International Federation of Rabbis

Parshiot Matot/Masei
IFR Member Rabbi Foster E. Kawaler

All year, we have been learning parshiot that are normally read together as separate pieces because we are in a leap year. As you are likely aware, in the Jewish calendar, we add an entire month for Leap Year. Since we are used to using a “regular” calendar (Gregorian Calendar) in our civil lives, those months all have 30 or 31 days. So for a civil Leap Year, we need only add one day and that day is in February. However, Hebrew months are all 28 or 29 days long. Consequently, in the Hebrew Calendar, an entire month – the month of Adar -- is doubled to make up the difference. So we adjust our Torah readings accordingly.

However (isn’t there always a “however?”) this month is special. As of the 17th of Tamuz, which occurred on the 23rd of June, we begin a period of sadness, descending into T’sha B’Av – the ninth of Av – the second most important fast day in the Jewish calendar. When the parshiot of Matot/Masei fall within the last 9 days – our most intense days of mourning -- they MUST be read together. The reason why is a major discourse beyond this missive, so let’s look what I consider a definitive piece of what is going in our reading this week.

A major feature of the opening paragraphs of Masei details our wanderings in the desert. But this group of people is different than the bunch that left Egypt. Thanks to their behavior a few weeks ago when we read that they chose to believe the worst part of the report on the “Promised Land” with which the spies returned, Hashem wanted to kill them all and start over with Moshe. (Bemidbar 14:12) Moshe, in the way that only he could talk to HaShem (ibid 18 – 19), talked Him/Her/It out of it – kind of! Instead of killing these people outright, HaShem made them wander in the Midbar for 40 years, until the generation that caused the trouble would have passed from this Earth, (Ibid 32-35) and their offspring could learn of the benevolence of HaShem, and to take whatever instruction concerning how to govern, how to fight, WHEN to fight, and how to comport themselves as a Nation. And so it is that the Torah recounts their travels.

If we look at the statistics, they didn’t necessarily “overnight” at each stop. In some places, they did, indeed, stay for a day, but in some others, they stayed weeks, months and even years.
Let’s tick them off:

There were 14 stops in the first year of leaving Egypt.
Next, there were 8 stops between the death of Aharon at Har ha Hor and that last stop.
Plus there were 20 more stops here and there. The longest being 2 years, the shortest being an overnight, over the last 38 years.

All in all, there are 42 named stopping places recounted by the Torah. Most of these “little places”, like Ritmah for instance, were never before mentioned in Torah and are never heard from again. They are indeed lost to History, perhaps quite purposely.

How does this “tie in” to the 9 days? I have my own theory.

When Rome attacked and sacked Jerusalem, they began with a brutal siege, which is why we begin our commemoration when we do. They then attacked, destroying the Beit ha Mikdash in the process, and perpetrating many atrocities. Jeremiah, who lived through this and watched it happen, describes it all in the Eicha scroll, which we read on T’sha b’Av. When the fight was over, the Jews were once again exiled, but even farther than when the Babylonians did it the first time. Unlike the Babylonian occupation, we found it difficult to find places to live together. Not only that, but the Jews were pursued all over the Roman Empire and on into the rest of Europe. In the Midbar, we wandered, but at least we were together. When the Romans finished with us, for the first time, we were NOT. I’m not going to rehash all the pogroms, all the anti-Jewish regulations, and all the indignities Jews were forced to suffer over the centuries, all the way up to 1947 and, to a degree, even today! The indignities the residents of Jerusalem had to endure are nearly reenacted by the treatment of Jews in Warsaw, in Leningrad/St. Petersburg, and manufactured death camps like Auschwitz, Sobibor, Belzec and so much more. But first, our detractors had to demonize us, to detract from us, to villainize us – because if they didn’t, I like to think that the rank-and-file would never have stood for it all. Entire “faiths” grew up around it all, including it in their doctrines. Their paintings show us with horns and tails! Their caricatures, showing us as big-nosed and big lipped, show us bleeding children, ostensibly to use their blood for satanic rituals – all lies, all superstitions, all mis-statements and mis-understandings, with no desire to hear them discredited. All of Jeremiah’s worst prophesies seemed to come true yet again. We don’t know that the Romans did all of that, but there were trials and executions -- political situations caused us grief, and when we DARED to try to get rid of the Romans, they tore our Holy City apart, and killed something in excess of 1 million people, when there weren’t even 1 million Jews in Jerusalem!

