D'var Torah

Parashat Balak takes its title from Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab. Afraid that the Israelites will attack his nation, Balak invites Bala’am, a well known pagan prophet, to curse the people of Israel.  At first, God forbids Bala’am to grant Balak’s request.  Later Bala’am is sent to the Israelite camp but told that he must say only what God commands. On the way to the Israelite camp, Bala’am is part of a biblical event that reads like a fairy tale. The donkey that he is riding upon sees an angel standing before her blocking her path. The donkey refuses to move forward and so Bala’am beats the animal. Miraculously, the donkey begins to speak to Bala’am telling him about the angel. Bala’am “opens his own eyes” and sees the angel as well.  Fearful, he asks if he should return home, but the angel tells him to continue, warning once again that he is to say only what God commands.  While Bala’am comes to the Israelite camp three times, pronouncing three blessings upon it, it is the third blessing that is most famous. There Bala’am looks out upon the Israelite camp as says: Mah tovu ohalecha Yisrael – How goodly are your tents O’Jacob. These words have become part of our weekly Shabbat liturgy. They are beloved by many and have been expressed musically in dozens of pieces from the classical to the modern. 

Over the centuries, commentators have speculated on that which Bala’am saw with in the encampment that encouraged him to praise them, calling them good and beautiful. Rashi says that he noticed that the doors of the tents where not directly across from one another; a design which fostered privacy and seclusion. Modern commentor, Nehama Leibowitz suggests that tovu here means “fair” which for her is an expression of simplicity and purity. Rabbi Joseph Hertz argues that Bala’am is swept away in rapt admiration of the Israelite homes arrayed harmoniously and peacefully.

For me, a beautiful, fair or goodly tent would be one with internal harmony as well as external compassion. I imagine that for Bala’am to call the Israelites tents “good” every person would have had to have a tent (no one would be ‘tentless’) and each family would be secure in that place. In this time, how important it is for us to appreciate this idea. Further, the tents would be open, physically, intellectually and spiritually and exude ‘shalom bayit’ – peace in the home. What if Bala’am lived today? If he happened upon my home what would he see and what would he say? What about your home? In our world, what would it take to have our dwellings called “tovu” by a prophet? Perhaps we would need to be environmentally sustainable and responsible? Perhaps we’d use our homes to support others in some way? Perhaps our homes would be filled with art? Or song? Or words of love and blessing?  Perhaps if we consider this question this week, we might change even one small aspect of those spaces and come closer to fulfilling the prophet’s words in our own lives. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman