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In this week’s Parashah, we read about Balak and Bil’am’s attempts to curse the Jewish People. The Gemara (Berachot 12b) teaches that the Sages considered requiring the daily recitation of this Parashah, but they decided that that would be too burdensome. What did the Sages find so meaningful about this Parashah? The Gemara answers that it was the verse (23:24), “Behold! the people will arise like a lion cub and raise itself like a lion.”

R’ David Cohen shlita (Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva in Yerushalayim) explains: Rashi z”l interprets the quoted verse (based on Midrash Tanchuma), “When they arise in the morning, they show themselves to be as strong as a lioness and a lion, snatching Mitzvot--performing them immediately--clothing themselves in Tzitzit, reciting Shema, and donning Tefilin.” [Until here from Rashi] Because this verse speaks of being diligent about accepting the yoke of Heaven in the morning--fighting off lethargy and arising like a lion to perform Mitzvot--our Sages considered enacting its recitation daily. After all, R’ Cohen adds, overcoming one’s nature in order to accept the yoke of Heaven is the essence of a Jew’s task.

R’ Cohen adds a technical question: Why did Rashi mention reciting Shema before donning Tefilin? We perform these Mitzvot in the opposite order; indeed, the Gemara (Berachot 14b) teaches that a man who recites Shema without wearing Tefilin is bearing false testimony, for Shema mentions the obligation to wear Tefilin!

He explains: The Mitzvah of Kri’at Shema as we observe it today is found in Devarim (6:6 & 11:19). Those verses had not yet been taught in Bil’am’s time. Only the Mitzvah to recite the first verse (“Shema Yisrael”) was given earlier--at the Giving of the Torah, according to R’ Moshe ben Nachman z”l (Ramban; 1194-1270; Spain and Eretz Yisrael) and other early commentaries. The first verse of Shema does not mention Tefilin; therefore, reciting it while not wearing Tefilin is not false testimony and it was permitted in Bil’am’s time. (And, because one should hurry to accept the yoke of Heaven, it was preferable not to wait since needing to don Tefilin was not a concern.) (Lekach David vol.3)

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“Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey and it said to Bil’am, ‘What have I done to you that you struck me these Shalosh regalim / three times?’” (22:28)

Rashi z”l writes: By putting these words in the donkey’s mouth, Hashem hinted to Bil’am, “Do you think you can uproot a nation that celebrates Shalosh Regalim / three pilgrimage festivals annually?” [Until here from Rashi]

Why was the Mitzvah of Shalosh Regalim singled out from among the many merits that the Jewish People possess?

R’ Pinchas Shapiro z”l (1726-1791; Korets, Ukraine; a leading disciple of the Ba’al Shem Tov) explains: Targum Onkelos (to Bemidbar 24:1) writes that once Bil’am realized that he would not be able to curse Bnei Yisrael, he tried to harm them by “reminding” Hashem of the Golden Calf. For how long did Bnei Yisrael worship the Golden Calf? For six hours, R’ Pinchas writes, i.e., from sunrise until Moshe’s return at noon.

R’ Pinchas continues: There is a Halachic concept known as Bitul b’shishim / nullification in sixty. (In very specific circumstances, a prohibited substance that gets mixed into sixty times its volume of a permitted substance may be permitted. The classic illustration of this concept refers to a drop of milk that falls into a large pot of chicken soup, but please consult a rabbi before applying this principle in practice.) The Shalosh Regalim--Pesach, Shavu’ot, and Sukkot--have 15 days between them, which equals 360 hours, or sixty times the number of hours that Bnei Yisrael served the Golden Calf. Hashem said to Bil’am: You want to anger me by reminding me of the Golden Calf?! It is nullified in the service that Bnei Yisrael perform on the Shalosh Regalim! (Divrei Pinchas)

We learn in Pirkei Avot (5:8) that ten things were created at twilight, when the Six Days of Creation were ending and the first Shabbat was beginning. One of those ten things was the “mouth of the donkey,” referring to the ability of Bil’am’s donkey to speak.

