Holyland Insights and Inspiration: balak

So the Baal Shem, of course asked him the question that any Jew would ask. The question that we've been asking for millennia, but these days it's every time we listen to the News, whenever we daven, when we look at the results of the primaries in America, the craziness in Europe and the absolute nuttiness and self-destructiveness of what we seem to be doing to each other here in Israel, while our enemies are laughing their tuchas off.

"Eimasai ka'asi mar- when are you coming already, man…"

I always liked the "man" at the end of that question.

As this most famous story of the Baal Shem, goes, Mashiach responds famously,

Ki'she'yafutzu ma'ayanosecha chutza- when your wellsprings pour out to the world.

When the teachings of the Baal Shem and Chasidus spread to the world. That's the way that Chasidim always understand the story. It's what started the Chasidic movement. It's the heart and basis of everything that it has been dedicated to and that the entire world, bot the Lithuanian and even secular Jewish world is somehow connected to on some level or another. It's Uman. It's Kerister. It's Carlebach. It's Kumzitz sing-alongs. It's spreading joy. Od Yoter Tov. It's Mashiach energy. It's Aliyah to Israel. It's the Sefat Emet. It's deep Jewish thought. It's Tanya. It's Chabad Houses and Tefillin stands. It's dressing like a Jew unabashedly in public. It's Jewish pride. It's a cry and a longing for unity and revelation. Those are the wellsprings of the Baal Shem. That's when Mashiach is coming.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, asks an amazing question on this story though, and turns it all on its head. This is the week when we read the story of Hashem turning the curses of Bilaam into blessing. It's the week when donkeys talk, when wicked people become prophets and where Mashiach first makes his prophetic appearance.

For you in America that are still reading Chukas, it's also a week when the tumah of death becomes holy. When the pure Kohen who performs the purification Red Heifer ritual becomes impure in the process. It's the parsha when we're meant to talk to rocks to have their wellsprings pour out rather than hit them. It's when Moshe and Aharon can't come into the land. It's the parsha when the other side of the Jordan which isn't part of Israel turns out and flips around and becomes Israel. It's the turnaround everything on its head week.

It's also the week when the 17^th of Tamuz will turn into a holiday instead of a fast day, God willing, this Thursday. But that's only if we understand the depth of bringing out that wellspring. And for that the Rebbi turns it all around on its head, with this incredible question and insight. Because to be honest. We really need to turn this whole thing around, don't you think?

The question he poses is that seemingly, the Baal Shem Tov who was a fairly learned guy, should've known that this question is one that is already posed in a story in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98.) where Rav Yehoshua Ben Levi also asks Mashiach the exact same question using the same words. "Nu Man, when ya coming already?" And Mashiach there famously responds, that he is coming today. Hayom. Today however is a reference the Talmud tells us of the "Day- if we will listen to Hashem's voice". The Baal Shem knows this gemara, asked 1500 years before him by this 3^rd century Rabbi. So what's he being a nudnik for. Mashiach already said he'll come when we listen to Hashem.

Perhaps even more fascinating and revealing the Rebbi notes is that Mashiach in this story doesn't give the same answer to the Baal Shem Tov. He doesn't do the cryptical "today… if you…" thing. Seemingly the Baal Shem Tov was on track, as the answer switched. So the Rebbe quotes the Riyatz who explains this story, that what the Baal Shem Tov was asking and telling Mashiach… get ready for this… Is that day is already here. We've all heard the voice. We've all done what we need. We're here in the car. Where are you? When are you going to get into the driver's seat?

Slow down, a minute. What does that mean. Really? We're all there? We're all ready? We've all returned? I've heard of fake News before, but c'mon, what's the Baal Shem trying to pull over Mashiach's eyes? I mean I don't even think that CNN or Tucker could sell a lie that big. The problem is that it's not a lie. Because Mashiach doesn't deny that claim. He agrees with the Baal Shem Tov. He doesn't say, you're not ready. The nation hasn't done teshuva. Their a bunch of sinners. They have smartphones. They fight. They live in America comfortably. They don't have what it takes to kill their enemies. Mashiach doesn't tell the Baal Shem any of those things that I say all the time. And that pretty much every pulpit Rabbi preaches to their choir about what every else needs to do.

See, Mashiach, like the Baal Shem Tov, had a far better eyesight then we do. He wasn't like Bilaam that was shesum ha'ayin- that could only look at Israel with that negative eye and find all of our problems and things that aren't really about every single Jew in the world. Rather, like Hashem opens up before this idiot donkey-sleeping with goys to see, the Baal Shem and Mashiach see lo hibit aven bi'Ya'akov- there is no sin in Israel. There's no trouble in Israel. We all hear Hashem's voice. Are tents are amazing! They're perfect. That flame is burning so bright in each of us. All that other stuff. It's just external. It's the shmutz that may have gathered on the unbelievable perfect shining glorious diamond that is even the most far Jewish neshoma. We really are there. We just don't see it yet. We don't have the Baal Shem's vision.

Mashiach thus tells the Baal Shem, that he will come as soon as his ma'ayanecha spreads and pours outside. The word ma'ayanecha is not just wellsprings, but it's also his ayin- his eyesight. He will come when we all start to see the world and our fellow yid with those special holy eyes that only sees the holiness in each Jew. That sees the Jewish people, who a few minutes after Bilam's curse turned blessing is sinning with the daughters of Moav. That sees us even after the vicious fights and battles of Korach of brother against brother. That can look at our nation this week on the 17^th of Tamuz when Moshe came down with the Tablets 40 days after we received the Torah and saw and heard Hashem on Sinai, and still advocate for us and get us forgiveness, as Moshe did. When we can take those wellsprings and vision of the Baal Shem Tov and Mashiach as we look at our brothers and sisters even to the outskirts- the chutza- to the furthest Jews in the world. That's when he will come. That will be the redemption.

Mashiach first appears in the Torah when even Bilam can see this. It's to show us that if he can see it we should as well. It's what Moshe and Aharon needed to learn by just talking to the rock and believing that miracles can just happen for our nation because we are so holy even when it seems we're complaining and fighting, because we're not rebels, like he said, but rather beautiful gems, with the holiest souls that could never be tainted. If we see that and we have that vision, then eiver la'yarden can turn into Israel. Then the impurity of death, can become pure again. Then the whole world will see Hashem's presence, that we claim we want to see and have been davening for so long to merit to be able to feel. But it has to start with seeing Him in each other.

The Navi tells us that the fast days of Tisha B'av and the other fasts related to the destruction of the Temple will turn-around and become days of celebration. In the case of Tisha B'Av the turn-around for the day of the destruction of the Temple will be the day that it is rebuilt. What would therefore be the turnaround for the day of the 17^th of Tamuz when the walls of Jerusalem were breached? Seemingly, I always understood that it would be the day when the walls will be rebuilt. Yet, this year I heard from my Rebbi a different take. He suggested that we don't want walls around Jerusalem. Walls are a sign of weakness. They limit us. They keep us in ghettos and gated communities. They keep the holiness of the Bais Ha'Mikdash on that mountain top. We don't want walls.

Rather, what will happen god-willing this week when the 17^th of Tamuz turns around into a holiday. The walls of Jerusalem will be breached once again. Yet, this time they will go from the inside outside. Yafutzu ma'ayonesecha chutza- the wellsprings will pour forth through them. The vision of the Baal Shem Tov will become the way the whole world sees us. They will see the one united holy spark that we see in one another. They will see how wonderous the tents and dwelling places of Israel. Our doors are not opposite one another; we don't want to see anyone else's flaws. Rather we want to see the Mishkan the Beit Ha'Mikdash, the Mashiach in everyone. When we see that it will pour out to the world and Mashiach will come. Hashem will return. Because we all have heard Him. We've heard His voice. We've done the "Today" show. It's now time to start broadcasting it out.

Have a spectacular Shabbos and may we all have a festive 17^th of Tamuz!

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" A gutn mentsh vet di shenk nit kalye machen, a shlechtn vet der beys-hamedresh nit farrichtin.– A tavern can't corrupt a good man, and a synagogue can't reform a bad one.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

5. The book “Onomasticon” describes Israel’s geography during the ______ period.

Which of the following interchanges is named after a significant event from the Tannaitic period (period of the ‘Tannaim’)?

A. Somekh

B. Anava

C. HaTishbi

D. Tel Kashish

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kgml8SiNun0NnxNTDt0fqS9xioBPOORnA&si=XrIt06VRDIdweErm – So excited for this latest Dovid Lowy gorgeous release Kirvas! Mamash!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z5KWsMI93I&list=RD1Z5KWsMI93I&start_radio=1 - Gorgeous Eitan Katz Ma Tovu!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXXQjP1PGd8&list=RDqXXQjP1PGd8&start_radio=1 - Remember this oldie Shalsheles Ma Tovu?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91xWSl11f0c&list=RD91xWSl11f0c&start_radio=1 – And of course the Shwekey MA MA MA classic.. now you're good… Which did I forget?

