Difference between revisions of "Parashat Balak/ParashahSummary"

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(Original Author: Ayelet Rabinowitz)
 
(Original Author: Ayelet Rabinowitz)
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<li><aht subpage="PlainText#22">Parashat Balak</aht> </li>
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<li><aht subpage="PlainText#22">Parashat Balak</aht> describes how the Moabite king Balak recruits Bilam the sorcerer to curse the Children of Israel.  While Divine intervention thwarts their attempt, the Children of Israel's sins at the conclusion of the parashah lead to a plague and many deaths.</li>
<li><b></b> – <aht subpage="PlainText#22">Chapter 22</aht> </li>
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<li><b></b> – <aht subpage="PlainText#23">Chapter 23</aht> </li>
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<li><b>Bilam's Mission and the Talking Donkey</b> – In <aht subpage="PlainText#22">Chapter 22</aht>, fearful of the Children of Israel's might, Balak asks Bilam to curse them. When Bilam agrees to the mission despite God's opposition, God sends an angel to block Bilam's path. After the ensuing humiliating incident involving Bilam's talking donkey, the angel reiterates that Bilam may only speak the words God speaks to him. Bilam continues on his way and meets up with Balak.</li>
<li><b></b> – <aht subpage="PlainText#24">Chapter 24</aht> </li>
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<li><b>Bilam's Blessings</b> – <aht subpage="PlainText#23">Chapter 23</aht> describes the first two of Balak's three failed attempts to create a setting conducive to Bilam cursing the Children of Israel.</li>
<li><b></b> – <aht subpage="PlainText#25">Chapter 25</aht> </li>
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<li><b>More Blessings and Prophecies</b> – In <aht subpage="PlainText#24">Chapter 24</aht>, after Bilam blesses the Children of Israel yet a third time, Balak despairs of the possibility of cursing Israel and sends Bilam away.  Before departing, Bilam prophesies about the Children of Israel's future victories against Moav and other nations.</li>
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<li><b>Sin and Punishment at Baal Peor</b> – The Parashah concludes in the beginning of <aht subpage="PlainText#25">Chapter 25</aht> with the Children of Israel sinning with Moabite women, worshiping the Moabite gods, and being duly punished by Hashem. When one of the Jewish leaders brazenly brings a Midianite princess into his tent in full view of Moshe and the people, Pinechas (Aharon's grandson) zealously kills both evildoers, and thereby causes Hashem to end the plague which had already killed 24,000 people.</li>
 
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<a href="BEM" class="btn btn-large"> »</a>&#160;&#160;&#160;
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<aht page="Why Worry About Bilam" class="btn btn-large">Why Worry About Bilam? »</aht>&#160;&#160;&#160;
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<aht page="Bilam and the Donkey in Art" class="btn btn-large">Bilam and the Donkey in Art »</aht>&#160;&#160;&#160;
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<aht page="Yitro and Bilam" class="btn btn-large">Yitro &amp; Bilam »</aht>
 
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Version as of 03:52, 4 July 2014

Parashat Balak – Summary

  • Parashat Balak describes how the Moabite king Balak recruits Bilam the sorcerer to curse the Children of Israel. While Divine intervention thwarts their attempt, the Children of Israel's sins at the conclusion of the parashah lead to a plague and many deaths.

  • Bilam's Mission and the Talking Donkey – In Chapter 22, fearful of the Children of Israel's might, Balak asks Bilam to curse them. When Bilam agrees to the mission despite God's opposition, God sends an angel to block Bilam's path. After the ensuing humiliating incident involving Bilam's talking donkey, the angel reiterates that Bilam may only speak the words God speaks to him. Bilam continues on his way and meets up with Balak.
  • Bilam's BlessingsChapter 23 describes the first two of Balak's three failed attempts to create a setting conducive to Bilam cursing the Children of Israel.
  • More Blessings and Prophecies – In Chapter 24, after Bilam blesses the Children of Israel yet a third time, Balak despairs of the possibility of cursing Israel and sends Bilam away. Before departing, Bilam prophesies about the Children of Israel's future victories against Moav and other nations.
  • Sin and Punishment at Baal Peor – The Parashah concludes in the beginning of Chapter 25 with the Children of Israel sinning with Moabite women, worshiping the Moabite gods, and being duly punished by Hashem. When one of the Jewish leaders brazenly brings a Midianite princess into his tent in full view of Moshe and the people, Pinechas (Aharon's grandson) zealously kills both evildoers, and thereby causes Hashem to end the plague which had already killed 24,000 people.


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