Parashat Balak: The Source of the Jewish People's Strength

In Parashat Balak, we read about Balak's desperate attempt to harm the Jewish people. Fearing their growing strength, he sends for Balaam and asks him: "Please, come curse this people for me." But according to the Netivot Shalom, the story is about much more than blessings and curses. It reveals the secret of the Jewish people's spiritual protection and the source of their true strength.

What Is a Blessing and What Is a Curse?

The Netivot Shalom explains that as long as the Jewish people remain attached to Hashem, no nation, force, or individual can truly harm them.

He cites the Yesod HaAvodah, which brings an idea from the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim: when a person is closely connected to Hashem, harsh judgments have no power over him. Difficulties and suffering can occur only when that attachment is weakened or interrupted.

According to this understanding, blessing and curse are not merely words spoken by another person. A blessing is a state of connection to Hashem, while a curse is the result of becoming disconnected from that source of spiritual life and protection.

Balaam understood this principle very well. He knew that as long as the Jewish people remained attached to Hashem, no enemy could overcome them.

Why Did Balak Need Balaam?

The Netivot Shalom explains that Balak himself possessed significant powers of sorcery. If so, why did he need Balaam?

The answer is that Balak understood the real challenge. The Jewish people could not be defeated through ordinary means as long as they remained connected to Hashem. The only possibility was to create a spiritual separation between them and their Creator.

This was precisely Balaam's role.

Moshe Rabbeinu represents da'at, a deep knowledge and attachment to Hashem that connects the Jewish people to their spiritual source. Balaam represented the opposite force. His goal was not merely to utter curses, but to weaken that connection and create distance between Israel and Hashem.

The Blessings Balaam Never Intended to Give

This idea helps explain the remarkable blessings that emerged from Balaam's mouth.

Again and again, Balaam tried to focus on the shortcomings of the Jewish people. He hoped to expose their sins and create a separation between them and Hashem.

Instead, every attempt turned into a blessing.

When Balaam declared, "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen perversity in Israel; Hashem his God is with him," he intended to draw attention to their failings. Yet the words that emerged highlighted the opposite truth: Hashem remains with His people and does not abandon them.

Once again, Balaam sought to create distance, and once again his words became a declaration of closeness.

The Secret of "How Goodly Are Your Tents"

The same pattern appears later in the parashah.

The sages explain that when Balaam turned toward the wilderness, he intended to arouse accusations connected to the sin of the Golden Calf. His goal was to weaken the bond between the Jewish people and Hashem.

Instead, he proclaimed one of the most beloved blessings in Jewish tradition: "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel."

Chazal explain that this refers to synagogues and study halls. These are the places where Jews gather to pray, study Torah, and strengthen their relationship with Hashem.

Rather than exposing weakness, Balaam ended up describing the very institutions that preserve the Jewish people's spiritual strength.

The Power of Jewish Unity

The Netivot Shalom explains that the bond between the Jewish people and Hashem is strengthened through unity.

When Jews are united with one heart, their connection to Hashem becomes stronger. Love for fellow Jews and love for Hashem are deeply connected. The more a person strengthens one, the more he strengthens the other.

This is the deeper meaning of the verse, "Love your fellow as yourself; I am Hashem." Genuine love for Hashem cannot be separated from genuine love for His people.

Balaam recognized this power. He saw that the unity of the Jewish people created a bond that could not easily be broken. That unity itself became a source of blessing and protection.

The Source of True Blessing

According to the Netivot Shalom, the story of Balaam teaches a timeless lesson.

True blessing does not come from favorable circumstances, wealth, or success alone. Its deepest source is a person's attachment to Hashem. When that connection is strong, a person draws strength, protection, and spiritual vitality into his life.

The unity of the Jewish people plays a central role in strengthening that bond. Through love of fellow Jews, shared purpose, Torah, and prayer, the connection to Hashem grows deeper and more powerful.

That was the secret Balaam discovered. The Jewish people's greatest protection was never found in armies or political power. It was found in their attachment to Hashem and in the unity that binds them together.