Parashat Balak
Numbers 22:2-25:9; Micah 5:6-6:8; Hebrews 10:5-9, 31-39
Balak, the king of Moab, summons the prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel. He was afraid of them because of their numerical superiority and because they had just defeated the powerful Amorite kings, Og and Sihon. Although determined to boost his reputation and earn the monetary reward, Bala’am is powerless to curse Israel. He can only pronounce blessings, the most famous of which is chanted every time we enter the House of Worship: מַהטֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Ma tovu ohalecha Ya'akov, mishk'notecha Yisra'el - How lovely are your tents, O Jacob; And your dwelling places, O Yisrael. Balaam also prophesies on the end of the days and the coming of Messiah.
The people fall prey to the charms of the daughters of Moab, and are enticed to worship the idol Peor. They didn’t offer much resistance to the lust of the eyes and of the flesh. If you can’t defeat them militarily or with demonic curses, then simply tempt them into infidelity. When a high-ranking Israelite official publicly takes a Midianite princess into a tent, Pinchas kills them both, stopping the plague raging among the people. Although committing a double homicide, Pinchas is rewarded with an eternal priesthood and a covenant of peace – B’rit Shalom!
Yeshua is our covenant of peace and our eternal high priest of the order of Melech-tzadik – Melchizedek. His priesthood is not in the earthly Temple but in the heavenly one!
LINKS FOR THIS SHABBAT’S SERVICES:
Erev Shabbat service – Friday 15th July 2022. 18h15-19h45
Speaker: Edie Sher
Torah service – Saturday 16th July 2022. 10h00 – 11h45
Shiur teacher: Nigel Brooker
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