And until 1947, the image of “the wandering Jew” pervaded the world. We had our “shtetlach” and our enclaves. We were in so many place ---- more than in the Desert. We sailed away from Europe and found some communities elsewhere, but more often than not, we were required to abandon them and move again. Days, weeks, months and years! 70% of Europe’s Jews disappeared during the Holocaust but today, Baruch HaShem, we have our land back. We still have to fight for it, but at least we have it. In the past, persecuted Jews had no place to go. Now they do. No Jew need be “trapped” the way they were during the Holocaust. We may have to fight to hold it, but hold it we must, and with HaShem’s help, we will be successful. Now, if we could just be able to live in peace – that would be nice, for a change. And Israel is willing to fight for it! And we owe it to them to help! And we must continue to pray that Mashiach will come and fix it all.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Shabbat Shalom,
Foster E. Kawaler
Rabbi Emeritus

Mattot/Masei 5784 Havens, Land, Wars, Purity, Oaths, Admonition;
Numbers [BaMidbar] 30:2-36:13; Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4, Sephardim add: 4:1-2
IFR Member Rabbi Dr. Adele Plotkin

Oaths and vows men make, they must do -

But for females, Dads can veto

As can their husbands veto too...

Yet only when oaths or vows first known

Is veto valid or chance is flown...

But for widows' vows, no veto's true!

Fight Midyanites the Folk were told

Using a unit from each tribe.

Rekem, Reva, Zur, Hur, Evi:

Five Kings killed when Folk winning bold...

Hence Moab’s Bilaam lost and died.

It is said Bilaam had orchestrated

The women to entice the men astray…

Still, maybe the People were most hated

For Cozbi’s murder in so foul a way?

In any case, when the fighting was done,

B***y was taken, virgin captives won…

Yet all other prisoners were then killed…

Sounds like S.T.D. plague fear was then stilled,

With b***y parts to troops and priests as pay…

Did G!d really require so much blood shed?

Or did Moish have a talk just in his head?

Or would Folk prefer G!d over Moish instead?

Is this better? worse? than us Egypt did?

Killing boy babes for our culture to rid?

After all this killing and horrid death,

The troops needed to purify their breath

As described in BaMidbar portions past:

Quarantine, bathing, lustration spray cast…

Metal first made pure by fire before spray...

At least forty two stops by the People were made

While travelling from Egypt to the Promised Land.

In Parashat Masei, they all are named where they stayed:

Noting Elim's twelve springs, seventy palms in sand;

As well as listing Mt. Hor where Aaron expired

At one hundred twenty three years old, at Edom's edge...

Then they went on through Nebo's hills to Moab's steppes,

Camped 'tween Beit-yeshimot and Avel HaSh*ttim.

How many square miles does that area cover?

How many Folk fit in there to rest and retire?

So there at the Jordan near Jericho they slept

While HaShem, it is said, told who would dispossess

The folk of the Land, destroy their idols and places

Entirely for fear that remnants would entice

The People to idolatrous ways, evil vice...

Reuven, Gad, half Menashe got to stay

East of Jordan River’s conquered land

Only if they agreed to join the fray

Conquering the west, as troops undermanned.

Tribes and clans were told that land to be theirs

They would need to conquer their given share,

Leaving not one remnant, all dispossessed,

Else left folk be a thorn, tempting the best…

Levites were assigned towns as they had no land

Forty two towns' pastures and six special cities

For the man-slaughterers, these refuge cities:

As no ransom was accepted instead of flight

To these cities from the vengeful dangers of nights...

Three east and three west of River Jordan planned

For man killers unwitnessed or without intent,

Until High Priest's death pardon, to these cities went...

Girls inheriting was restricted – a pity…

So Zelophehad's daughters must marry in-tribe

To Yosef's half Menashe's cousin spouses' hands

To keep with husbands who ruled inherited lands.