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

The Registry -345 BC- I think its pretty obvious to all of us that study Torah to realize that it's a pretty important book that doesn't have irrelevant or unimportant things written in it. There's a message something that we need to learn and study from. A prophecy that speaks to me today. That being the case it is fascinating that there are a few chapters in the Books of Ezra and Nechemia that I imagine if most of us skipped through it we wouldn't feel we're missing out on much. Because they're just a list of names. Families. All those that went up with Ezra to the land of Israel. It's an Aliyah census.

Hmmm… Maybe these are important people and families? Is that why they're mentioned? Nope., well actually that's not entirely true. See, the families that went up with Ezra were all of the misfits. They were the mazmers, the chalals that came from illicit relationships, slaves that had been freed, criminals, abandoned children. Yup, these first Olim to Israel kinda looked like some of my shuls that I ran in the States. The West Seattle Torah Learning Center. In fact our sages tell us that Ezra wanted to clean out all of Bavel so he specifically searched and found all of these misfits that didn't daven in the regular shuls. All the other big machers and prestigious community members and holy rollers didn't want to come anyways. So he switched gears to take all of the shleppers.

Yet, he did something amazing with these people. He gave them jobs and positions of power. They were coming into the land of Israel and it needed to be reworked. It needed new leadership. The old school didn't get it. They were to ingratiated to the system. They couldn't see past the protocols that were put into place. Not past the bureaucracy. They couldn't see a new Israel that was different then ever before. He needed these guys. And by putting them into positions of power and responsibility, something they never had before, he gave them the confidence to build the future.

So their names are listed. Every single one. Three chapters of the books of prophets. They're eternal. They're forever. They're there to remind us and challenge us today. If we want the same for ourselves. Or do we just want to remain nameless and irrelevant and unremembered corpses in Bavel, in Persia, in London, or in Lakewood who may feel prestigious now, but in fact are totally disconnected from the eternal story of our nation. They're not about returning the Shechina. The shnorrers, mamzer, former slave who doesn't even know who his parents, is more important to you. Now if that isn't a prophecy worth recording, I don't know what is.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE EYESIGHT JOKES OF THE WEEK

Why did the smartphone have to wear glasses? It lost all of its contacts.

What did one pupil say to the other? I’m dilated to meet you.

What do you call a potato wearing glasses? A Spec-Tater!

What do you call an optician living on an Alaskan island? An optical Aleutian.

What was the innocent lens’s excuse to the policeman? "I’ve been framed, officer!"

Where is the eye located? Between the H and the J.

Where does bad light end up? In Prism!

What do you call a dinosaur with no eyes? A ‘do-you-think-he-saurus.’

What do you call a fish with no eyes? Fishually impaired.

What has four eyes and a mouth? The Mississippi.

How many eye doctors does it take to change a lightbulb? One… or two?!

Guess who I bumped into on the way to the eye doctor. Everyone.

What do you say to a pirate with two eyes? “Aye aye, captain!”

What do you say if they only have one eye? “Aye, captain!”

What did the right eye say to the left eye? “Between you and me, there’s something that smells.”

A man goes to the optometrist for his eye test and is asked what he can see.

“I see empty airports, empty football fields, closed theaters, and closed pubs,” he says.

To which the optometrist replies, “Perfect — you’ve got 2020 vision!”

What happens after you rub ketchup in your eyes? You feel silly in Heinz sight.

Patient: “Doctor, I’ve got mustard in my eyes, and I can’t see a thing!”

Doctor: “Any other symptoms?”

Patient: “No, but I have the strangest feeling this has happened before.”

Doctor: “French mustard?”

Patient: “Yes, why?”

Doctor: “It’s dijon view.”

What do you call a lotion that makes your eyes wet? Moist-your-eyes-er.

A magician runs into a man who doesn’t believe in magic. “Prove to me that you can do magic,” says the skeptic. “I bet you can’t.” With that, the magician turns the man into an eyeball. Shocked, the man says, “Well, eye’ll be!”

What do you call it when an Apple user looks you in the eye? iContact.

Your eyes aren’t real.They’re just in your head.

Why are E.T.’s eyes so big? He saw his phone bill.

A man gets an eye exam, after which the doctor has a concerned look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” asks the patient.

“Well, your test results don’t look too good,” the doctor says.

“Can I see them?” says the patient.

The doctor answers, “Probably not.”

What do you call a pig with three eyes? Piiig.

What do you call a deer with no eyes? No-eye deer.

Looking for a good eye doctor…I can’t see mine anymore.

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The answer to this week's question is A– Baruch Hashem I'm back in the game here… I've been getting nervous. The Omnasticon written by Eusibius a Byzantine 4^th century Bishop lists all the places in Israel and is an important historical work in identifying Biblical sites. The Somech intersection not far from Karmiel is in between Usha and Shefaram where Rav Yehuda Ben Bava gave semicha to his 5 students and was shot to death by arrows there. So I go this one right and the test continues with Rabbi Schwartz having 3.5 points and the MOT having 1.5 points on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.

Friday, July 11, 2025

Make Light not War- Parshat Balak 2025 5785

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

July 11^th 2025 -Volume 14 Issue 35 15^th of Tamuz 5785

Parshat Balak

Make Light not War

I'm tired. I'm burnt out. I've had enough already. It's just too much, too long, too painful, too exhausting and too tragic. This war needs to end. Yeah, I know that in the beginning of this whole thing, there was this song, that Am Yisrael is not afraid of a "derech arucha"- a long path and journey, but this is beyond that. This is around the world in 80 days for the 8^th or 9^th time already, and I'm not even serving in the army. I haven’t been doing hundreds of days of miluim/reserve duty. I haven't lost someone close to me, although each day, each loss, each morning that I open up my phone and look at the news and see another face, another holy soldier fallen, another bereaved father, mother, widow, orphans… I feel that another piece of my heart has been chopped off. Ad mosai? How much longer, Ribono Shel Olam? Tatteh… Until when?

To be honest, as I know most of you precious faithful readers know, I'm not a lefty, not a liberal, not a pacifist, or even a peace now type of guy. I've been accused of many things in my life, but that's never been one of them. Yet, lately, I'm feeling it. I'm losing the desire to see this war through, as I think most of this country and our nation as a whole is. I wouldn't call it yi'ush- hopelessness, as much as sheer exhaustion. I'm "ayef v'yagaya- tired and weary". When I finally pinpointed my sentiment down to those familiar words, I realized and remembered that it is precisely then when Amalek, our eternal enemy has power. It's when he attacks. It's really what this is all about. It's when this week I had a mindshift and perhaps even became a shtikel lefty. Let me explain.

See, one of the primary problems we, and I include myself in that "we", to a certain degree suffer from and that brought this whole cycle unto us is that we haven't paid enough attention to what our enemies tell us. October 7^th happened because we didn't want to believe that they really want to kill us. It's why Oslo happened. It's the false conception that despite what they say and what their declared mandate is, if we gave them land, if we have them their own country, if we gave them the light of the "Western world" then ultimately they would come around. We couldn't and still can't really wrap our brains around the concept, that anyone can be so determined, so sucicidal, so self-destructive to really want to go down the path to war, to killing us, to fight until their bitter end. We can't accept that there aren't innocent civilians. We can't accept that their babies from birth and their mother's milk are being raised with an evil DNA that will do everything in their being to fight and attack us. We're getting better and better at listening and grasping that but it's still hard to swallow. To understand that when they say something we need to take it seriously and take them for their word.

Similarly, but on an entirely different level, we have to understand and start to accept that when Iran, Hamas, Hezbolla and all of our other enemies are telling us that they are winning this war. That we haven't really done anything. That they still feel that victory is within their grasp. That they have celebratory parades, parties and fireworkers. Rather than our knee jerk reaction to look at the rubble, the destruction, the starvation, the amount of people we have killed, wiped out, and military forces and tunnels that we have decimated, we have to look at what and why they are saying what they are saying, and realize perhaps that it's not just fake news, but in actuality, they're right. They have won. They are winning. The only way, that we will win this thing and it will be over is when we realize, that the war we are fighting is a very different war then they are. We are fighting for our existence. They're fighting, not to win, not to wipe us out, not even to take their land or our land, or for liberation. They're fighting to make us fight. To make us forget. They're fighting the battle of Amalek.

I'm not a big Golda Meir fan. One of the worst statements that I've decried in the past that too many people quote as holy grail and words of morality is that "we can forgive the Arabs, for killing our children, but we can't forgive them for them forcing us to have to kill theirs. " Even writing those words sends shivers up my spine. I don't think we can or should ever forgive them for killing our children, and the truth is I don't feel in anyway that we should feel bad or have any regret for killing any of their evil spawn. Fakert, quite the opposite, I believe part of greatest weakness is that we don't have the stomach to be able to do the job until the end. We have too much misplaced mercy. And it is that mercy that ultimately costs the lives of too many of our children.

Yet, that being said, I believe that there is something to be said for her words. There's something to be said for this "rachmanus" of Klal Yisrael, and particularly there is something to be said for what has always been the innate nature of the Jew to feel an abhorrence to war and to be at the forefront of every "Peace" movement in the world. This goes back to the 60's demonstrations against Vietnam back in the day and continues until today from the River to the Sea anti-war demonstrations in the "highest echelons' of the academia" from more often than not "Jewish" led organizations. Now I know that these are not religious or observant Jews, and it's been easy for me and you to write them off, as non-Jews, as "erev rav". But let's pause for a second and identify this source and perhaps even change our own mindset. Maybe there is something to what they are saying. Maybe I'm the one that's missing the boat.

Where is this all coming from? From this week's parsha of course. Where else? See last week's parsha of Chukas was a tiring one. It was probably the bloodiest and war-riest, parsha in the Torah. Battle after battle, just take a look. Let's start from the end, from where our parsha picks up from. We had our battle against Og when Moshe was a bit intimidated, but ultimately which he killed him and conquered us the Golan Heights. Before that we have the battle against Sichon, the mightiest king on the other side of the Jordan River thus conquering the entire transjorda, which ultimately becomes the Biblical homeland and part of Eretz Yisrael for almost a 1/4 of the tribes of Israel!. When we say V'shavu banim li'gvulam- that her children shall return to her borders, we mean that area in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and even Egypt as well that belongs to us according to the promise Hashem made to Avraham!. It's not just the Temple Mount and blowing up that golden pimple.

But even before those battles of the conquest of Israel, we have Hashem wiping out the Emorite army miraculously by smashing the mountains together. We have the army of Edom, and according to the haftorah we read with the story of Yiftach, even the army of Moav coming out to "greet" us preventing us from entering the land. Finally we have as well the battle against the king of Arad, who Rashi tell us was really Amalek, who had taken hostages from us, and who we wipe out. Yes, its war after war after war. As I said the bloodiest parsha in the Torah. Much like what we're experiencing today, we're jumping from Gaza, to Lebanon, to Iran, back to Gaza, to the West Bank to Gush Etzion. It doesn't end. War, war, war… Exhausting.

Which then brings us to this week's parsha. Parshat Balak, doesn't have any wars. It's a parsha that we don't even see or wouldn't know about, as it's mostly a bunch of conversations behind our back between, Balak, Bilaam, his donkey, angels and Hashem. It's a peek behind the curtains. It's a view of the acharis ha'yamim- the end of days. It's the prophecy of Mashiach. It's what awaits us after all the wars.

The last series of the three groups of prophecies of Bilam is perhaps the most significant one of them. As opposed to the first two attempts to curse us that Hashem pretty much hijacked his mouth and had him bless us instead, the last one Bilaam changes hist tune. He finally realizes that it's hopeless. He looks out at the Jewish tents and he becomes inspired. Accroding to the Rashbam he comes to the point where he is so blown away by our nation, that he is filled with love, blesses us from the bottom of his heart, and reveals to us and gives us a taste of the ultimate end of days. That prophecy is one of the end of the "first of nations" called Amalek. Its's the end of Edom. It's the end of Ashur. It's when every nation will recognize Hashem and His Kingdom. It's the era that the world has been waiting for from the beginning of time to realize.

The commentaries all ask, that seemingly Amalek is no where near being the "first" of the nations. He's a descendant of Esau, thousands of years after the story of the Tower of Bavel when all 70 nations came into existence. Its' fake news. It's like saying the Palestinians were here forever, or Naftali Bennet took us out of Egypt and split the sea (sorry couldn't resist). It's not true. And Rashi and the Onkelos translation as well as other commentaries explain, that Amalek is the first nation to attack us when we left Egypt. They are the ones that do have the credit that no other nation could ever claim. They are the founders of the first Israeli Army. It's because of them that we first had to pick up swords and guns. It's because of them, that our poor nation of slaves that left Egypt, formed into a nation of warriors, soldiers and military men, rather than the farmers, scholars, insurance brokers, nursing home owners, taxi drivers, real estate agents, falafel makers and most importantly Torah scholars and Kollel guys that we were supposed to become.

