Devar/5770/Balak
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< Devar | 5770
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And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was overcome with dread because of the children of Israel (Num 22:3)
The Moabites had absolutely no reason to fear the Children of Israel, since their land was beyond the Jordan at Jericho (ibid 1), and the Jordan river was the boundary of the Land which God had given to the Children of Israel to conquer at that time (Num 34:10). What were the Moabites afraid of?
If we examine the statement made by the Pharaoh who reigned just before the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, we can see a parallel: And he said unto his people: 'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us; come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply'… (Ex 1:9,10). The Egyptians also had no reason whatsoever to fear the Jewish people, and in fact the reverse -- because the Children of Israel had saved Egypt from starvation! Two great world powers were frightened of a small nation recently born -- what is the common denominator between them?
Both Egypt and Moab were deeply involved in idolatry. In our portion, the Moabites attempted to curse our people by means of magic. Their entire societal fabric was based on the power of their priests and their faulty religion -- and therefore they could not permit the true faith to blossom next to them, not even for a moment. Because the instant the common people began to convert to Judaism in droves and abandon their mistaken ways, the old government would collapse.
God, may He be blessed, granted His people a small but central Land. The reason for that is so that from here we may work on His behalf and spread His Torah throughout the world. His enemies will hate us, but they -- just as Moab and Egypt -- will lick the dust, while we continue our mission. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem (Isa 2:3).
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