STAM
TORAH
PARSHAS
BALAK 5777
“TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY”
“While
for the most part I’m in terrific physical shape, I have ten tumors in my liver
and I only have a few months left to live.
“I am a
father of three young children, and married to the woman of my dreams. While I
could easily feel sorry for myself, that wouldn’t do them, or me, any good.
“So, how
to spend my very limited time?
“The
obvious part is being with, and taking care of, my family. While I still can,
embrace every moment with them, and do the logistical things necessary to ease
their path into a life without me.
“The
less obvious part is how to teach my children what I would have taught them
over the next twenty years. They are too young now to have those conversations.
All parents want to teach their children right from wrong, what we think is
important, and how to deal with the challenges life will bring. We also want
them to know stories from our own lives, often as a way to teach them how to
lead theirs….
“Both
the lecture and this book are my attempts to do exactly that.”[1]
Commissioned
by Balak, King of Moav, Bila’am sets out to curse the unsuspecting Jewish
nation. But when Bila’am ascends a mountain and peers at the Jewish camp, he is
divinely overwhelmed by the holiness and regality of the Jews. Unwittingly he
spews the most beautiful blessings, lauding the Jewish nation, and foretelling
their eventual triumph over all of their adversaries at the end of days.
During one
of his bouts of prophesy Bila’am calls on the Patriarchs with misplaced
nostalgia. “Who can count the dust of Yaakov or a quarter of Yisroel? My soul
should die the death of the ישרים (upright), and may my end be like his[2].”
Who are the
“upright” whom Bila’am refers to? The Ba’al Haturim explains that the numerical
value of the wordישרים (560)
is equivalent to the numerical value of the words אבות העולם (Patriarchs of the world)[3].
When Bila’am eyed Klal Yisroel he envisioned how their founders, the
patriarchs, died with tremendous honor and respect. He pined to have similar
honor accorded to him when he died.
Seforno, commenting on Bila’am’s words, explains that Bila’am was saying
that if he would be able to die like the upright ones he would be willing to
die immediately, so that he could merit eternal life in the afterworld.
The Chofetz Chaim notes that Bila’am wanted to die as a Jew, but he
didn’t want to live as a Jew. Bila’am recognized that the life of a Jew is
fraught with challenges and struggles. A Jew’s life is rigidly regimented with
myriad laws and expectations. Throughout his life he is encouraged to never grow
complacent with his accomplishments, and is always expected to keep striving.
The believing Jew is catapulted by the knowledge that it is all worth it
because when he leaves this world he continues on to the world of truth where
he will reap the benefits of his efforts. Therefore, the Jew does not fear
death because he knows he is only going home. But to the non-believer death is
overwhelming and frightening as he is unable to have the same confidence in his
future.
Bila’am desired to die with the serenity and confidence that the
patriarchs had when they departed from this world, but he did not wish to alter
his life to live with their principles and morals. The Chofetz Chaim concludes,
“Ubber es iz nit kayn kuntz tzu shturben vee a Yid; der grester kuntz iz oys
tzu lebben aleh yuhrin vee a yid – But, it is no ‘trick’ to die like a Jew;
the greatest ‘trick’ is to live all of one’s years like a Jew.”
On another occasion, the Chofetz Chaim quipped, “It’s very difficult to
make a living. They say that people need a livelihood so that they have what to
live with. But I wonder if they have what to die with!”
In Koheles, the wisest of men states[4]
that there is a time to be born and a time to die. Why does he not say that there
is a time to live? The Chofetz Chaim explained that life is so short and
fleeting that there is hardly any time to live!
One of the most
well-known prophecies of Yirmiyahu involved the prayers of our Matriarch
Rachel. The Midrash[5]
describes the fascinating scene that transpired as the Holy Temple was burning.
G-d Himself was weeping, as it were, "Where are my children, my prophets,
my priests? I feel like someone whose only son died suddenly under his wedding
canopy." G-d then instructs the prophet Yirmiyahu to summon the patriarchs
and Matriarchs so that they could intercede on behalf of their exiled children.
Avraham is the
first to speak. He rips his hair, rents his garments, and places ashes on his
forehead and laments, "Master of the World, You granted me a child when I
was a hundred years old. Yet, when You asked me to sacrifice him on the altar I
did so without hesitation." But G-d would not hearken to his call. Yaakov
then appeared before G-d and declared, "I worked for my duplicitous
brother-in-law Lavan for twenty-one arduous years. Upon leaving I was
confronted by my brother Eisav who wanted to kill me and my children. Yet I
stood before them and was prepared to die to protect them." Still G-d was
not pacified. Moshe arose and stated, "I spoke on behalf of Your people
for forty years, and yet, I died before entering Israel. Let my death
substitute for them and enable them to return to the Holy Land."
Finally Rachel
arises and implores on behalf of her children, "Yaakov had initially
worked for me for seven years. My father Lavan cajoled me to allow Leah to
trick Yaakov. I could not bear the shame that Leah would have experienced had
Yaakov seen through the sham. So I gave up my husband to my sister to spare her
from shame and embarrassment.” The Medrash relates that it was Rochel’s plea
that broke the decree.
What was it
about the cry of Rochel that afforded it greater potency then the prayers of other
the Patriarchs and Matriarchs? Although they all spoke on behalf of their children,
they all focused on their willingness to die for the sake of G-d’s Name.
Although their merits were incredible, they were insufficient to alter the
harsh decree written against their descendant. Rochel however, argued that she
was willing to live to sanctify G-d’s Name. She was compelled to live
with the consequences of her magnanimous deed for the rest of her life. She
gave up her place as the sole wife of Yaakov, and even in death she was not
buried adjacent to Yaakov.
“Thus said G-d: A voice is heard on high, lamentations
and bitter weeping - Rachel weeps for her children. She refuses to be consoled
for her children, for they are gone.
Thus said G-d: Stay your voice from weeping
and prevent your eyes from tears, for there is reward for your efforts, says
G-d, and they shall return from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your
future, declares G-d: Your children shall return back to their boundaries.[6]"
Parshas Balak is always read the Shabbos
before the commencement of the Three Weeks of mourning, which begin with the
fast of Shiva Asar B’Tamuz. All the pain we suffer, including the fact that we
are still in exile, is testament to the fact that as a nation we are not
adequately sanctifying G-d’s Name. There is no doubt that throughout the millennia
our ancestors, and we, have sanctified G-d’s Name as they marched to their
deaths with “Shema Yisroel” on their lips. But perhaps we have not yet
fulfilled our obligation to live our lives with Shema Yisroel on our
lips.
“My soul
should die the death of the upright”
“Rochel
weeps for her children”
Rabbi Dani Staum, LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance Counselor – Heichal HaTorah, Teaneck, NJ
Principal – Ohr Naftoli- New Windsor, NY
[1]
Introduction of “The Last Lecture”, by Randy Pausch
[2] 23:10
[3] Ba’al Haturim
then adds that the numerical values of the last letter of the name of each of
the patriarchs
"אברהם יצחק יעקב" (מ+ק+ב
= 142) is equivalent to בלעם, a reference to Bila’am’s subsequent words, “And let my end be
like his”.
[4] Koheles 3:2
[5] Eichah
Rabbah 24
[6] Yirimyah
31:14-15
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