This past week we read “Balak” (Bamidbar (Numbers) 22:2-9.

A truly blessed and admirable community is one in which members are attentive to others’ needs and pain but do not invade their privacy. Another person’s “tent” is his own sacred space; we have no ...

Plots and characters in the Torah portend what lies in store for the Jewish people. Balaam tried cursing the Jews - and it ...

Balaam had preconceived notions about what he thought was true ... Why name a Torah portion containing such exalted content after Balak, a Moabite king who sought Balaam’s aid in annihilating ...

Balak’s reaction is to send for the notorious prophet-for-hire, Balaam—a man who could twist words like daggers—and ask him to curse the Israelites. Balak, the ancient king of Moab, ...

Basically, Balaam told King Balak: “I can’t curse the Israelites. God won’t let me. But there’s another way that you can get God to curse them.

And in Balaam’s prophecies, he speaks of “God, Who took them [the Jews] out of Egypt” (23:22, 24:8). Invoking the Exodus underscores the connection between the narratives.

That behavior was induced by Balaam, the heathen prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Jews. Thus, Moab plays a key role in persuading Israel to grievously sin (Numbers 22:5, 6; 31:16).

According to the Slonimer Rebbe there are two main elements to living as a Jew – emunah (faith) and kedusha (holiness). Balaam’s goal was to break the connection between the Children of Israel ...