Balak (Numbers 22:2 – 25:9)

Balak is thus named for Balak, king of the Moabites, who is the first person mentioned in the portion.

The portion begins and informs us that Balak, the king of Moab, saw all of Israel's accomplishments (in the wars mentioned in the previous portion), and feared the Israelites. He then sends messengers to Bil'am the son of Beor, a regional prophet, asking him to curse the Israelites. Initially, God does not allow Bil'am to fulfill this mission, but when Balak continues to offer Bil'am more treasures and glory for his services, Bil'am is tempted to go. God allows him to go only if he will say what God tells him to. On his way, an angel stands before him with his sword drawn, but only Bil'am's she-donkey sees him. She refuses to proceed, and Bil'am beats her. She then opens her mouth and speaks, asking why he treated her this way when she has always been loyal to him, and God then reveals the angel to Bil'am. The angel again warns Bil'am that he must only say what God tells him to say.

Balak is ecstatic that Bil'am has come, and Bil'am tells him that he can only say what God tells him to say. Balak and Bil'am attempt cursing the Israelites from different places and while bringing different sacrifices, but Bil'am repeatedly blessed the people, rather than cursing them. When Balak complains, Bil'am reminds him that he told his messengers from the beginning that gold and silver could not make him defy God's orders. Balak sends Bila'm back to his home with no reward.

After this, we hear that the Israelites were tempted by the Moabite women, not only having relations with them but also sacrificing to their gods. God commands Moses to impale the leaders, in order to contain his wrath. As Moses is commanding the people to kill all the sinners, one Israelite brought a Midianite woman into his family, in front of all the people. Pinxas, the grandson of Aaron, sees this, and in his rage, zealously kills the Israelite and the Midianite woman. By this, he stopped the plague which had come upon the Israelites, killing 24,000.