This Sunday is the 17^th of Tamuz. It's the fast day of when the walls to the old city of Jerusalem were breached and the period of the mourning for the destruction of the Temple commences. It is a day that first has its roots in tragedy as is it’s the day that Moshe came down from the Mountain after the giving of the Torah and broke the Luchos as he found us dancing and worshipping the Golden Calf. Our sages tell us that if not for the sin of the Golden calf, we would never of had any wars. Every war we fight, every generation, every pogrom, every soldiers that's lost is all because of that sin. In the words of Rav Kook

"If not for the sin of the Golden calf, the nations that dwelled in the land Israel would've made peace with us and admitted to us. Because the "name of Hashem that appeared upon us" would've awakened within them awe and trepidation. There would never have been any wars. It would've been a world of peace as it will be in the Messianic era" {Orot Milchama chapter 4}

The sin of the golden calf has its root in that previous battle of Amalek. When we left Egypt the nations of the world, as we sang in Az Yashir, had that awe, had that fear and inspiration. We were on the way to reveal Hashem to the world. To build a home and house of prayer to Him for all of the nations of the world. We wouldn't need an army. We wouldn't have to kill anyone's children. The world would be inspired, would praise us, would join us in song to Hashem. Amalek changed that. They made us into fighters. Yes, it was a miraculous war, but in that war the truth is they won, despite what all of the Israeli media said at the time, and what it said on Wikipedia. They removed the name of Hashem from our nation, making us into fighters, into soldiers. The throne of Hashem is not complete until the end of time. Until today. The nations of the world will feel that they can attack us, and perhaps even worse than that, is that we feel that we need to have an army and to fight and to defend and conquer, rather then the awe and spirit of Hashem alone that will shine and uplift the world. We may have won the battle, but they won the war.

Yet, the story didn't end after the Golden Calf and neither did our opportunity. Rashi tells us that a year after that when we prepared to come into Israel and were a few days away from the Land of Israel, Hashem told Moshe,

Re'eh nasati lifneichem es ha'aretz, bo'u U'rishu et ha'aretz – See, I have Given you the land Go and inherit the land. {Devarim 1:5)

Rashi there tells us

"There is no one claiming it against you. And you will not need to go to war. Had Moshe not sent the spies, we would not have required any weapons."

We wouldn't need soldiers. We wouldn't need an army. No vests. No D9's. No tanks. No B2 bombers. We would have light. We would have truth. We would have the world anointing Hashem as it's King, and us as His nation.

Yet, he sent in those spies. We took the approach of conquerers, of settlers, of warriors and thus we failed. We had a soldier mind-set and thus we decided it wasn't pragmatic. We cried. We lost. We died in the wilderness. The temple would be destroyed. The first one, the second one. We weren't the priests of Hashem in the world. We were a nation that was trying to be like every other one. We didn't understand what Bilaam now sees and tells us in this week's parsha and this last prophecy, that we are an "am" that is alone, that is unique. That is unlike other goyim-nations. We are the leader and beacon of them all. We weren't meant to fight. We weren't meant to be soliders. We were meant to inherit from the nations as they see the awe of Hashem that emanates from our tents.

Amalek comes after that sin of the spies, and wipes out the tribe of Ephraim that tries to go up. They come again in last week's parsha as well after Moshe hits the rock disguised as Canaanim. Amalek has all types of proxies. They have one goal. One job. They want to make us into fighters. And they keep winning the war even though they lose each battle. This happens again after we come into the land with Shaul fighting against them, and not successfully demolishing them. The aftermath of this war is that he's meant to hand the kingdom over Dovid who will be able to bring the redemption and has to do the job for him. But that in itself is a problem. Because now Dovid can't build the temple. Because he's a soldier. He's a warrior. He's killed. The temple is one of peace. It's not something that's meant to be conquered or liberated with war. It's a place where the nations come willfully. It's where they come because they see they greatness of Hashem that shines from His house; from His nation. And thus they won that battle as well.

The last stand of Amalek is of course the story of Purim. It's when Haman wants to destroy us. Esther and Mordechai can't turn around the clock against Amalek then. The only thing they can do is once again create an Israeli army that will fight against them. We pick up our guns and our tanks and once again we are fighting in the army. We wipe them out. We hang their sons. But ultimately once again we don't go back to build the temple. Ezra goes with the shleppers a few years later, but most of the Jews don't bother. In our soul we know that's not the way it's supposed to be. We shouldn't be fighting for our Temple. For the light of Hashem will not bring them to awe through that bravery, heroism, dedication and even sacrifice. It's not meant to come through soldiers. It's meant to come from the awe that emanates from us. It comes from peace and not from war. Because war is exhausting. War is us hitting the rock. War is broken families, it's fathers and sons away from their homes, it's boys taken out of the tents of Torah of Yaakov, it's darkness, it's death. It's the opposite of light. It's not the Kochav Yaakov- the star of Yaakov, of Mashiach hovering over the tents of Yaakov from where even the Bilaams and Balaks can look down upon from their mountain tops and bless us. Can long for the day when they can join us in that house of Hashem.

