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Daily Chizuk #1638
Parnasa / Money
The Danger of Curses: Understanding the Paragraph Breaks in Torah
The Chafetz Chaim writes that in the entire narrative of Bilam attempting to curse the Jewish people, there are no paragraph breaks—no פ or ס—in the Torah. This is because the danger was so severe, the Torah did not want to pause until the threat had passed. Balak and Bilam stood on a mountaintop with the potential to cause immense destruction, and meanwhile, the Jewish people were completely unaware of the danger surrounding them.
But Hashem, as always, the שומר ישראל, was watching over His nation. He did not allow any harm to come to us. From the words Hashem placed in the donkey's mouth, and later in Bilam's own mouth, we see what Hashem found so impressive about Am Yisrael.
We've seen the downfall of our enemies this year. We know that we are in the end of days and we await the גאולה שלמה. But we are not there yet. We are still in galut, and we are still without the Beit HaMikdash.
Now begins the period of בין המצרים, the three weeks between שבעה עשר בתמוז and תשעה באב. We pray that this year תשעה באב will be a day of joy and celebration, but there is still work to be done.
The pasuk says:
וישא בלעם את עיניו וירא את ישראל שוכן לשבטיו ותהי עליו רוח אלוקים
Bilam wanted to recall the sins of the Jewish people, such as the חטא העגל, to bring about their destruction. But what he saw instead was unity—Israel dwelling peacefully, each tribe in its proper place—and that unity brought down the שכינה, causing Hashem to transform his curses into blessings.
The Midrash teaches that even if we, Heaven forbid, engage in עבודה זרה, as long as there is peace among us, no harm will befall us. That is the power of unity.
Now more than ever, it is incumbent upon us to repair divisions. This is the time of year to go above and beyond to make peace, to apologize, to be more tolerant, and to bring love and unity to Am Yisrael.
May these days of mourning soon be transformed into days of rejoicing. אמן!
But Hashem, as always, the שומר ישראל, was watching over His nation. He did not allow any harm to come to us. From the words Hashem placed in the donkey's mouth, and later in Bilam's own mouth, we see what Hashem found so impressive about Am Yisrael.
We've seen the downfall of our enemies this year. We know that we are in the end of days and we await the גאולה שלמה. But we are not there yet. We are still in galut, and we are still without the Beit HaMikdash.
Now begins the period of בין המצרים, the three weeks between שבעה עשר בתמוז and תשעה באב. We pray that this year תשעה באב will be a day of joy and celebration, but there is still work to be done.
The pasuk says:
וישא בלעם את עיניו וירא את ישראל שוכן לשבטיו ותהי עליו רוח אלוקים
Bilam wanted to recall the sins of the Jewish people, such as the חטא העגל, to bring about their destruction. But what he saw instead was unity—Israel dwelling peacefully, each tribe in its proper place—and that unity brought down the שכינה, causing Hashem to transform his curses into blessings.
The Midrash teaches that even if we, Heaven forbid, engage in עבודה זרה, as long as there is peace among us, no harm will befall us. That is the power of unity.
Now more than ever, it is incumbent upon us to repair divisions. This is the time of year to go above and beyond to make peace, to apologize, to be more tolerant, and to bring love and unity to Am Yisrael.
May these days of mourning soon be transformed into days of rejoicing. אמן!
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