28th Week 2006
SHABBAT BALAK; READINGS & COMMENTARY
Balak: Numbers 22:2-25:9; Micha 5:6-6:8
By Michael Schneider

Just a reminder from last weekend’s feature: The captain of the German soccer team, Michael Ballak, and his team lost this week to Italy. His name, Ballak, is ironically similar to the name of this week’s Torah portion!

We read in our weekly Torah portion about Balak, king of Moab, who was frightened by the victorious people of Israel after they defeated the mighty Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. (Both of these battles are still remembered in daily Jewish prayers!)

Balak turned to spiritual powers for help: He called upon Balaam, a known seer, to curse Israel!
We see that at first Balaam resisted the demands of the king, wanting to obey God. The king sent first messengers then princes to persuade him. God saw Balaam’s heart grow increasingly weak so He allowed him to go: “Rise up and go with them’ (22:20). Balaam waited for the ‘green light’ from God. We read how quickly the next morning he packed his donkey and went.

But “God was angry because he was going” (22:22). As we read in Romans 1, God sometimes allows people to “go after the desires of their heart.” read more…