The 17^th of Tamuz is the day that the walls of Jerusalem were breached. It's when our tents were broken open. It's the day that we felt we weren't protected anymore. That our light wouldn't be enough. That we needed to fight and to defend. That our enemies looked and saw us as another nation to be conquered, as another mountain top that they could raze, that they could desecrate, that didn't have a light that would shine out to them, but rather as illegal occupiers trying to be a quiet, patient, nation doing it's own thing and that wants to be left alone, rather than the beacon to the world and the builders of the House of Hashem that would bring the entire world to its fulfillment. And perhaps they were correct. Perhaps they still are today as well…

How do we change that? How do we get out of the war mind-set when we are in the middle of a war? We seem to have no problem having one war in the middle of another, yet getting out of one in the first place is something we have never been able to do. Perhaps one of the first things we should do is of course understand this bigger picture of what our goals need to be. It's not peace and quiet too do our own thing. That's not what the world is looking for. It's not what Hashem is looking for. It shouldn't be what we are either.

As well we need to focus on our tents. Our tents should be beacons of light. Rashi tells us that what inspired Bilaam is that the windows of our tents weren't facing one another. We weren't looking into each other's tents and trying to find their faults. We weren't busy with everyone else's different garbage. Each tribe had their own space. Every Jew has their own spaces. If we are busy looking into one another's tents. If we are so focused on looking down and revealing the flaws of each Jew, each tribe that's different than ours. If our tents are so filled with fighting, with criticism, with looking down on one another. With politics. With kol koreh's with fighting. Then how can we expect Bilam, Balak, the nations of the world to see that light and the awe. How can they see the One ness of Hashem. How can they ever expect that we would be able to build a house that will be one that will be comfortable and accepting of them, if we can't even build one for ourselves?

The haftorah that we read this week is the last haftorah that relates to the parsha. From next week until Simchas Torah all of the haftorahs are related to the destruction, the 7 weeks of consolation and then of the High holidays and Sukkos. In this final haftorah The prophet Micha tells us to remember What Bilaam said in this prophecy. To remember what our real mission is. To remember that all Hashem wants from us is to do justice, to love kindness and to walk with humility with Him. To reveal His light. There's no need for war. There's no need for sacrifices. There's no need for fast days, breached walls, armies or soldiers. We just need to fill our tents with light and love and the nations will come. I know that sounds lefty. But as I said, I'm tired. I don't want to fast. I want this to be over. I want that light. And Hashem does too. Just as he turned Bilaam's curse to bracha, may this year be the year when He as well turns the fast days of mourning into days of rejoicing. The portion of Bilam comes after all of the wars of last week. May they herald in the end of Amalek as well and the era of eternal peace.

Have a blessed and peaceful Shabbos!

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" Az men krigt zich miten rov, muz men sholem zein miten shainker.- If you’re at odds with your rabbi, make peace with your bartender.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

25. The Muslim dynasty, which built the palaces that stand in ruins in the Davidson Archeological

park is ______

According to the Gregorian calendar, in which year does the Muslim calendar begin?

A. 622

B. 638

C. 632

D. 670

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

https://24six.app/preview/music/content/323026/this-is-why - This is song is just magnificent CamP Aguda 2025 YC Shur… every single word listen again and again. Worth getting 24/6 just for this song... But it really is a great app!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur7B3LowGMk&list=RDur7B3LowGMk&start_radio=1 – Shulem Lemmer singing a new day will rise!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YibFufPr6qo - The Rebbe and the Communists for 12-13 Tamuz…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZDZPHvHffM – AI Parshat Balak Bilaam donkey cartoon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3hsqFcJJqQ&list=RDP3hsqFcJJqQ&start_radio=1 – Am Ka'Lavi Yakum from this week's parsha feel the Hesder energy!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC0_R6pbgaA – Loving this Mordechai Shapiro Song… Doing my Best… Such amazing words…

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Destruction Part I Zecharia - 586 BC - Hopefully this year this mourning day will be one of celebration. The 9^th of Av is the day that we remember and sit in mourning and fast for the destruction of the Temple, yet in truth the entire three week period from when they broke down the walls and entered the city were terror, havoc and murder. We're talking October 7^th for three weeks, and at numbers, according to Chazal were in the millions/ What took the Nazis years to kill Nevuzadran, the general of Nevuchadnezzar did in a few weeks. When Hashem said that this will be an eternal day of mourning, He wasn't pulling punches. It truly was.

On the 7^th of Av, Nevuzadran entered the Bais Ha'Mikdash where they came upon the bubbling seething blood of the Kohen and Prophet Zecharia. Zecharia ben Yehoyada, (not to be confused with the author of the book of Navi Zecharia ben Berachia who was the prophet in the time of the Return to Israel 70 years after the destruction.) was the son of Yehoyada who was the teacher and savior of the King Yehoash 250 years prior to the destruction.

A brief recap of the drama of that perilous period is due. Yehoash was the only surviving member of his family after his mother Atalya who was the descendant of the house of Achav and Omri of the Kings of Israel and who had married Yehoram the King of Yehuda, had everyone else killed when her son was killed by Yehu of Yisrael. Whewww… that's a long sentence and a lot of drama. She wanted to insure she became the King/Queen and in fact succeeded in doing that for 6 years, being the only Queen of Yehuda. She was bad news and introduced the worship of Baal to Yehudah. Her grandson Yehoash was hidden by Yehoyada in the Temple and when he was 7 was appointed King when Yehoyada started a revolt against Atalya and ultimately had her killed and a religious reform was started. Yet, ultimately after the death of Yehoyada, Yehoash went off the deep end and had his son Zecharia who was giving Mussar to the King and the Nation killed.

The background behind the killing of Zecharia is as well fascinating, as it seems that Chazal tell us that Zecharia who was the Kohen, and Dayan and prophet felt himself above the nation and thus they weren't ready to accept Mussar from him. They stoned him in the Temple courtyard where his blood remained boiling for 250 years until Nevuzadran came. Tradition has it that this took place on Yom Kippur itself when his yartzeit is.

Nevuzadran wanted to appease that blood and avenge it and thus he murdered hundreds of thousands of Rabbis, young men, kohanim and even children. But the blood kept boiling until this evil murderer himself couldn’t take it anymore and he asked if he was meant to kill them all. At that it stopped. Our sages tell us that Nevuzadran was so horrified by the middas ha'din he ultimately converted as a result of this story.

The "Tomb/grave" of Zecharia today is on Har Ha'Zeitim and is a monumental 2^nd Temple Greek structure built over it. Whether this is truly the grave of this Kohen is under debate, and doesn't have a clear mesorah. The edifice is certainly not from the first temple time period. It seems that there was an ancient custom in Jerusalem though to go daven by his kever on erev Yom Kippur. This was perhaps the worst moment of the destruction of the Temple. Next week we finish that final destruction with the days following it.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S INNER PEACE JOKES OF THE WEEK

Inner Peace

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without alcohol,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

And you thought I was going to get all spiritual ...

The path to inner peace begins with just 3 words. Not my problem

I saw that our local zoo has an interesting attraction : A lion and a sheep living peacefully in the same cage. I asked the zookeeper whether they ever fight. He said, "Rarely."

I asked what happens when they do. "We get another sheep."

Therapist tells his patient to write individual letters to everyone who wronged him and then burn them to gain some peace. Patient comes back the next week and says he's done what the therapist recommended. Then asks what he should do with the letters.!

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather, peacefully and in my sleep. Not screaming and wailing like his passengers.

So my congregant came over to me after my sermon and complimented me… I think, saying, "Rabbi, your words today were just like the peace and love of Hashem".

"Thank you," I responded, "Why do you say that?"

He explained, "Because the peace of Hashem is beyond all understanding, and the love of Hashem goes on forever."

In a competition to express luck, peace and quiet in a single sentence, the winning sentence was...

"My kids are asleep".

My wife asked if she could have a little peace and quiet while she cooked dinner. So I took the battery out of the smoke detector.

Rest in peace, boiling water. You will be mist.

Berel: My dear, Chanaleh what will you do after my death?

Chanaleh: I can't live without you. I would die as well and come with you.

Berel: huh.. I didn't believe what that that mekubal said. But now I do.

Chanaleh: what did he say?

Berel: He said, I won't live a peaceful life even after death !!!

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The answer to this week”s question is A- Yeah it’s a bad week. I got this one entirely wrong. And to be honest I probably may not have chosen it as one of the one's I could skipped. I definitely didn't know the answer, but I thought I had a good guess. I really don't know islam well. Most of my tourists aren't too interested, so why waste limited brain space on it? Anyways. I guessed the Abbasid dynasty and the right answer was the Ummayad, not that I remember much what the difference is? They're all Muslim to me… The second one I thought the right answer was 632 which I believed was a big muslim year, but the correct answere was 622 when Muhammed made his way to Medina from Mecca. Ah well… What cann you do. So the score is now Rabbi Schwartz 15.5 Ministry of Tourism 9.5 on this exam so far, which sets me back to a failing score… Uh Oh….