Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Shlomo Zargari
Shalom,
It’s very encouraging for a person to be sought after. It warms the heart when people recognize your talents and seek you out, when a limousine is sent for you and when others beg for your services. Meet “Bilam,” the epitome of haughtiness and a demanding soul, who was promised hefty rewards such as a house full of gold and silver and especially… honor and glory. We could understand the weakness of humans, more so if one has terrible behavior and character like Bilam. However, that doesn’t explain to us a certain flaw. You are looking for wealth and glory, but to achieve that you go ahead and curse a whole nation? To uproot them and annihilate them??
This is the power of ego and being self-centered: nothing and nobody else matters. The only thing that matters is my goal and if I crush a nation like ants so be it. Bilam is just an example of this behavior. Throughout history great generals fought battles and many soldiers lost their lives just to glorify those generals. For the sake of “correct economy ” thousands would be unemployed and the list goes on. The Torah has a different approach: “Let your brother live with you “(Vayikra 25,36), “You shall love your fellow as yourself “(Vayikra 19,18) , in order to have feelings and empathy for the other’s emotions and to honor his rights. The Mishnah in Avot (5,22) contrasts the behavior of the evil Bilam who had an evil eye, a haughty mind and a demanding soul with Avraham Avinu and his followers who are praised for having a kind eye, humble mind and undemanding soul.
We aren’t talking about totally taking ourselves out of the picture. Contrary to that, the above verses point to the fact that the Torah wants us to take care of ourselves; we come first but at the same time we are commanded to love others and respect their rights. What you would hate to be done to you, don’t do to others (Shabbat 31) and as the Gaon of Vilna says : Most of the Mitzvot in the Torah are to bring joy to people. How wonderful that way of living would be. One must decide where to place himself, between the followers of Avraham or GD forbid the followers of Bilam. How do we want to shape our homes and to raise our children? With a selfish, egoistic and evil eye or with loving kindness , joy and ease of mind? We know where each road leads as it is clear in the aforementioned Mishnah in Avot and may we merit in all those blessings. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.