Chukat-Balak Statute/Balak — חֻקַּת־בָּלָק
Torah Portion: Numbers 19:1-25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6 - 6:8
Shabbat: Numbers 23:27-25:9
23:27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please Hashem that you may curse them for me from there.”
28 Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert. 29 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.”
30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.
24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased Hashem to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of Elohim came on him. 3 He took up his parable, and said,
“Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eyes are open says;
4 he says, who hears the words of Elohim,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, and having his eyes open:
5 How goodly are your tents, Jacob,
and your dwellings, Israel!
6 As valleys they are spread out,
as gardens by the riverside,
as aloes which Hashem has planted,
as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets.
His seed shall be in many waters.
His king shall be higher than Agag.
His kingdom shall be exalted.
8 Elohim brings him out of Egypt.
He has, as it were, the strength of the wild ox.
He shall consume the nations his adversaries,
shall break their bones in pieces,
and pierce them with his arrows.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion,
as a lioness;
who shall rouse him up?
Everyone who blesses you is blessed.
Everyone who curses you is cursed.”
10 Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Hashem, has kept you back from honor.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Hashem’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what Hashem says’? 14 Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.”
15 He took up his parable and said,
“Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eyes are open says;
16 he says, who hears the words of Elohim,
knows the knowledge of the Most High,
and who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 I see him, but not now.
I see him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob.
A scepter will rise out of Israel,
and shall strike through the corners of Moab,
and crush all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be a possession.
Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession,
while Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”
20 He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said,
“Amalek was the first of the nations,
But his latter end shall come to destruction.”
21 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said,
“Your dwelling place is strong.
Your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be wasted,
until Asshur carries you away captive.”
23 He took up his parable and said,
“Alas, who shall live when Elohim does this?
24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim.
They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber.
He also shall come to destruction.”
25 Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
25:1 Israel stayed in Shittim, and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab; 2 for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 Israel joined himself to Baal Peor, and
Hashem’s anger burned against Israel. 4 Hashem said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Hashem before the sun, that the fierce anger of Hashem may turn away from Israel.”
5 Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.”
6 Behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 7 When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the middle of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand. 8 He went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. 9 Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
Today’s Meditation:
Verse 24:9, “Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.” Balaam is announcing Hashem’s words to Balaak. And it still stands true today. The nations that curse Israel are cursed themselves, and those who bless are blessed. I remember hearing about a book that talked about the United States and the times it has cursed Israel, or not supported them. And there would be a natural disaster within days of some important decision not to support Israel. Israel and its people are special and must be blessed and protected. The cool thing is, you will be blessed if you bless them. Think about financially supporting Israel today. There are many organizations that help older people, people living in poverty, and pregnant women. Organizations that support start-up businesses or businesses that have been boycotted. Maybe visit tl.levhaolam.com to see if you are interested in supporting them.
Today’s Challenge:
In verse 24:2, we read, “Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of Elohim came on him.” Can you imagine? He looks out and sees Israel and all of its tribes, and something holy happens. The spirit of Elohim comes upon him. It is interesting that Hashem would allow this to happen to someone who is practicing divination. I wonder if, when people are looking at Hashem’s people/land, something holy does come upon us. When I have gone to Israel, this seems to happen. A special feeling comes over you, like nothing you have ever experienced. Is this the Spirit of Elohim? My challenge is to see if Hashem is blessing you in some way today. And to look at your life and see if there are any times when you have felt His Spirit coming upon you. Be grateful and praise Him for these times.
This Week’s Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8
5:6 They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod in its gates.
He will deliver us from the Assyrian,
when he invades our land,
and when he marches within our border.
7 The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples,
like dew from Hashem,
like showers on the grass,
that don’t wait for man,
nor wait for the sons of men.
8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
among many peoples,
like a lion among the animals of the forest,
like a young lion among the flocks of sheep;
who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces,
and there is no one to deliver.
9 Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries,
and let all of your enemies be cut off.
10 “It will happen in that day”, says Hashem,
“that I will cut off your horses out from among you,
and will destroy your chariots.
11 I will cut off the cities of your land,
and will tear down all your strongholds.
12 I will destroy witchcraft from your hand;
and you shall have no soothsayers.
13 I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out from among you;
and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 I will uproot your Asherah poles out from among you;
and I will destroy your cities.
15 I will execute vengeance in anger,
and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”
6:1 Listen now to what Hashem says:
“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 Hear, you mountains, Hashem’s indictment,
and you, enduring foundations of the earth;
for Hashem has a case against his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
3 My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you?
Answer Me!
4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you out of the house of bondage.
I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, devised,
and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of Hashem.”
6 How shall I come before Hashem,
and bow myself before the exalted Elohim?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will Hashem be pleased with thousands of rams?
With tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience?
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good.
What does Hashem require of you, but to act justly,
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim?
Today’s Haftarah Meditation:
Micah is essentially talking about Hashem's faithfulness. Through defense, through love, He always takes care of us. And what does He require in return? In verse 6:8, we learn “What does Hashem require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” He wants these special things from us. These are traits that Hashem has and that He extends through us. Let us make sure we are loving Him and loving others. Truly loving.
Today’s Haftarah Challenge:
We are reminded in 6:4 that Hashem has delivered us from bondage. Then and now. Let us never forget that we do not need to live enslaved to anything. Through prayer and action, we can follow Him and be delivered. It’s just finding that path. My challenge to you today is to praise Hashem for all He has given you and to ask Him to deliver you in the areas where you need deliverance. Do it today, so that you can finally find peace and happiness. Don’t give up. Seek Him in this area.
