Balak: Love Beyond the Tribe
Our parashah begins with Balak, the king of Moab, hiring the non-Israelite prophet Bilaam to curse the Jewish people. Balak recognizes that Israel cannot be defeated through military means if God is on their side. So, he seeks to disrupt God’s protection by employing Bilaam’s powerful prophetic abilities.
Bilaam is a figure of great interest in our tradition. The Torah and the rabbis acknowledge his potent prophetic capacity, noting that he knows the precise moment when God is angry with Israel, making them vulnerable. But, despite this power, Bilaam testifies that he can only say what God puts in his mouth, unable to curse or bless anyone without God’s consent. The words he eventually utters are poetic blessings, not curses, demonstrating God’s ultimate control.
This story prompts us to consider the nature of prophetic love. True prophetic love, which channels God’s own love, includes everyone. Bilaam’s failure lies in his inability to expand his love beyond his own tribe. A midrash in Bamidbar Rabbah (BR 20) explains that God eventually removed the Holy Spirit from Bilaam for lacking compassion for a tribe that was not his own. Prophecy, this midrash argues, can be found within the Jewish people because we strive to extend our love beyond our tribe.
Our actions must continue to reflect this expansive kind of love.
Bilaam, in contrast, is portrayed by interpretive Jewish tradition as a mercenary prophet, using his power for personal gain and failing to see the holiness in Israel. This misuse of divine gifts ultimately leads to his downfall. We must not follow his example. Instead, we must remember to love beyond our tribe, even (and perhaps especially) in times of pain and fear.
A friend recently asked if this love should extend to those who are blatantly evil. My response: It’s important to distinguish between defending ourselves from those who seek to harm us and showing compassion to vulnerable others. Bilaam represents someone who would use their power to destroy others, losing his prophetic capacity as a result. We must ensure we do not conflate categories of defense and dehumanization.
We must defend our home when threatened, but we take no joy in conflict. We aim to bring love and light into the world, extending our care to all. This is the core of Torah and the purpose of our prophetic mission. By learning from Bilaam’s mistakes, we can strive to bring love and blessings to the entire world.
May we be blessed to make additional effort this week to extend kindness beyond our tribe and to be blessings to others.