R’ Shlomo Halevi z”l (1532-1600; Macedonia) explains: The weekdays represent work, while Shabbat represents rest, which is what one does when he finishes his work. Because these items were finished but not finished--they were created, but their purpose would not be known until later--they were created at the moment of transition from the workweek to Shabbat, at a time which Halachically is neither one nor the other.

R’ Shlomo adds: Hashem created these items, like the donkey’s mouth and the hole that swallowed Korach because he wants to remind mankind that all things can change their nature--including people! (Lev Avot)

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“He perceived no iniquity in Yaakov, and saw no perversity in Yisrael; Hashem his Elokim is with him, and Teru’at / the friendship of the King is within him.” (23:21)

R’ Shlomo Yosef Zevin z”l (1888-1978; Russia and Israel; co-founder and editor of the Encyclopedia Talmudit) notes that the word “Teru’ah” has two connotations: “breaking” (see Tehilim 2:9) and “friendship.” Both of these are tasks of a king: breaking his enemies and unifying the nation.

R’ Zevin elaborates: The Gemara (Shabbat 67a) states: “All of Yisrael are sons of kings.” This refers to the fact that each of us is called upon to be a ruler over himself, as Midrash Rabbah teaches, “Tzaddikim control their hearts, while the wicked are controlled by their hearts.” The Hebrew word for “king”--”Melech” (מלך)--may be viewed as an acronym for Mo’ach / brain, Lev / heart, and Kaved / liver. When man is a Melech, his Mo’ach rules over his Lev and his the other internal organs, symbolized by the Kaved.

The Gemara (Berachot 7a) teaches that there is one instant each day when Hashem gets angry at Bnei Yisrael, and Bil’am was planning to capitalize on his ability to identify that instant in order to curse Bnei Yisrael. The Tosafot ask: What could Bil’am have said in such a short time? They answer: He could have said the word “Kahlem” / “destroy them.” R’ Zevin explains: The word “Kahlem” (כלם) has the same letters as “Melech,” but in reverse order. Bil’am hoped to turn us from people whose intellects control our physical beings to people whose Kaved and Lev come before their Mo’ach.

R’ Zevin concludes: Our verse says, “The Teru’ah of the King is within him.” Within every Jew is the power to break the obstacles that stand in the way of his spiritual advancement. And, within every Jew is the power to unify the Jewish People. (L’Torah U’l’mo’adim)

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Shabbat

The Gemara (Shabbat 119a) teaches: Two angels accompany a person home from Shul on Friday night--one a good angel and one a bad angel. When they come to his house and find the candles lit, the table set, and the beds made, the good angel says, “May it be Hashem’s will that it be thus next week as well,” and, against his will, the bad angel answers, “Amen.” [Until here from the Gemara]

R’ Nosson Yehuda Leib Mintzberg z”l (1943-2018; rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva in Yerushalayim and Bet Shemesh, Israel) writes: The song “Shalom aleichem” is based on this Gemara. But, he asks, why do angels accompany a person home specifically on Shabbat?

He answers: These “angels of peace” are sent by Hashem to bless the Jewish People, for Hashem “blesses His Nation with peace,” as we say in the final blessing of Shemoneh Esrei. Hashem always wishes to send blessings to the Jewish People, as we read (Bemidbar 24:1--in our Parashah), “It is good in G-d’s eyes to bless Yisrael.”

R’ Mintzberg continues: All week long, Birkat Kohanim / the Priestly blessing (which is recited daily in Eretz Yisrael) serves as the vehicle for Hashem to bless His nation. In the Bet Hamikdash, Birkat Kohanim was recited at the conclusion of the daily Avodah / Temple service, and the Kohanim, who performed the Avodah, served as His messengers to transmit the blessing. (Today, Shemoneh Esrei takes the place of the Avodah, so Birkat Kohanim is appended to that prayer.)

On Shabbat, the entire day is devoted to Avodah / serving Hashem, and all of the Jewish People are like angels, who have no desire except serving Hashem. Therefore, on Shabbat, Hashem sends additional blessings, and He sends them through holy angels. On Shabbat, not only the Kohanim, Hashem’s messengers on earth, bless Yisrael--Hashem’s heavenly messengers, the angels, also bless Yisrael. (Ben Melech: Shabbat Kodesh p. 546)

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