Chukath-Balak: Journey

It is only outside the Land of Israel that two parshioth are read together. This brings the exiled and the arrived communities into sync. Since Shavuoth, when the diaspora fell behind, Israel has been one parsha ahead. Now we catch up.

Reading the two parshioth together has a slightly different meaning. The second chapter, Balak becomes a story within the  stories that end Chukath. Chukath begins with the ritual of the red heifer, the source of the ashes that purify those contaminated by contact with the dead. The designation of Elazar, son of Aaron, as the executor, is a presage to the theme of the first half of Chukath: the death of a generation including Miriam, Aaron and, eventually, Moses. The exodus is coming to an end.

 The parsha transitions to approaching the Promised Land. The king of Arad takes some captives. His nation is destroyed in retribution.  But this land is left in ruins, not settled by the Israelite nomads. A request for passage through Edom, the realm of brother Esau, is rejected and the nation detours. Sihon, when asked for permission to traverse his land, confronts the Israelites with a battle. This land is seized, as is the land of Og, who also tried his hand at a military solution. The settlement of the Promised Land has begun. The journey is culminating

Then we come to Balak, the most parabolic chapter in the Torah. I imagine it as a campfire story, the plot colored by the current events of the wanderers confronting their odyssey.  Balaam, the great prophet and magician, is summoned from Aram  by the Moabite – Midianite  cabal to fend off this feared, powerful Israelite force. Balaam comes from Aram, the birthplace of Abraham, the source of the claim to the Promised Land.

A delegation comes and offers Balaam great reward if he will come to Canaan and maintain the Moabite claims against the invaders. Balaam consults the Divine through a dream, and he is instructed to turn down the offer. He does turn them down [the dream of Abraham at the Covenent between the pieces (Genesis15) takes precedence]. Another, more prestigious delegation comes. The same offer is made. Balaam has the audacity to question the previous decision, resulting in a change of plan. Balaam will accompany the delegation, but he can only voice what he is told.

Balaam proceeds on his donkey. The donkey strays from the road, the donkey crouches and won’t move forward. The donkey sees threats, and grand concepts, invisible to Balaam. The Israelites have sojourned in the desert for forty years. For most of that time their leader has been silent. They have gone in directions that made no sense… to those from whom the threats are hidden.  The silent and, generally obedient can, at times, have the greater insight.

Granting speech to the donkey is not necessary for the story. Were we informed that Balaam now saw the angel of obstruction and told that the donkey was aware of the invisible threat, the story could proceed without this challenge to credibility.

 

Avoth 5:6

עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, פִּי הָאָרֶץ, וּפִי הַבְּאֵר, וּפִי הָאָתוֹן, וְהַקֶּשֶׁת, וְהַמָּן, וְהַמַּטֶּה, וְהַשָּׁמִיר, וְהַכְּתָב, וְהַמִּכְתָּב, וְהַלּוּחוֹת.

 

Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight, and these are they: [1] the mouth of the earth, [2] the mouth of the well, [3] the mouth of the donkey, [4] the rainbow, [5] the manna, [6] the staff [of Moses], [7] the shamir, [8] the letters, [9] the writing, [10] and the tablets.

 

The donkey’s words are so necessary, they were tacked on, as an afterthought to Creation. Question your vision before you impune the loyalty of your compatriots, your leaders, your employees, those who love you.

 

Balaam questions his mission and proceeds. Under the circumstances,re-examination seems appropriate.  How does this contrast with the Israelites? When they question their mission, they are punished for their lack of faith. A story can justify error. Balaam proceeds, the Israelites proceed.

 

Balaam can evoke the powerful words of Gd. He cannot control what is said. He cannot fulfill the mission of execrating the Hebrews. He was clear from the beginning, he managed expectations. The boss is disappointed.  Gd had punished the Israelites so many times. They had sinned so grievously with the Golden calf, the cowardice surrounding the spies, the demand for meat, the threats of return to Egypt, Korach’s challenge to authority, and most recently the fiery serpents as retribution for dissatisfaction. Each event had been chastened.  Why couldn’t Balaam invoke these to bring continued exile? Balaam’s words of praise and prophecy are followed by yet another incident of infidelity that leads to the death of 24,000 Israelites. Every penalty is partial. Nothing can stop destiny. Gd keeps the promise made to Abraham. It is still taking shape.

The haftorah ends:

“You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
And what GD requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk modestly with your Gd