love and respect even when we disagree with them.
Although difficult, this is precisely what we must do. We must remember that hatred only begets more hatred, and that the only way to break the cycle is to extend love and compassion even to those who seem to be our enemies. We must remember that every human being is capable of growth and change and that our job is to help them on that journey, even when it is difficult.
This is not to say that we should ignore or condone harmful behavior. We must always work to oppose injustice and to protect the vulnerable. But we must do so with the knowledge that the ultimate goal is not to defeat our enemies but to bring about a world of peace and harmony.
The story of Balak and Balaam reminds us that even when others seek to do us harm, HaShem is always with us. HaShem can turn curses into blessings and can use even our enemies to teach us important lessons. We must trust in HaShem’s wisdom and guidance and always strive to act with love and compassion, even in the face of hatred.
But why did HaShem prevent Balaam from cursing the Israelites? Why did He choose to bless them instead? The answer lies in the nature of blessings and curses themselves. Blessings are words of affirmation and encouragement that lift us up and give us strength. Curses, on the other hand, are words of negativity and condemnation that tear us down and weaken us.
HaShem knew that the Israelites needed blessings, not curses. They needed to be reminded of their worth and their potential. They needed to be encouraged to continue on their journey and to trust in HaShem’s plan for their lives. And so, HaShem put blessings in Balaam’s mouth instead of curses.
But this story is not just about the Israelites, it is also about us and the power of our own words. We too have the ability to bless or curse others with our words. We can use our words to build others up or tear them down. We can use our words to create harmony or to sow discord. We must be careful with our words and use them to bless others.
As we read this parashah, let us take a moment to reflect on where we see hatred in our own lives and in the world around us. Let us ask ourselves how we can work to break the cycle of hatred and extend love and compassion even to those who seem to be our enemies. Let us remember that every human being is created in the image of G-d and that our ultimate goal is to bring about a world of peace and harmony, one person at a time.
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