Is Bilaam a villain—or a mirror? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Mike Feuer dive into Parshat Balak to explore the figure of Bilaam—an outsider prophet with powerful words and a dangerous gaze. They discuss what makes Bilaam a…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
How do we navigate the complexities of being a unique people while integrating into the modern world? In this week’s episode, Rabbi Avi Spodek and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield delve into Parsha Balak, highlighting the themes of identity, isolation, and the…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
In what ways might we find deeper meaning to our parsha through an examination of the haftarah? In this week’s podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Amirit Rosen to discuss one of the wildest stories of the Torah,…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
Parashat Balak: The Outsider’s View Description: Parashat Balak narrates the strange tale of a foreign seer who is hired to curse the Israelites but is compelled by God to bless them. What is this story doing in the Torah? It…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
Parshat Balak is highly unusual. On the one hand, it does not contain even a single mitzvah. On the other hand, it describes events that are supernatural and strange. Perhaps the most peculiar occurrence in the parasha concerns Bilam’s talking…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
The end of parsha Balak presents three attempts to end a plague. The divergent approaches of Moses and Pinchas reflect different priorities, each essential for our consideration in modern times. Download the Source Sheet Please let us know your comments…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
In this podcast we will look at the end of the Torah portion, at the going astray of the children of Israel with the daughters of Moab and what the word Zenut represents. We will compare two midrashic narratives and…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
The prophet Bilaam was hired to curse the Children of Israel. However, each time he tried to pronounce a curse, it came out as a blessing. One of those blessings reads: It is a people that dwells alone [badad], Not…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak, Educator resources, Meaning-making
From the moment Parshat Balak opens from the viewpoint of King Balak of Moab, it is an exploration of the power of perspective. The potential and danger of seeing something from the outside, and the challenge of only seeing part…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
The Pardes Parsha Discussion is a weekly series by faculty member Rabbi Alex Israel, designed to stimulate discussion around the Shabbat table, especially with teenagers. Click here to download and print this week’s Parsha Discussion on Balak: Learning the Hard…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak, Educator resources, Meaning-making
In this week’s Pardes from Jerusalem podcast, Rabbi Alex Israel looks at what the difference is between a blessing and a curse? Bilaam is praised as the man whose “eyes are open,” but he cannot see what his donkey sees!…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
In this week’s podcast, Neima Novetsky discusses parshat Balak and the question of magic. Parashat Balak speaks at length about the attempts of Bilaam to curse the nation of Israel. But why do we care if some heathen sorcerer was…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Balak
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