Parashat Balak (King of Moab) Numbers 22:2 - 25:9
HafTorah Micah 5:6 - 6:8
Dear friends,
Welcome again from Middlesex Beach, Delaware where Chris and I and our grandson Joshua are wrapping up our two-week stay this week. In this Shabbat's Torah portion (Balak from the Book of Bamidbar), we are introduced to the beautiful מַה טֹּבוּ (Ma Tovu) declaration. We hear the story of the Moabite king Balak, who hires Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam’s donkey speaks along the way, and Balaam ends up blessing the Israelites with the following song that is has been repeated by the Jewish people to this day.
Hebrew
מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל
ואני ברב חסדך, אבוא ביתך
אשתחווה אל היכל קדשך, ביראתך
ה' אהבתי מעון ביתך ומקום משכן כבודך
ואני אשתחווה ואכרעה אברכה לפני ה' עשי
ואני תפילתי לך ה' את רצון
אלוקים ברב חסדך ענני באמת ישעך
Romanization
Ma tovu ohalekha Ya'akov, mishk'notekha Yisra'el.
Va'ani b'rov hasd'kha, avo veytekha,
eshtahaveh el heikhal kodsh'kha b'yir'atekha.
Adonai, ahavti m'on beitekha um'kom mishkan k'vodekha.
Va'ani eshtakhaveh ve'ekhra'ah, avar'kha lifnei Adonai osi.
Va'ani t'filati l'kha Adonai et ratzon,
Elohim b'rov hasdekha aneini be'emet yish'ekha.
English translation
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel!
As for me, through Your abundant grace,
I enter your house to worship with awe in Your sacred place.
O Lord, I love the House where you dwell, and the place where your glory tabernacles.
I shall prostrate myself and bow; I shall kneel before the Lord my Maker.
To You, Eternal One, goes my prayer: may this be a time of your favor.
In Your abundant love, O God, answer me with the Truth of Your salvation.
It is customarily sung when entering a house of worship or study and there have been many beautiful renditions including my favorite sung by Rachel Hyman which I hope can be played for you as you enter the synagogue this evening. For a preview, click here: Rachel Hyman sings Ma Tovu, a lovely Hebrew song (youtube.com)
The haunting and beautiful words of the Prophet Micah refer to Balaam's uttering a blessing rather than a curse and reminds us that living well and performing good deeds far outweigh sacrifices and offerings. He concludes with asking if the reliance of thousands of rams or myriads of oil or the giving of one's firstborn would please Adanoi? The answer is a resounding NO! "What Adanoi requires of us to do judgement, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our G-d"
בַּמָּה֙ אֲקַדֵּ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה אִכַּ֖ף לֵאלֹהֵ֣י מָר֑וֹם הַאֲקַדְּמֶ֣נּוּ בְעוֹל֔וֹת בַּעֲגָלִ֖ים בְּנֵ֥י שָׁנָֽה׃
With what shall I approach
Adanoi,
Do homage to God on high?
Shall I approach with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
הֲיִרְצֶ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י אֵילִ֔ים בְּרִֽבְב֖וֹת נַחֲלֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הַאֶתֵּ֤ן בְּכוֹרִי֙ פִּשְׁעִ֔י פְּרִ֥י בִטְנִ֖י חַטַּ֥את נַפְשִֽׁי׃
Would Adanoi
be pleased with thousands of rams,
With myriads of streams of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for my sins?
הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־יְהֹוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
“You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
And what Adanoi
requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk modestly with your God;
I look forward to Zooming in with you on Shabbat, this evening at 7:30 pm and tomorrow, Saturday 9:30 am as we continue our prayers and study of the Book of Bamidbar and this special portion of Balak. We will be in-person and virtually on Zoom as usual.
Shabbat Shalom,
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
_______________________________________________________________
FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service, Friday 07/19/2024 7:30 pm
Time: Jul 19, 2024 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA
_______________________________________________________
SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Service 07/20/2024 9:30 am
Time: Jul 20, 2024 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA
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