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Torah Portions
The Weekly Torah Portion of Balak
Courtesy of: Aish.com
True Honor
"And
Bilaam said to the donkey, 'Because you have mocked me,
if I were to have a sword in my hand right now, I would kill you.' "
(Numbers 22:29).
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik commented that
usually a person hits a donkey because he wants it to go faster so that he
can get to where he is going sooner. However, Bilaam was a pursuer of honor.
Therefore, when the donkey caused him irritation he considered it a slight
to his honor and wanted to kill it.
When
a person seeks honor, he doesn't realize how ridiculous he is and how he
hurts himself. Bilaam said that he wanted to kill the donkey immediately. He
should have said that he would wait until he reached his destination and
only then would he kill it. His seeking honor prevented him from thinking
straight.
Moreover,
the donkey started speaking. This was a miraculous event and Bilaam should
have been overwhelmed with amazement. However, what does Bilaam focus on?
Only one thing - his honor! And not only that, where is he looking for
honor? From a donkey!
Every
honor-seeker has aspects of this same foolishness in his personality.
Therefore, because of the negativity of this trait one must do all that he
can to overcome the desire for honor.
The
Chofetz Chaim used to say that true honor is when one seeks wisdom. Gaining
more wisdom is honorable in itself and when one seeks it one will free
oneself from seeking superficial signs of honor that are only illusions.
The Arrival of the Mashiach
In
the final days prior to the arrival of the Mashiach, there will be many
forces that will try to transform the Nation of Israel into a nation like
all other nations.
(Rabbi
Bunim of Pashischa)
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