“…Balak said to Bilaam, ‘I called you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.’ ” (Bamidbar 24:10)
T
he Gemara (Berachos 12b) makes a startling statement: Chazal originally thought the story of Bilaam important enough to include it in the daily Shema.
Why?
Rav Pinchas Friedman points out the connection between Bilaam and another evil man who sought to destroy our nation — Lavan. Lavan pursued Yaakov, and Hashem appeared to Lavan and warned him not to “speak with Yaakov good or bad” (Bereishis 31:23–24). Like Bilaam, Lavan sought to kill Yaakov and his family by cursing them. The Arizal taught that Lavan was Bilaam’s grandfather, and that Lavan’s soul was reincarnated in Bilaam (Rabbi Eli Mansour, Weekly Parasha Insights).
I just got back from visiting my mother in the States. With travel plans these days being crazy, I ended up with an itinerary that included three flights on my return trip home. Not thrilling. Plus, the third flight had me landing in Eretz Yisrael late Thursday night. Hearing everyone’s (and their third cousin’s) horror stories of sudden canceled flights, I was convinced I’d end up spending Shabbos in an airport in Europe (active imagination in gear), and packed my carry-on accordingly.
Both Lavan and Bilaam despised Bnei Yisrael, but ended up helping our nation. Lavan ended up giving Yaakov four wives with whom he produced the 12 tribes. Essentially, Lavan — who hated Am Yisrael — inadvertently built the Jewish Nation. Bilaam, too, wanted to destroy Bnei Yisrael by cursing them, but Hashem transformed these curses into beautiful blessings.
This was my first trip back since Simchas Torah. While everyone in chutz l’Aretz worries about me here in Eretz Yisrael, personally I was concerned about being visibly Jewish while traveling out of Eretz Yisrael. Snood and slinky skirt (no, I don’t travel in a sheitel, gasp!)… there wasn’t much I could do about it (but worry…).
Now we understand why the story of Bilaam was deemed worthy of being included in the text of Shema. We reaffirm our faith in Hashem in Shema by declaring, “Hashem is one.” Nothing else in the world has any independent control or authority. One of the greatest manifestations of Hashem’s exclusive power is the way He manipulates the wicked to achieve the precise opposite of what they set out to accomplish.
The story of Bilaam shows us how even when an exceedingly powerful or talented enemy sets out to destroy Am Yisrael, he not only fails, but ends up making Am Yisrael better and stronger.
We never need to experience fear or anxiety, because, as the story of Bilaam reminds us, Hashem has the power to transform any situation — no matter how difficult — into a source of great blessing.
So there I was, after one flight and a three-hour layover, waiting for my second flight to take me to Europe where I’d (spend Shabbos or) catch my third flight home. As I lined up to board, the flight attendant at the desk took issue with me. “That carry-on is massive!” she declared. “You’ll have to check it in to your final destination.” (Visibly Jewish scapegoat?)
I’ve been using my regulation-sized carry-on for years. Besides, it had everything I needed for Shabbos (in Europe), so I couldn’t check it in straight to Israel.
