Happy beginning of summer! It is a tremendous and welcome change to arrive at the Temple this week and see the parking lot full and the building loud with the sounds of Camp Rodef Shalom! As our youth enjoy their break from school, form friendships and deepen their connection to the Temple, it is appropriate to say the Shehecheyanu prayer, thanking God for bringing us to this moment.
Speaking blessing is the great lesson of the story of the famous sorcerer Balaam, the only non-Israelite prophet in the Torah who nonetheless speaks directly with God. In this week’s portion, Balaam is hired by Israel’s enemy to curse the people. He knows that Israel is to be blessed, and that God will protect them, but he is offered a lot of money to find a way of cursing them, so he sets out to try. Balaam goes to the top of a hill, looks down on the Israelite camp and attempts to curse them. Instead, God places in Balaam’s mouth a blessing. Frustrated, he goes to another hill, hoping that from there he can utter a curse. Again, he finds himself blessing the Israelites. The king who hired Balaam is now desperate and he takes him to a third hilltop.
By now, though, Balaam knows better. The text tells us, “Balaam… did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens.” God has put words of blessing in his mouth, and now they have become his own. He proclaims, “Ma tovu ohalecha Ya’akov, mishkenotecha Yisra’el! How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, Israel!” These words from the Torah are so resonant that Jews recite them every morning during prayer.
Balaam may have been disappointed at first to be unable to curse the Israelites, but as he continues to speak the words God has put in his mouth, he begins to relish the blessings. His words begin to change his intention. The early rabbis understood the power of words to guide our thoughts and actions. We are commanded to say so many blessings that, if we follow the guideline of 100 per day, we are constantly speaking praise: when we eat, when we get up in the morning, upon hearing good news.
Through words, Judaism helps us to frame our perspective. The rain outside is a blessing, and even if we forgot to bring an umbrella and our clothes get soaked, we can appreciate the beauty and power of the rain. Even when someone dies, we say a blessing affirming God’s presence. Jewish tradition certainly calls on us to express our pain out loud. At the same time, speaking blessings helps us remember that even our painful moments are part of the magnificent world God created.
By placing these words in our mouths, our sages are making an important suggestion for our lives. If we go in search of omens, we will find omens. If we lift our faces and speak blessings, we can find them as well.
Baruch Ata, Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higianu lazman hazeh. Praised are you, God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment.
Wishing You a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Jeff Saxe
