Balak

מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!

– Numbers 24:5 Balak

One of the great ironies of Parashat Balak is that Israel never hears the blessings being spoken about them. While they are going about their ordinary lives, Balaam stands on the mountaintop and God plants these words on his lips

Often, we are unaware of the goodness others see in us. We focus on our shortcomings and assume others do the same. Yet Balaam teaches that even our enemies can recognize blessings we ourselves cannot see.

Perhaps this is why we begin our morning prayers with these words. Every day we are reminded that before we speak of our failures, God first speaks words of blessing over us.

Sometimes faith begins with learning to see ourselves through the eyes of blessing rather than the lens of fear.

L’Shalom,

Cantor Paula Baruch