Bilam

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  1. The Story of Bilaam

    Dr. Ruth Walfish

    תאריך פרסום: תשע"ב | |

    The story of Bilaam raises some intriguing questions: why does the Torah dedicate three chapters to this story (Numbers, chapters 22-24)? What kind of figure is Bilaam? Are we meant to admire or despise him? How do the episodes reported in the original version shed light on Bilaam`s final act of defiance (Num. 31, 16) and death (vs. 8)? We will suggest answers to these questions by analyzing the story both from a traditional parshanut standpoint, as well as on the basis of literary clues and considerations.

  2. What Does the Lord Require of You

    Haftarot: Balak

    Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

    Micah's prophecy emphasizes the dependency on God and man's spiritual status as determining factors in our relationship with God. Balak understood the significance of the spiritual factor, and summons Bilam to assist him. Bilam's offerings do not express internal spirituality, but rather an attempt to appease God using magic. Micah objects to sacrifices that are not accompanied by a deep spiritual feeling, acknowledgement of our dependency on God, actions of righteousness and justice, and appreciation toward the Divine.

  3. Bilam and Balak

    Rabbi Ezra Bick

    This lesson will focus on the dialogue between Balak and Bilam throughout the parasha, which frames the story. Balak presses Bilam to curse Israel, and Bilam insists that he will only do as God commands. The message of this episode emphasizes the difference between Balak's beliefs in the power of magic, and the Torah's belief in God, which is represented by Bilam, who experienced both worlds, and demonstrates which prevails.

  4. Bilam and the Daughters of Moav

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 38 minutes

    Though "no other prophet like Moshe arose among Bnei Yisrael", a Talmudic saying suggests that a prophet parallel to Moshe arose among the other nations: Bilam ben Be’or, who appears in our parasha.  Could it be that Bilam, whose donkey sees more than he does, really be much of a prophet? Ramban contends that Bilam was not a prophet at all. In this shiur, we explore Ramban's ideas about who Bilam really is and what is truly going on in the story of Bilam.

  5. The Drive of Destiny

    Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz

  6. Bil'am and the Sin of Ba'al Peor

    Rabbi Elchanan Samet

    Why is the story of the Sin of Ba'al Pe'or divided between two parshiot? Through a close examination of this question we can understand the deep significance of this sin, its connection with Balak and Bilam, and the new leadership handling the situation. 

  7. I Will Bless Those Who Bless You

    Rabbi Yair Kahn

    What did Bilam attempt to accomplish? What was God's response? What eternal message does the Torah wish to transmit in this section? This shiur deals with these questions by examining Bilam's blessings in light of his interactions with the donkey. 

  8. Balak and Bil'am

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    What is the main message of the parsha, which seemingly does not deal with the narrative of Am Yisrael at all? By examining the various episodes in the parsha we notice the characteristic that Balak and Bilam have in common – the stubbornness that prevents them from perceiving and acknowledging God's control of the world.

  9. Bilam and Balak (Audio)

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 12 minutes

    This lesson will focus on the dialogue between Balak and Bilam throughout the parasha, which frames the story. Balak presses Bilam to curse Israel, and Bilam insists that he will only do as God commands. The message of this episode emphasizes the difference between Balak's beliefs in the power of magic, and the Torah's belief in God, which is represented by Bilam, who experienced both worlds, and demonstrates which prevails.

  10. I Will Bless Those Who Bless You [audio]

    Rabbi Yair Kahn | 14 minutes

    What is the deeper meaning of Bil'am's narrative arc, and how is this connected to the role of blessings and curses in the Torah?

  11. The Story of Bilaam in the Context of Bamidbar

    Rabbi Menachem Leibtag |

    What is unique about the unit of the story of Bilaam and how does it fit within the context of Sefer Bamidbar as a whole? Through an analysis of the unit we learn about the goal of the story of Bilaam and the purpose of sefer Bamidbar in teaching us about the relationship between God and Israel and the way in which mitzvot give meaning to our lives. 

  12. What Makes God Laugh

    Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

    As we learn from Parshat Balak, Pagan prophets like Bilam had not yet learned the lesson we must all one day learn: that what matters is not that God does what we want, but that we do what He wants. God laughs at those who think they have godlike powers. The opposite is true. The smaller we see ourselves, the greater we become.

     

    This article is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

    To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

  13. What Makes God Laugh (Audio)

    Rabbi Jonathan Sacks | 10 minutes

    As we learn from Parshat Balak, Pagan prophets like Bilam had not yet learned the lesson we must all one day learn: that what matters is not that God does what we want, but that we do what He wants. God laughs at those who think they have godlike powers. The opposite is true. The smaller we see ourselves, the greater we become.

     

    This lecture is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

    To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

  14. Eye-Opening Experiences of Bilam and Hagar

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  15. What -and Why - are the "Kesamim" sent by Balak to Bilam?

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  16. Balak: Missed Opportunities

    Rabbi Jay Kelman

  17. Balak: Balaam, Prophet For Hire?

    Rabbi David Fohrman |

    In this week's video, Rabbi Fohrman explores a mysterious mishnah, in which our Sages compare Abraham and his students, to Balaam, the prophet of this week's parsha, and his students. Where do they get this odd comparison, and what is the meaning we are meant to learn from it?

     
    If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.

  18. Parshat Balak - The Book of Bilam

    Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 35 minutes

    We look at Parashat Balak, and find a stormy relationship between Balak and Bilam. Something strange going on--  why have we jumped away from the main story of Bemidbar to a strange self-contained story- the “Book of Bilam”? Why does it appear in the Torah -what is the connection to the rest of Bemidbar? 

    Bilam's hubris - his grand claims and arrogance followed by the demonstration that he does not see as much as his own donkey, turns into a commentary on the character of someone else: Moshe. Bilam is a foil for Moshe's prophecy and humility.

     

  19. Parashat Balak and Israel's Unique Relationship with God

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 34 minutes

    Parashat Balak is an island within the book of Bemidbar. What is it doing there?

    We look at the story of Bilam's "negotiation" with God and discover that the story may teach us lessons about the relationship between God and Israel in unexpected ways.

  20. For God is Not a Man- On Bil'am, Blessing and Betrayal

    Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | Hour and 7 minutes

    What is the purpose of Parshat Balak? It doesn’t seem to fit within the context of Sefer Bamidbar and with the general theme of the Torah. Through an analysis of the parallels between the characters of Bilam and Avraham we can understand the purpose of the story and its deeper messages.

  21. Bilaam’s Multiple Personalities

    Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky