Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Balak – 14 Tamuz 5784
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Balak – 14 Tamuz 5784
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
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In Pirkei Avos (5:22), Bilaam is labeled as a Rasha, a wicked person, and contrasted with the righteousness of Avraham Avinu.The Gemara (Sanhedrin 105b) contrasts the zeal with which Bilaam performs an Aveira with the alacrity Avraham performs a Mitzvah. On the other hand, the Gemara's next statement views Balak favorably. It states that in the merit of the 48 Korbanos that he offered, he merited to have Rut HaMoaviah as a granddaughter, making him one of the forefathers of Malchus Beis Dovid and the Moshiach. Even though he had negative intentions to curse the Jewish People via these Korbanos, he was nevertheless rewarded. Why is Bilaam viewed as a the epitome of evil, while Balak is seen as 'not such a bad guy'.
“(The nation of) Moav became very frightened of the nation (of Yisroel), because it was large multitude, and Moav was disgusted on account of Bnei Yisroel" (Bamidbar 22:3). It would seem that Moav was afraid that Bnei Yisroel would conquer their land and people, like they did to Sichon, the King of Emori, and Og, the King of Bashan. Seemingly, Balak was merely acting in self defense, he was defending himself and his people as any country should. In contrast, Bilaam could have stayed neutral. He didn't have to get involved.
However, we could also suggest that Moav should not have been afraid of Bnei Yisroel, as it says, "You shall not distress Moav and you shall not provoke war with them, for I shall not give you an inheritance from their land, for to the children of Lot I have given (the land of) Ar as an inheritance" (Devarim 2:9)
As part of Bris Bein HaBesarim, Hashem promised Avraham ten lands (Beraishis 15:19-21). Rashi explains that initially seven lands were given to Bnei Yisroel and the remaining three lands of Edom, Moav, and Amon, would be given in the future. "He will raise a banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Yisroel, and He will gather in the dispersed ones of Yehudah from the four corners of the earth…their hand will extend over Edom and Moav, and their laws over the children of Amon." (Yeshaya 11:14).
It is conceivable that Moav reasoned that the time of Moshiach was at hand. After Yetziyas Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, the Jews lived as nomads in the desert for forty years. However in the fortieth year they began to conquer lands on the East Bank of the Jordan River and enter Eretz Yisroel. There was no way for Moav to know that Hashem's plan involved waiting until after Rut HaMoaviah would join the ranks of Klal Yisroel, before even considering to allow Moav to be conquered (Baba Kama 38a).
On the other hand, it is conceivable that Bilaam was well aware that Moshiach was not imminent. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 89b) asks how lashes could be administered to a Navi that suppresses his prophecy. The answer given is that Hashem informs all the other Neviim of this Nevuah as well, which allows these Nevi'im to warn this Navi of the consequences of suppressing his Nevuah. This would imply that all Nevi'im in the world become aware of all Nevuah as it takes place.
The Pasuk says, "Never again has there arisen in Yisroel a prophet like Moshe" (Devarim 34:10). The Midrash (Sifri Zos HaBracha) explains that although there was no Jewish prophet on the same level of Moshe Rabbeinu, there was a non-Jewish prophet who had prophesy similar to Moshe, namely Bilaam. As the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabah 14:20) adds, this was so that the nations of the world could not claim that had they had a prophet on the level of Moshe Rabbeinu they would have also served Hashem properly.
Accordingly, Bilaam would have been aware of the prophesy of Eldad and Meidad, that Moshe would die and Yehoshua will lead the people into Eretz Yisroel (Rashi to Bamidbar 11:28 and Sanhedrin 17a). This is why Bilaam was relatively wicked as compared to Balak. Bilaam could have told Balak that Moav did not need his services. He could have given honest free advice that Bnei Yisroel was no threat to Moav, and that Balak would be smarter not to startup with Hashem and Bnei Yisroel. However, Bilaam was a war opportunist who seized the opportunity to get rich from a conflict between Moav and Midyan against Bnei Yisroel.
This is further supported by Bilaam's final prophecy, after three unsuccessful attempts to curse the Jewish People. What is the connection between the three previous 'blessings' and what will happen at the 'End of Days' (Bamidbar 24:14). It would seem that Bilaam is finally revealing to Balak the prophesy he knew all along, that Bnei Yisroel was not a current threat to Balak. "I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but it is not near. When a star makes a path from Yaakov and a scepter rises from Yisroel, the nobles of Moav will be pierced…" (Bamidbar 24:17). Only at a later point, when the Kingdom of Dovid was established (see Rashi) would Bnei Yisroel be a viable threat to Moav. As attributed to the Chafetz Chaim, if only the righteous would perform Mitzvos with the same enthusiasm, emotion and effort as the wicked perform Aveiros, the Final Redemption would come. May it be His will that we should merit to serve Hashem to our maximum capacity, and that he has mercy on his nation, and sends us the Moshiach, speedily in our days. Amen.
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