by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2023 | Balak
This week’s portion demonstrates the scope of the Israelites’ reputation during their desert travels. Balak, the king of Moab, hears what befell the Amorites when they stood up to God’s people, and decides he does not want to meet a similar fate. He opts to hire...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 14, 2022 | Antisemitism, Balak, Light Unto the Nations, Messiah
There are two ways to verify the “truth” of the Bible (though, as we all know, the Bible is true whether we prove it or not). One way is to search back in time through archaeology or historical evidence to verify whether events described in the Bible actually...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2022 | Balak, Community, Holiness, Modesty, Purity
In today’s world of social media, nothing is private. People post and share everything about themselves, from what they ate for breakfast to their most personal and intimate moments. Sometimes it seems like privacy and personal space is a thing of the past, but is...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2022 | Balak, Chosen Nation, Community, God, Leadership, Modesty
Have you ever gone into a camping goods store and been overwhelmed by the beauty of the tents? Of course not. Clearly, Balaam was not commenting on the handiwork of the Hebrew tentmakers when he complimented the beauty of the desert dwellings (Numbers 24:5). When...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 2, 2015 | Balak
One of the questions that has to be asked about Bilaam is, “What was he thinking?” From the beginning he knew he was playing with fire and continued to do so anyhow. He spoke to God firsthand. God told him the direction from the start that events were going to go. Why...
