Balak בלק

My Musing
This Shabbat marks four years since Gilad Shalit was abducted from Israel by terrorists and is now held in parts unknown.
This week's selection is one of the more well known but misquoted about the four qualities by which the Israelites remained true to their values in Egypt and merited salvation. It is also one of the older Tanhuma midrashim. But the message is clear. Stay true to the mission and to your identity/heritage and the redemption will come. In other words Keep The Faith.

May Gilad merit the protection, redemption, and salvation in the immediate future.

מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת בלק סימן טז
(במדבר כה:א) "וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת אֶל בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב"

“And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab”

ילמדנו רבינו: בזכות כמה דברים נגאלו ישראל ממצרים. כך שנו רבותינו בזכות ארבעה דברים:
שלא שנו את שמותם; ולא שנו את לשונם; ולא גלו מסתרים שלהם; ולא נפרצו בעריות."

Our master should teach us: In the merit of some items the Israelites merited tio be redeemed from Egypt. Thus taught our rabbis: in the merit of four things: They did not change their names, they did not change their language, they did not reveal their special hiding places, and they did not breach social sexual mores.

לא שנו שמותן, שראובן ושמעון ירדו וראובן ושמעון עלו.

They did not change their names, that Reuben and Shimon went own to Egypt and Reuben and Shimon went up.

לא שנו את לשונם שנאמר (בראשית מה:יב) "וְהִנֵּה עֵינֵיכֶם רֹאוֹת וְעֵינֵי אָחִי בִנְיָמִין כִּי פִי הַמְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם" שהיו מספרין בלשון הקודש.

They did not change their language as it says, “And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks unto you.” That they would speak in the holy tongue.

לא גלו מסתרין שלהן שנאמר (שמות ג:כב) "וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת וְשַׂמְתֶּם עַל בְּנֵיכֶם וְעַל בְּנֹתֵיכֶם וְנִצַּלְתֶּם אֶת מִצְרָיִם" והיה הדבר הזה מופקד אצלם י"ב חדש ולא גלה אחד מהן למצרים.

They did not reveal their secret places as it says, “but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.” And this was held secret by them for twelve months and they did not reveal this to the Egyptians.

ולא פרצו בעריות שכך כתיב (שיר השירים ד:יב) "גַּן נָעוּל אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם", " גַּן נָעוּל אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה" אלו הזכרים, "גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם" אלו הבתולות. תדע לך, שהרי אחת היתה ומפרסמה הכתוב שנאמר (ויקרא כד:י) "וַיֵּצֵא בֶּן אִשָּׁה יִשְׂרְאֵלִית וְהוּא בֶּן אִישׁ מִצְרִי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּנָּצוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה בֶּן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית וְאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי" וכל אותן מ' שנה שהיו במדבר לא סרחו בעבירה עד שבאו לשטים. לפיכך כתיב, "וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים" שטים שעשו שטות שנאמר (משלי ו:לב) "נֹאֵף אִשָּׁה חֲסַר לֵב מַשְׁחִית נַפְשׁוֹ הוּא יַעֲשֶׂנָּה"

And they did not breach the social sexual mores that thus is written “A garden shut up is my sister, my bride; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” “a garden shut up is my sister” refers to the men, “a spring shut up” refers to the young women. You should know, that there was one, and the scriptures publicized her as it says, And the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp.” And all forty years that they were in the wildernessthey did not spoil in this sin until they came to Shitim. Therefore it is written, “and they dwelled in Shitim” ‘Shitim” since their they acted with ‘Shtut’ as it says, “He that commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he doeth it that would destroy his own soul”