This week we read the famous story of King Balak and the Sorcerer Balaam. Balak just witnessed the Israelite people conquer the neighboring peoples, and he is scared. Responding out of fear, King Balak hires Balaam, a well-known non-Jewish prophet, to come and curse the Jewish people. However, God appeared to Balaam that night and told him not to curse the Israelite people, for they are blessed. King Balak did not give up so easily. He once again sends messengers to Balaam, offering many riches in return for curses on the Israelite people. This time, God tells Balaam he can go to the Israelites, but instead of sharing curses, only blessings come out of his mouth.
I have always imagined what it would be like to live in a world where only blessings, only words of kindness or gratitude or praise, would come out of people’s mouths. If only for a year, or a month, or even a day, we could be granted this wish, so that people could realize the power of positive words, and learn the art of blessings in place of curses.
Of course, I say “if only” when I witness children being not so nice to other children, bullying them with words, even if not with action. I also say “if only” when I watch people in day-to-day lives, at the grocery store or on the highway or at a restaurant, speaking negatively toward others instead of sharing words of blessing.
But this year, I say “if only” regarding our great American political arena. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you fall on, our political stages have become nasty. The language from all sides has been painful to hear. I truly say: if only there was a modern day Balaam who could magically cause all of our politicians to only share words of blessing, of education, of vision and of idea. Our American political system is created so there can be differing opinions, and they are to be respected. But politics should not be a rated R event, and what I wouldn’t give for a little taste of Balaam’s blessings from our great leaders of today.
As Balaam said to the Israelites: "Ma Tovu - How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel."
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Bravo
I have always imagined what it would be like to live in a world where only blessings, only words of kindness or gratitude or praise, would come out of people’s mouths. If only for a year, or a month, or even a day, we could be granted this wish, so that people could realize the power of positive words, and learn the art of blessings in place of curses.
Of course, I say “if only” when I witness children being not so nice to other children, bullying them with words, even if not with action. I also say “if only” when I watch people in day-to-day lives, at the grocery store or on the highway or at a restaurant, speaking negatively toward others instead of sharing words of blessing.
But this year, I say “if only” regarding our great American political arena. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you fall on, our political stages have become nasty. The language from all sides has been painful to hear. I truly say: if only there was a modern day Balaam who could magically cause all of our politicians to only share words of blessing, of education, of vision and of idea. Our American political system is created so there can be differing opinions, and they are to be respected. But politics should not be a rated R event, and what I wouldn’t give for a little taste of Balaam’s blessings from our great leaders of today.
As Balaam said to the Israelites: "Ma Tovu - How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel."
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Bravo
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