There is a clear parallelism between Balak and events in the Book of Exodus. In both narratives, kings (Pharaoh of Egypt and Balak of Moab), alarmed about the success of the Jewish people, conspire to ...

Something about the Jew elicits the worst fears in humanity and the approach of a nation wearied by a 40-year desert journey is extraordinarily alarming to the powerful monarch Balak. Parshat Balak ...

Why would we want a blessing from Bila'am?? This week we find the famous story of Balak calling over Bila'am in order to curse Am Yisrael, and Bila'am ends up Blessing Am Yisrael instead. As we know, ...

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There is a holiday in Judaism known as Yom Kippur. This translates into English as Day of Atonement or Day of Forgiveness. This holiday is most famous for its being a fast day. On this holiday, Jews ...

Yes, I know that this week is Pinchas, but I must return to the second of last week’s two portions, Balak, for what happens there is too relevant to pass by unmentioned. In this famous portion, King ...

In this week’s Parshah, [Parshas Balak], the King of Moav, [whose name is] Balak, seeks to employ the services of a sorcerer and prophet named Bilaam in order to curse the Jews. Though given several ...

Balak is a doozy of a parsha. There are curses and blessings, yet another anti-Semitic ruler and … a talking donkey (not voiced by Eddie Murphy, but by God). This parsha is the perfect example of what ...

Halacha prohibits causing pain to animals. There is a Talmudic discussion as to whether this prohibition stems from Torah or is Rabbinic in origin. (B.M. 32) The consensus of Poskim is צער בעלי חיים ...

There is a clear parallel between Balak and events in the Book of Exodus. In both narratives, kings (Pharaoh of Egypt and Balak of Moab), alarmed about the success of the Jewish People, conspire to ...