B"H
Thursday, Tammuz 10, 5780 / July 2, 2020
This week’s Parsha in Israel is Balak. In the Diaspora we read Chukat & Balak. From the last Parsha, Korach, which told of the story of Korach’s rebellion, until the stories of Parshat Chukat & Balak, is a gap of 38 years. The Torah didn’t record what took place during these 38 years in the desert.
In Parshat Balak the Torah tells us that Balak, king of Moab, was afraid that the Jewish people would pass through his land on the way to Israel, so Balak sent for Bila’am to come and curse the people of Israel.
In the beginning G-d didn’t allow him to go. However, seeing how much he wanted to go, G-d told him he can go, but warned him not to curse the Jewish people. Yet, Bila’am tries different tactics in order to curse them, but G-d continuously puts words of blessing into his mouth and instead of cursing them, he blesses them.
The Torah tells us that at one point, "Bila’am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of G-d came upon him." He then called out: "Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishknotecha Yisrael" - "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel". Two expressions are used here to describe the Jewish homes: "Tents" and "Dwellings."
Q. What is the significance of these two expressions: tents and dwellings in Bila’am’s description?
A. A "tent" is a temporary home, while a “dwelling” represents a permanent home. Throughout Jewish history, we have rotated between tents and dwellings. Even in places where we thought we were secure, Jews found their homes transformed into “tents.” Yet, no matter the physical conditions (tent or dwelling), throughout exiles and persecutions, we made sure that the spirit inside of the home was befitting to a Jewish home.
Another explanation is that “tents,“ and “dwellings,” refer to the Holy Temples. Bila’am envisioned the holiness of the Temples, through which G-d rests amongst His people. This caused him to bless them.
For this reason we begin our daily morning prayers in synagogue, which is considered a “miniature Temple,” with the passage of, “Ma Tovu” - "How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel".
Q. The Torah says, “And Bila’am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of
G-d came upon him." What did Bila’am see in the Jewish camp which made him exclaim, “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel"?
A. Our sages explain that he saw how their tents were pitched around the Mishkan (Tabernacle), where G-d’s holy presence rested. He also saw that the openings of their tents were not lined up one facing the other. They erected their tents in this fashion for reasons of modesty and morality, so that one would not look into their neighbors tent. Seeing such moral standards caused him to bless the Jewish people.
There is an important lesson in this. A Jewish home should be a place where also G-d dwells. A Jewish home must be a place where Jewish morals and values are practiced. The Mezuzah, on each doorpost, reminds us that our home is also a sanctuary for G-d. As important as schools and synagogues are, it has been the Jewish home which kept Judaism alive from generation to generation.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY