Parsha Balak — False News, Lies and Curses
In this week's weekly Bible reading we have the first example of false news and anti-semitism.
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth; come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out
הנה העם היצא ממצרים ויכס את־עין הארץ עתה לכה קבה־לי אתו אולי אוכל להלחם בו וגרשתיו׃
Numbers 22:11
My immediate reaction when looking at this was — False news, greenwashing, exaggeration, lies, and fear.
Really — covers the face of the earth.
Genocide, apartheid, racism, and occupation are some of the words and lies that are used to describe Zionism and Israel.
And this is allowed, and promoted by mainstream and social media.
In Linkedin this week I saw a posting that called India and Israel evil states. India is led by Hindus, and it seems that this Moslem writer could not allow or tolerate other religions.
Why are there so many Moslem and Christian States, but the Jews are not allowed to have their own state?
It seems little has changed in the last 3,000 years.
We may get praised like Bilaam did.
Numbers 24:5
מה־טבו אהליך יעקב משכנתיך ישראל׃
How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!
But the stabbed in the back and directly. Indeed, in another one of Billam’s saying
Numbers 23:9
כי־מראש צרים אראנו ומגבעות אשורנו הן־עם לבדד ישכן ובגוים לא יתחשב׃
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; lo, the people shall live alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
These two quotes symbolize the struggle today.
Israel seeks to good in the tents — striving to spread the tabernacle of good, peace, and Technology around the world. Yet it is still not reckoned among the Nations. Singled out by the UN, its Capital is not recognized, and its right to exist is questioned. It is treated differently.
The latest example is still happening about Shiren Abu Akleh an activist-journalist working for Al Jazeera who was killed in Jenin, the blame targeting Israel reaching all parts of the world.
https://www.israelunwired.com/palestinians-furious-investigate/?utm_source=Jeeng
At least 32 Journalists have been killed in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Besides the economic fallout, the war is no longer frontline news — boring, lack of interest. Yet, if Israel does one thing, it becomes world attention.
Why — What is God’s plan here?
I am searching for answers. Let’s look at what Rav Kook has to say as appears in this article for inspiration.
https://haorot.com/parshat-balak-rav-kook-prophesies/ by Rabbi Itzchak Evan-Shayish
“In Parshat Balak, the Torah recounts Balak’s hateful fear of Israel and his unsuccessful attempts to curse Israel through the prophet Bilaam. His claim that the ‘multitudes of Israelites will take over everything if we don’t stop them’ records perhaps the first anti-Semitic sentiment expressed and acted upon. The constant attacks of anti-Semitism that the children of Israel have experienced historically are rooted in this Torah account.
Balak’s four separate attempts to curse Israel do not succeed as Israel’s ultimate triumph is described in detail by Bilaam. His remarkable prophetic statements describe the true nature and history of Israel.
The unique circle around Rav Kook felt he was experiencing prophetic insight. We can see this clearly if we review Rav Kook’s prophetic expansions of two of Bilaam’s central utterances.
Both statements were written during World War One. Rav Kook was in London from 1916–1919. Around 1917-as the Balfour Declaration was coming into being- he explained that Israel will soon experience this Bilaam uttered prophecy coming true:
“הֶן־עָם֙ כְּלָבִ֣יא יָק֔וּם וְכַאֲרִ֖י יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א”
“The nation will rise up like the king of beasts, and it will lift itself like a lion.” (BaMidbar 23:24)
“Our nation will be built and established. It will return to its strength, to all its foundations of life through its faithfulness and reverence. [Israel’s] exalted Divine sanctification will expand, become courageous, perfect, and grow strong.
And what will be the nature of this nation that is rooted in Divinity?
Bilaam described it in his next vision:
מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
“How good are your tents Jacob, your tabernacles Israel.” (Ibid, 24:5)
In Switzerland in 1915, Rav Kook expands on this passage as he describes the future influence of Israel:
“ ‘How good are your tents Jacob, your tabernacles Israel.‘ The radiance of the world will be fully revealed through the strength of Israel as it sprouts and rises. The hidden secret will become clear to all the nations and kingdoms, ‘in all four corners of the world to where I scattered you’(Zecharia 2:10) that [the world’s future] depends on the revival of the community of Israel. It’s complete revival- natural and miraculous, spiritual and material, ethical and practical, internal and external.
[It will be] ‘a glorious crown in the hand of Hashem, a royal diadem in the palm of the God of Israel.’ (Isaiah 62:3). ‘He will be called the God of all the earth’ (Ibid, 54:5). “And all flesh, as one, will see that Hashem Himself has spoken.(Ibid, 40:5) ” -Notebook 7:36
Rav Kook integrates Bilaam’s, and Isaiah’s prophecies are as he describes the birth of Israel and the positive worldwide influence that Israel will have in the world.”
There is something very profound and powerful about the children of Israel (the Jews) being in the Land of Israel. Jerusalem, Mount Zion (Zionism), and The State of Israel is the symbol of God’s involvement in the world.
What we are seeing today is a united front by the Moslem extremist world, leftwing secularism, and rightist anarchy in the fight against the Jewish people's right to be In Israel. It is a battle of ideas, principles, and of domination and which agenda will prevail. Whoever holds the keys to Jerusalem has the ability to ‘control” the world. We are living in Messianic Times — The world needs redemption. There are unprecedented challenges caused by the misuse of power and resources.
While the world has good intentions in setting out the 17 UN SDGs for a better and fairer world of which climate change is just one of these. The world — the UN — The EU — our “friends” the EU are siding with the Palestinians who are being used as a pawn/tool to “kill” Israel. They would rather obsess with Israel than deal effectively with these 17 UN SDGs which is the basis for ESG and the Impact movement, and a better fairer world.
They want us dead. They want to curse us. They spread false lies to carry out their agenda.