Balak: by Mark Gersten in memory of Helene

BALAK  by MARK GERSTEN IN MEMORY OF HELENE

IN GENERAL BALAK IS LOOKED AT AS AN EVIL CHARACTER THE JEWS HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT ATTACK OR EVEN AGITATE MOAV WHO WAS THEIR RELATIVE THROUGH AVRAHAM AND LOT. THEREFORE, BALAK HAD NO REASON TO FEAR BATTLE WITH THE ADVANCING ISRAELITES HOWEVER,  BECAUSE OF HIS ILLOGICAL INTENSE HATRED FOR THE JEWS, THE RABBIS TELL US THAT HE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO DECIMATE THEM THROUGH BILHAM’S CURSE. NO ONE COULD ACCUSE BALAK OF BEING WISE. IT WAS SPECIFICALLY EVIDENT AFTER BILHAM RETORTED TO HIS DONKEY’S COMPLAINT BY TELLING THE DONKEY THAT IF HE HAD A SWORD HE WOULD KILL IT. IF  BILHAM’S CURSE WAS SO POWERFUL THAT IT COULD DESTROY AN ENTIRE PEOPLE, COULDN’T IT DESTROY ONE DONKEY? BALAK’S PLAN BORDERED ON THE ABSURD. WHEN PEOPLE HATE WITH NO REASON THEY LOSE ALL SIGHT OF LOGIC AND GOOD JUDGEMENT. WE HAVE SEEN THIS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY AS A PEOPLE.

BALAK HEARD THE CHILLING NEWS,

ABOUT THE COMING OF THE JEWS.

HE WAS AFRAID OF G-DS  GREAT MIGHT,

SHOULD ISRAEL AND MIDYAN FIGHT.

THE BEST PLAN HE FELT HE COULD CHOOSE

HAVE BILHAM COME TO CURSE THE JEWS.

HOW UTTERLY ABSURD THIS CHOICE

WHEN BILHAM’S DONKEY USED HIS VOICE

AND CHIDED HIM FOR WHAT HE DID

WHEN FROM HIS EYES THE ANGEL HID.

SAID BILHAM HAD I SWORD OR KNIFE

RIGHT HERE I’D SLAY YOU, END YOUR LIFE.

IMAGINE WHO THEY’D PAY IN GOLD

TO CURSE THE JEWS,BUT WE ARE TOLD

WOULD NEED A SWORD TO KILL HIS MULE

BUT COULD NOT MAKE A CURSE HIS TOOL !

WHAT MADE KING BALAK EVER THINK

THAT WITH A CURSE AND IN A WINK

HE’D DECIMATE AND KILL THEM ALL

WHEN ON THE MULE NO CURSE DID FALL?