Parashat Balak – A People That Dwells Alone
This week’s parasha, Balak, offers a story full of irony, divine intervention, and an enduring truth: you cannot curse what G-d has blessed.
Balak, the king of Moav, is terrified by the Israelites approaching his borders. Though Israel has no intention of harming him, he hires the prophet‑for‑hire Bil’am to curse them. But instead of curses, blessings come out of Bil’am’s mouth—again and again. Perhaps the best‑known of these is:
“Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael”
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your dwelling places, O Israel” (Numbers 24:5)
A would‑be curse is transformed into a daily prayer.
What frightened Balak was not Israel’s armies but their presence, their growth, their difference. So he tried to destroy them not with swords, but with words.
Words as Weapons
In many ways we are living through a modern‑day Parashat Balak.
Today the Jewish people—and especially the State of Israel—face a similar kind of assault, fought largely with words:
Social‑media misinformation
Distorted narratives in academia, politics, and the press
Boycott and delegitimisation campaigns lauded as human‑rights advocacy
A climate that makes many Jews feel unsafe speaking up
Just as Bil’am tried to weaponise speech, so too many today seek to isolate and demoralise. Yet, like then, it will not succeed. Curses will again turn into surprising blessings, revealed through resilience, unity, and courage.
“A People That Dwells Alone”
Bil’am further proclaims:
“Behold, a people that dwells alone, not reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9)
Since the horrors of 7 October 2024 and the complex months that followed, Jews worldwide have at times felt isolated. Yet “dwelling alone” can also mean moral independence. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l reminded us that Jews are called not to mimic the nations but to raise the moral bar—to transform the world, not conform to it.
From Then to Now
Parashat Balak teaches:
Attempts to curse us ultimately fail
Words are powerful—let us speak truth and blessing
Being different is our sacred vocation
G-d is with us, turning darkness into light
A Call to Confidence and Courage
As we enter Shabbat, let us rededicate ourselves to our purpose. Hold Jewish identity proudly, support one another, speak up for truth, and stand with Israel in compassion and courage. May our homes and community truly embody “Ma tovu”.
Shabbat Shalom—may it be a Shabbat of peace, strength, and blessing for Am Yisrael, wherever we dwell.
Thought of the week