What’s to be done on entering the Land

Was explained to the Israelites as well

When they were east of the River encamped.

With all this said there’s little more to tell.

Now other books like Joshua do say

That taking o’er the Land was not this way.

It was slower, not all at once was done…

Not all were dispossessed when wars were won…

Chazak, Chazak, vNitchazek!

==========================================

Haftorah, Jeremiah 2+

As warned before and in Haftorah too,

The thorns did prick with idols, the Land defiled!

Yet return and repent could see Folk through

‘Til Nations blessed and praised Folk all the while!

Thus the Prophet Jeremiah claimed HaShem said:

'Did I do wrong? Or did you all never reflect

On why from Egypt you were saved to travel on

Through wilderness, deserts, pits, darkness, deadly drought...

Or even why to fruit and bounty you were brought?

No! Instead you entered and then defiled the Land.

Priests, prophets and rulers did not my way detect.

They ignored me and rebelled, did not seek my hand.

They chased foreign gods and idols, did no good.

You and yours are accused as faithless as you would

Embrace idols, learn not Egyptian lessons you should...

Yet while facing horrors, idols will not save you.

You will turn to me as your Dad, to be rebuked

Unless your abominations you will remove,

Sincerely embrace mitzvot to be redeemed,

And chase just righteousness so by Nations esteemed.'

Parshat PInchas
IFR Member Rabbi Foster E. Kawaler

Dear Friends, things have been pretty busy of late. Don’t worry it’s all good. But I didn’t want to leave you “bitul Torah” so please forgive me if I send along this “re-run” from 4 years ago. I hope you like it, even better than the last time.

Basically, the main action concerning Pinchas and his zealotry happened last week, near the end of the parsha (Bemidbar 25). True, his actions stopped a plague (Bemidbar 25:8 – 9) and thwarted Balaam’s plan to despoil the men of Israel with his prostitutes, hopefully causing HaShem to abandon His people and leave them vulnerable to attack. (Babylonian Talmud, daf 106a) It didn’t work, of course, largely because of Pinchas. This week, we learn of HaShem’s “rewarding” of Pinchas – but is it really a reward for a startling act of violence, or is something hidden here? Our Rabbis, of course, deal with the subject.

First of all, Pinchas is made a Kohen. But wait! He’s Aharon’s nephew! (Bemidbar 25:7) Isn’t he already a Kohen? Actually, he is not. Yes, he is Elazar’s son, but we have to look at the Mitzvah regarding who is a Kohen and who not. Aharon was promised that his offspring, his immediate family, and all newborn children born after them are to be considered Kohanim. (Bemidbar 25:13) Aha! The “catch” is that the “Kehunah” is conferred on children born AFTER them. Pinchas had already been born BEFORE the pronouncement. Therefore, he was a run-of-the-mill Levite until this particular declaration by HaShem. (Rashi and Ibn Ezra on the verse).

Second, HaShem offers Pinchas his “Covenant of Piece.” (Bemidbar 25:12) Now, we have all learned, either in religious school or by listening to sermons, that the word “Shalom” means “Peace”, “Hello” and “Goodby”. The word “Shalom” itself is a derivative of the root of the word “Shalem” which means “Complete” or “Wholeness.” We wish someone “Shalom” when they leave so that they may “have their act together” to keep them safe on their journey. We say “Shalom” when they arrive, hoping that they have arrived in good order, physically and mentally. The implication, according to our Sages, is that when something is not complete or whole, there is tension! Completeness and wholeness are major components of true peace. What PInchas did, though it stopped a plague, caused an upset in the camp, all because, as some interpret, of Pinchas’ horrifically violent act. Consequently, one would think that if HaShem grants Pinchas “peace” it will calm him down, and perhaps prevent him from doing that kind of thing again.

But hold on! When you look at this verse in the Torah, the “vav” – the letter that gives the “O” sound in that singular “Shalom” -- is split, right across the middle! Those uninitiated to Sofrut (the art and skill of writing a Torah) would say that there is something wrong with the Torah and it should be taken to a Sofer immediately and fixed. In reality, it is there quite on purpose! You won’t see it in your Humash – you have to look at it in the Torah. This is weird! The Torah is perfect – there are no errors. So why is this done? Is there a lesson hidden here?

The letter “VAV” in the mystical scheme of things is called a “hook” – it tends to hold things together – all kinds of things. In this case, the Vav is seen as connecting the Heavenly realms and all that goes with them, and the earthly realms. Our sages state that, arising in the situation that spurred Pinchas to action, there was a schism between the two. The top of the split Vav is a “Yud”, which stands for HaShem Him/Herself, while the bottom is the physical world in general. In giving Pinchas a “Covenant of Peace”, HaSHem pointed out that this particular “Shalom” is not “Shalem.” – the connector is broken. It would be up to Pinchas as a newly-minted Kohen, to unite the two, and to make the Shalom Shalem – bring back the peace and harmony between the People and HaShem.

So what we see here is not a “reward” for Pinchas’s actions as much as it is making him responsible for a restoration of peace in the midst of the Children of Israel. They would need it – and I’m sure this is no spoiler – because they are about to be dispatched to attacked the Midianites in retaliation for their treachery (ibid 25:17), and this unity will be needed to carry it off. It would become far more important as the People proceed through the wilderness to their ultimate destination.

This “Covenant of Peace” was no token. The Sifrono states that it was a Divine gift – to be able to harmonize Heaven with Earth. He says that these were the traits of Elijah the Prophet. So valuable was this gift, says the Sifrono, that Pinchas lived 300 years, and eventually became known as Elijah the Prophet! Furthermore, there is no mention of the death of Elijah, and neither is there a record of the death of Pinchas. So Pinchas still lives with his gift of the “Covenant of Peace” and, in his guise as Eliyahu ha Navi – Elijah the Prophet – he will accompany the Messiah. Boy, could we use him now!

There are a number of lessons that can be drawn from all of this. Perhaps the most cogent is the one that was taught to whom the Parsha is named. For centuries, the Jewish People, as fractious a bunch as we may be, there has never been a schism. We’ve come close, but cooler heads have always prevailed. Unlike some other world religions, we have “movements” within our religion, but as long as Torah was kept at the heart of everything, we have prevailed as a People. We have been sent all over the globe. We’ve had it very good and we have had it horribly bad, but in the end, we have always stayed together as Jews. As long as the Vav in our Shalom stays together, the Jewish People will continue on. Am Yisrael Chai!

Shabbat Shalom,
Foster E. Kawaler
Rabbi Emeritus

Pinchas 5784 Do Added Responsibilities Temper Tempers?;
Numbers [BaMidbar] 25:10 – 30:1; Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, 1st of Desolation
IFR Member Rabbi Dr. Adele Plotkin

Now Kohain character Pinchas was introduced to us last week,

Pinchas, Aaron's grandson through Eleazar, now the High Priest's line,

Acting as a zealot in his youthful, hateful, murderous rage.

He believed in blood line purity like Ezra in later days

And like Hi**er for the A***n blood line purity he did seek…

Yet Moish told the story that Pinchas acts were just fine!

Zimri ben Salu of the Shimonite tribe

Married Cozbi bat Zur, Princess Midyanite

When a plague was blamed on female Moabites.

Being S.T.D. or flu-like did not jive;

Thought to be punishment for idolatries

At Peor where zealot Pinchas took their lives.

The Sanhedrin later would have disapproved

As unlike Moab, Midyan’s not a nation,

But foul murder made enemies out of all:

The Moab nation and Midyan tribes were moved

To oppose Israelites at each station…

Pinchas made no friends of the ‘impure’ at all,

Claiming HaShem told him to defeat them all!

So being made High Priest perhaps temper could

The violence and intolerance he would

Display with pride as more enemies he made...

With Leader Joshua his worst actions stayed

In military leadership decisions?

Did Moshe choose Josh to uphold his visions?

For Land allotments: another census count

And, for fighting might for Moab war to mount...

A census of the Levites also was made:

Gershon, Kohath, Merari clans counted

With the tree of Amram from Korah defined

To Pinchas, giving him High Priest's rights that day...

It is rare to hear in Torah of women

Yet hear: Serah, Asher’s daughter of sweet voice,

[Adopted but with property in the Land -

(When widowed Mom married Asher -) in his hand];

Yocheved, Miryam placed Moshe’s ark swimming;

Son-less Zelophehad’s girls who sought a choice:

Mahlah, Milcah, Tirzah, Noglah, and Noah

Wanted to inherit their father’s land lot.

Moshe agreed but later did remold

So only spinsters or married in tribe got

A portion which, if married, husbands took hold.

Over the years ways how to inherit changed.

Sages said the widows and the daughters could gain;

To inherit by tenth century arranged

With the sons a full portion and the females,

A half amount; women fought for rights each day

So by nineteen forty three, got equal pay.

Yet if there were no sons or daughters or wives,

All went to the next of male kin still alive.

Thus the Zelophehad girls led to new laws

Even as Pesach Sheni answered a cause!

Then Moshe chose Joshua to follow in command.

Eleazar made it official: he laid on hands.

Then all were reminded to give offerings at those times

Appointed as Holy: daily; Rosh Chodesh; Shabbat;

Rosh HaShanah with shofar blasts; and now not forgot,

Yom Kippur with goats to purify, expiate just fine;

Sukkot outside living; Pesach needed to remind:

Remember the centuries past [four? or two?]

Serving Egypt – two exits combined as one?

Hyksos Kings lost with Plagues? Then slaves fleeing too?

Lower Kingdom times, one? Pi-Ramses fled, two?

Once more a reminder to make Holy Days complete

With no work, extra offerings, a restful retreat...

Feast of Weeks, the Harvests, and the First Fruits next in line...

Nearly all celebrated with good food and sweet wine…

Haftorah, Jeremiah

Jeremiah spoke during King Josiah’s reign, thirteenth year.

Told them then of his past and why his predictions they should hear...

HaShem told Jeremiah: known before birth Prophet you’ll be.

Jeremiah then protested that he was unable to speak.

Hence HaShem in response reached out and touched the then young youth’s mouth

To let HaShem’s divine words flow forth from above and on deep

To predict disaster from idolatrous North for the South…

But Yerushalayim’s fortifications were able to hold

With the promise to give HaShem’s due by the faithful and bold,

Given HaShem’s promise to punish all conquerers we’re told...

At three Shabbatot before the Ninth of Av time

Haftorah admonishes our misbehaviours,

Asks us to truly consider staying in line

Else we’ll desolately despair lacking wavers.

THE CURSE OF MAH TOVU
IFR Member Rabbi Foster E. Kawaler

We have spoken many times about amazing events in this interesting Parsha. As usual, our sages have questions. We have dealt with the business of the talking donkey before, so let’s look at something else for now.

Very briefly, Moshe and the Israelites stopped their march at the border of Amorite territory, and sent ambassadors to request permission to cross their lands. They answered every objection – the Israelites will stay to the road and not stray to the left of the right. The Israelites didn’t need to use Amorite water – after-all they had their own traveling spring – but if they needed any Amorite water, they would pay them for it. They would pass quietly through their territory and not bother anybody. For Sihon, the King of the Amorites, that wasn’t enough! If these were modern times, I could see him and his advisers thinking of the ravages of several million people trampling their roads, thousands of head of cattle, horses, sheep, and such leaving their manure all over the place, maybe trampling vegetation or chewing up all the grass on the side of the road. And what if the Israelites saw something they wanted and would attack them for it? So Sihon, in response to their request, chose to attack the Israelites, and Sihon’s armies suffered a nasty defeat! (BeMidbar 21:21-24). The Israelites journeyed on, and came upon Sihon’s ally, Balak. Balak was the titular “King” of Moab. Of course, saw what the Israelites did to Sihon, and he was having none of it!

As has been our history, Balak didn’t see the People for who they were, nor was he convinced of their peaceful intentions. However, he also knew that he and his allies didn’t have the military might to do much about them. Instead, he was ready to try some subterfuge. He was going to use “magic” to defeat the Israelites and be done with them once and for all. He summoned a “prophet” named Bilaam. Our sages tell us that we were not the only ones to have prophets among us, and it would seem that Balak was fully conscious of from where Bilaam’s powers came. So Balak sought to have Bilaam curse the Israelites, so that they would be vulnerable to military action. And though Bilaam refused at first, Balak made it difficult for him to refuse and he caved , taking Bilaam’s substantial bribe. However, Balaam told Balak flat out: “I cannot transgress the word of G-d” (BeMidbar 22:18). He further added: “Whatever G-d puts into my mouth, I must take heed to speak . I cannot transgress the word of G-d to do good or bad on my own. Whatever G-d speaks, THAT is what I will speak.” (Ibid 23:12 -13) But when it came right down to the act, HaShem would only allow blessings to come forward from Bilaam, the most famous being verses 24:5-6, the famous Mah Tovu prayer, with which we start our morning and evening services.

Longer story short, Bilaam set out to deliver curses against the Israelites, but all he uttered was praise and prayers for their well-being instead. In the end, Bilaam left the area never to be heard from again. But Balak wasn’t done with the Israelites quite yet, and we will read about part of that in the next chapter.

Problem solved? What I’d like to touch on is a startling assertion that the Talmud in tractate Sanhedrin (108b) makes, that Bilaam’s blessings were, in fact, not so good after all, and that upon Bilaam’s departure, reverted to curses EXCEPT the Mah Tovu.

WHAT!?

That’s right. Our Sages fall back on a quote from 1st Samuel 24:14 which says “Only wickedness comes from the wicked!” Mah Tovu? Wicked? Needless to say, this assertion was a minority position. But still, many feel that the other “blessings” reverted to curses with the exception of Mah Tovu. Why?

There is a lengthy list of Rabbis and Sages who hold this position. To summarize, too much benevolence makes people passive. If they are not chastised, they will never learn anything, and their transgressions will continue because of their indifference/ignorance! The Talmud in Ketubot 108, we read “If you find a spiritual leader who is beloved in his community, it may be because he does not chastise them for their delinquencies in the observance of Mitzvot.” Rabbi Yaakov Yosef z”l, said that Bilaam’s intention was to curse the Israelites by telling them how wonderful they were. They felt so perfect that they didn’t feel the need to do anything to improve or guard themselves.

Whoa.

Let me cap it off with lesson from a story I heard – and I can’t remember where – about Rabbi Shimon Sofer, the grand Rebbe of Krakow (1820 - 1883). When he first arrived in the city he saw many, many little synagogues! At first, he thought it was really cool! But as time progressed, he got the niggling feeling that all was not as it appeared.

After having been on station for a while, he discovered that this proliferation of synagogues wasn’t because there wasn’t enough room in synagogues so that more needed to be built. He found that it had to do with a dangerous splintering of the community, predominantly over petty squabbles! He felt that Bilaam truly had it in his mind to curse the Israelites, and HaShem “twisted his tongue” so it came out “nice.” But Rebbe Shimon was also knowledgeable of this idea that Bilaam’s “blessings” reverted to curses except Mah Tovu. He felt that, what he was witnessing was that the Mah Tovu “blessing” really didn’t have to be reversed because there was a curse hidden in it! Bilaam’s glowing remarks about the “TENTS” (plural) was an implicit incentive to split the Israelites apart! With Bilaam’s prophetic abilities, he saw that the Israelites were prone to nit-picking, which would eventually destroy their ability to act as a group and a nation, and keep them from mustering their strength to any great effect. And that was what was happening in his community!

Was he wrong? Well, if that was the desired effect, it didn’t happen in Bilaam’s days. But did you ever hear the joke “Put 2 Jews together in a room and they will have 3 opinions?” This principle has exerted itself any number of times in our history. But remember what we learned a few weeks ago about the Machloket b’Shem Shamayim – a disagreement in the name of Heaven. We came close to a real schism in the middle 1980’s as we have ever been – an argument between Movements that almost fulfilled Bilaam’s implied curse. But we got through it. We worked it out! We are still Jews and we are still together. We still learn Torah, and we still try to improve ourselves in our Yiddishkeit. Sure, there are some who don’t or would rather not, but they are a tiny minority. We know who we are. We know we disagree – we are Human, after all – but we found our way through the mess to find acceptance for all Jews everywhere. Our strength is not diminished!

So I’m not worried about singing Mah Tovu! I don’t hear any animosity in those words. Bilaam has FAILED, and has, in the process, produced a beautiful blessing for Jews, no matter where they are physically or philosophically. We may live in different “tents” but we are together! Am Yisroel Chai!

Shabbat Shalom,
Foster E. Kawaler
Rabbi Emeritus

Balak 5784 Truth, Justice, Mercy, Humility,
Talking with Animals; Numbers 22:2-25:9; Micah 5:6-6:8
IFR Member Rabbi Dr. Adele Plotkin

King Balak viewed the Folk as a scourge of the Earth,
Wanted to be rid of them for all he was worth...
Balak ben Zippor sent for Bilaam: “curse the Folk!”
Bilaam clearly did not want to go.
King Balak insisted, bullied Bilaam to come -
HaShem was displeased. Bilaam did know.

So he flatly refused the first commanded request.
Next King Balak offered much wealth for him to agree.
Bilaam rejected the offer at HaShem's behest.
A visit from HaShem that night did change Bilaam's view
Since he agreed that all HaShem decreed, to say and do.
So it seems strange that a messenger was sent to kill
Bilaam on his donkey when he was doing G!d's will!

Now on his way, his donkey dear
Could see the danger coming near.
She balked and stopped. Saved his life…
Bilaam had thoughts on other things,
Was not aware what action brings…
He cussed and fussed, beat her thrice.

After the horrid beatings and his donkey's protests,
Bilaam saw the messenger and understood the test:
He had to follow through, do HaShem's request!
Commands, wealth and sacrifices were to no avail
To get King Balak the cursing words for Folk to nail...
Balak heard not that Bilaam would predict no false tale!

Bilaam continued on in his unpleasant fate
To thrice bless the Israelites encamped,

After many offerings, bulls and lambs, thrice…

Having ‘Ma Tovu’ expressed third time – ‘twas nice...
Gained King Balak’s ire, punishment could not wait
As HaShem’s consequence, sealed and stamped.

Not only did Balak the camped People not curse
But Bilaam’s three tries led to something far worse…
Post the third Ma Tovu blessing it came to pass
That other nations were doomed to lose, alas,

Said Bilaam when he left Balak at long last.

Midyan was a loose Congress of many tribes.
Not in any sense were they ever Moabites.
Now few of the tribes had treaties with Moab Kings
But just for peace and trade, not habits nor rites.

Yet when some Moabite women led men astray,

Their ringleaders were impaled that very day

To stem a plague gals gave Israelites – to slay-

Or so they thought, though mayhaps it ran its course

With no more Moabite exposures forced...
Plus Midyanite’s Princess’s life was to pay
By the hand of a hot-headed, bigot, zealot,
Who skewered her Israelite husband as well,
Them together in their tent on their marital bed.
So Josephus reported this info instead…
Pinchas, his evil rewarded with High Priest’s lot…
Or was it to temper his flames as some might tell?

Haftorah, Micah

A downtrodden remnant of Jacob in the Land

Had strayed from G!d's Laws, forgot the strong Holy hand...

Micah called out: "Why have you forsaken G!d's trust?

Pull yourselves together and return as you must!
I have predicted Diaspora will work, all
Together, to prevail over foes come to call,
Told the Folk to go to mountains and plead their case
Recalling the hardships from Balak and Bilaam,
Recalling gracious acts how HaShem saved Ha-Am,

Our Forebears through the ages and at the Reed Sea,

Moshe and his Family who helped set you free!

So to please HaShem, no offerings thanks will give
Nor sacrifices nor homages help us live.
But doing what HaShem requires is for our talk:
Do Justice, Love Goodness, with HaShem humbly walk..."
Hence Haftorah concludes with how to be a Jew:
Seek Justice, Love Mercy, with all be Humble too.