Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English and Hebrew: Parshas Balak (Chukas-Balak in חו"ל) – 11 Tamuz 5786
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Balak (Chukas-Balak in חו"ל) – 11 Tamuz 5786
Bostoner Rebbe shlit’a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
The Mishnah (Avos 5:6) teaches that ten items were created at the very end of Creation on Friday afternoon. Among them were the “mouth of the earth,” which swallowed those who challenged Moshe in Parshas Korach; the “mouth of the well,” which provided water in Parshas Chukas; and the “mouth of the donkey,” which spoke to Bilaam in Parshas Balak.
The Pri Tzaddik (Balak 2) explains the connection between these three “mouths.” The mouth of the well represents Torah Shebe’al Peh, which gushes forth and sustains Klal Yisroel like water. The mouth of the earth represents the opportunity for teshuvah. Although Korach’s sons initially supported their father, they repented at the moment of the rebellion. Rashi (Bamidbar 26:11), citing the Gemara (Megillah 14a), explains that Hashem created an elevated place within Gehinnom where they survived. Similarly, the Gemara (Eiruvin 19a) teaches that even negligent sinners of Yisroel will ultimately perform teshuvah.
The “mouth of the donkey,” however, appears enigmatic. No one from Klal Yisroel witnessed it, and the same message could seemingly have been conveyed to Bilaam by an angel or by Hashem Himself.
The Gemara (Bava Basra 14b) states that Moshe wrote the Torah as well as Parshas Bilaam. Why is Parshas Bilaam singled out? Is it not as much a part of the Torah as any other section?
The Pri Tzaddik, based on the Sifri (Zos HaBerachah 16), explains that although “there never again arose in Yisroel a prophet like Moshe” (Devarim 34:10), among the nations there was a prophet whose prophecy rivalled Moshe’s—Bilaam. The Midrash (Mattos 1) notes that other prophets prophesied with Ko Amar—Hashem spoke and they relayed His message. Moshe, however, prophesied with Zeh HaDavar; the Shechinah spoke directly through him, and he was merely the vessel. The Zohar (Balak 212a) says that Hashem spoke through Bilaam in a similar fashion.
This explains why Hashem told Bilaam, “Only the thing that I shall speak to you shall you do” (Bamidbar 22:20). We would expect the verse to say, “shall you speak.” However, Bilaam himself was not truly speaking; he was merely the vessel through which Hashem’s words emerged. Even the movement of his lips was considered an “action” rather than speech.
This is why Parshas Bilaam is singled out. One might have thought that Bilaam’s words attained the status of Torah on their own. The Gemara teaches that they became Torah only because Moshe Rabbeinu wrote them. Just as the words of the angels who spoke to Hagar and Yaakov are Torah only because Moshe recorded them, so too the words of Bilaam—and even those of his donkey.
Perhaps this is also the significance of the donkey’s mouth being created on Erev Shabbos. Hashem’s will and His messages can be conveyed through any of His creations—even through the mouth of a donkey, certainly through the mouth of Bilaam, and how much more so through Toras Moshe.
May it be Hashem’s will that the blessings of this week’s parshah be fulfilled and that we speedily merit the coming of the Geulah Sheleimah.--