Martin H. van den Bergh

Bilaam wanted to curse Israel, but instead he blessed them. On his way, Bilaam’s donkey saw an angel of G-d “standing in the road with a drawn sword” and turned into a field. Bilaam beat the donkey, trying to force it back onto the path. After several blows, G-d enabled the donkey to speak: “What have I done to you,” she asked Bilaam, “that you have struck me these three times?” Rabbi Sacks explains that this moment revealed Bilaam was not the great prophet he believed himself to be: ‘G-d humbles the proud and honours the humble.’

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That same humility has helped the Jewish People accomplish so much. Even in difficult times, this small nation in our small land continues to make an outsized contribution to the world, despite unfair criticism for daring to defend itself.

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Since Shavuot, I have connected my letters to the Torah readings in both Israel and the Diaspora. This week, they converge: Israel reads Balak, while the Diaspora reads Chukat and Balak. Both readings place the Torah at the heart of Jewish identity and teach us the duty to defend ourselves. When the angel of G-d appeared to Balaam, he instructed him: “Go with the men. But you must say nothing except what I tell you.” As Even Haezer explains: “For the  Israelites—are strong,” and are a blessed People.