In parshas Balak we receive the
blessings pronounced on the children of Israel by Bilam, the greatest
prophet of the nations. In the third blessing he blesses the batei midrashim
(places of study) and the synagogues of Israel . "How good are your
tents Ya'akov, your synagogues Yisrael" (Numbers 24:5), he declares. Tent
(אהל) is an idiom for places of learning perhaps
taken from the idea of temporary quarters used by an itinerant preacher. A
synagogue, literally a place of assembly (משכן),
is where people gather to express there prayers, hopes, and devotion to G-d.
What Bilam is praising is the striving for knowledge of G-d by the Jewish
people and their hopes for humanity.
He compares the children of Israel to
flowing streams, gardens on a river, fragrant shrubs planted by Hashem, and
cedars on water. The common theme is peace and tranquility. Torah is compared
to water. The idea of a stream is movement in that it flows to many places. It
also suggests purity and because it is small, humility. A garden expresses the
idea of multiplicity as it has different types of flowers and plants. A park on a river has trees and grandeur but
just the same maintains its modesty. Fragrant shrubs suggest a pleasant and
happy frame of mind produced by a serene environment. It also hints at benevolence
that is received almost imperceptively. Cedars are large and towering trees
which suggest greatness.
The blessing continues, "he
sprinkles with water from his bucket and sows with great waters". This is
a metaphor for one who draws water from a well. It refers to new ideas that
first touch a small number of individuals than flow to the multitude of people.
The sentence continues, "he exalts from Agag his king and raises up his
kingdom". Agag is considered the king of evil. The idea is that a display
of evil teaches Israel
what the opposite should be, and once this is learned, allows them to free
those caught in its grip.
"The Almighty took him out of
Regarding this prophesy the
Chumash uses the expressionשתם עין , literally "open
eye" (Numbers 24:3). It suggests focused perception. The
expression is repeated again (ibid 15) when introducing the messianic prophesy,
"I see him but not now, I perceive him but not near, a star will stride
for Ya'akov and a scepter from Yisrael", (Ibid 17). This is a vision of
the essential core of the Jewish people. However it will take travail and much
time before all of Bilam's prophesies are fully realized.
אזכור
הכבוד של תורמים ליד יוסף
אבי מורי פיליפ שרייבר, יוחנן הולצברג, אברהם שמרלר
לע"נ
לייב הערש בן אהרן ז"ל יז תמוז
תשל"ב
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