After receiving the Torah and instruction, the Jewish people are poised to enter the land of Israel. However, they reject the opportunity. This rejection leads to 40 years of “wandering” in the wilderness.
Parashat Balak is the seventh parasha in Sefer Bamidbar (also known as Numbers). In some years it is combined with the sixth parasha, Parashat Chukat.
This parasha is verses Bamidbar 22:2 – 25:9, for a total of 104 verses.
Here is a brief summary for each aliyah.
Parashat Bamidbar is the first parasha in Sefer Bamidbar (also known as Numbers).
This parasha is verses Bamidbar 1:1 – 4:20, or a total of 159 verses.
Here is a brief summary for each aliyah.
For several months now I’ve been reading Leadership in the Wilderness by Dr. Erica Brown.
During that whole time I’ve been going back and forth in my mind about whether or not to write a review.
This week’s parasha is dominated by the story of Balak hiring the prophet Bilam to curse the Jewish people.
As Bilam is journeying to meet with Balak, the Torah records this incident (Judaica Press translation):
This week’s parasha concludes with the incident of Miriam and Aharon speaking against Moshe:
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
This week’s parasha includes the Priestly Blessing:
22 The Lord spoke to Moses saying:
23 Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them: