In last week's Torah portion we learn about Bilaam, the prophet who was called to curse the Israelites by Balak the King of Moav. No matter what he tried, he was unable to curse Bnei Yisrael, and instead could only pronounce blessing.
We read starting in the first verses that Bilaam is the Son of Beor, and this is only the second time that the Son of Beor is mentioned in scripture. The first is in Genesis, where the Son of Beor is identified as Bela Ben Beor, or Bela Son of Beor. Bela is the first King of Edom and a descendant of Esau.
It is interesting that Bela and Bilaam both come from the same Hebrew root, which gives us Baal. Baal can be translated as lord, husband, or eater. Based on this translation Bilaam would be lord of a people, or eater of a people.
If we consider, as many expositors do, that Bela and Bilaam are the same person, then he goes from being a King of Edom or Lord of a people, to and eater of people. An eater of people often describes a King who makes his people his own, he takes them into himself. There is no greater picture of this, then in our relationship with our King. Our King, Y'shua HaMoshiach has taken us into Himself. Just as He and Abba are one, now we and Moshiach are one.
Bilaam is also the ultimate individual. The sages in Judaism go further in their translation of Bilaam, and describe him as B'lo Am, without a people. The King of Edom, the Lord of a people, has not become without a people.
We see that Bilaam is alone. He does not have an entourage, or a people when he is summoned by Balak. It would seem that the unity of the people as they camped as a nation is what struck Bilaam. It was this reason that he agreed to attempt the curses for which Balak had hired him.
As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day in this country, we would be wise to learn a great lesson from Bilaam. We are not called to be individuals. We are called to be part of a community, and part of a nation. We are told in the scriptures that we are not "living stones", and while each stone is individual and looks different, when they are placed together, they become a spiritual house offering sacrifices acceptable to G-D through Y'shua HaMoshiach.
Let us learn to be interdependent rather than independent, and let us be ECHAD!
It is interesting to note that" musterion" is a derivative of "muo" which means to shut one's mouth. Could that possibly mean that in order to understand G-d's mysteries we need to watch and listen more intently. Words can easily be misinterpreted but silence cannot.Great blog!
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