The prophet Bilam was sent out to curse the Israelite people. He had no particular reason to like them or hate them, but Balak the king of Moab didn’t like that the Israelites were camping out where they were and gaining power as a people. His desire to destroy them led him to hire Bilam to curse them.
But God tells Bilam not to curse the people. Though Bilam’s donkey continues to redirect him after bumping into an angel, Bilam is determined - he’s trying to get paid, afterall - and he finds a way to arrive at the camp so he can finish the mission and curse them. Finally, Balak accompanies Bilam and they overlook the Israelite camp. After much back and forth, Balak begs Bilam, even if he won’t curse them, to at least not bless the Israelites.
When Balak and Bilam climb up a mountain and they see the Israelites, the story takes a turning point. This word see - vayar- isn’t just about something emerging into one’s sight. It’s a deep type of seeing - really noticing. Despite Bilam’s insistence at trying to complete the mission, he had an open perspective, continuing to declare that he could only recite what God put into his mouth. And when he approached the people with that openness, when he really truly saw them - their stories, their families, their joys, their sorrows - the only thing that could emerge was blessing.
Seeing another human being for who they are, even if they are vastly different from us, is such a profoundly beautiful and challenging task. Last month we had the incredible opportunity of learning from Yossi Klein Halevi in Jerusalem, and he spoke about the deep need to honor someone else’s narrative even when it clashes with our own. This has become his life’s work, and it has significantly affected the way he relates to others, specifically Palestinians. How could seeing another human being in their fullness lead to any other outcome?
The conversation the past few weeks, intensifying in recent days, about Israel’s potential annexation of the West Bank, has brought me back to the conversation with Yossi many times. Seeing another human being, another group of people, demands partnership and respect. It necessitates honoring the dignity and integrity of someone else even when their story is so vastly different than mine, and even when it challenges my story. If peace is ever truly the goal, and I pray it is, annexation does not bring us closer.
Without a Palestinian presence in the government’s planning process, without a desire to actually see people, this will not be bringing peace to anyone. The damage that this annexation could cause would be catastrophic. We must relate to the Other not through the framework of imposing power but through a lens of partnership and a desire for peace. I pray that Israel will not move forward with plans for annexation, for plans that would so deeply and significantly be detrimental to the Palestinian people and to Israel. A position from Roots, an organization in the West Bank that brings together Jewish Israelis and Palestinains in dialogue, declared: “The aggression and sense of triumphalism inherent in a unilateral annexation stand in opposition to the principle of mutual respect that we see as the foundation for advancing peace and security in this land and this region.” (You can also check out a statement from my rabbinical association here.)
I believe annexation of the West Bank would be nothing short of a curse to our Palestianian neighbors and to Israel. While perhaps radical, thinking about Bilam’s change of heart, I wonder what it could look like to actually bless the people that are deeply woven into our narrative, people who are also deeply attached to our holy land. Simply put, when we look over the mountain like Bilam, we must see a people - truly, see them. We must recognize the opportunities in front of us, opportunities to bless or opportunities to curse.
May this Shabbat be one that brings us closer to blessings, for ourselves and for others.
Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Sarit
We will NOT be having services at shul this Shabbat. I hope you will join Abe and me for Hachanah l’Shabbat (Preparing for Shabbat at 6:30PM this evening). Click that link to connect on Zoom!
Please click here for the Youtube playlist with davening and teaching I’ve prepared for this Shabbat (it will be uploaded before Shabbat).
Please check out our website for some Shabbat-related learning resources.
