Parshas Balak
Dedicated for Refua Sheleima for Dovid Yehoshua ben Leba Malka
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Another great Parsha with many ideas for your Parsha Party. REMINDER - THIS IS A SPRINGBOARD OF IDEAS. YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE IDEA OR A FEW. AND HAVE THE KIDS GUESS THE CONNECTIONS.
Parsha Overview (Feel free to skip straight to the Party below - simply click the arrow next to this text and the overview will disappear
Balak
Moav sees the Jewish Nation coming
The nation travelled to the plains of Moav. Balak, the king of Moav, saw them coming and had heard about what happened to Sichon and Og. The people of Moav were quite petrified. They became disgusted with the thought of the Jewish people in their land and they went and told Midyan that the Jews will come eat everything they had.
Balak seeks Bilaam's help
Balak sends messengers to Bilaam to tell him that so many Jews are in his land and that he needs Bilaam to curse thiem so he can wage a successful war against them. Bilaam was known to have the power of blessing and cursing.
The elders of Midyan and Moav go to Bilaam with magic charms in their hands. Bilaam tells them to wait and sleep over the night as he must first consult with Hashem to see if He will grant permission. Bilaam only merited Hashem to speak to him at night time.
Hashem warns Bilaam not to go
Hashem appears to Bilaam and asks him “Who are these people?” Bilaam answers that Balak sent them. Hashem tells Bilaam not to go and curse the Jewish people because they are a blessed nation. BIlaam sends home the messengers because he cannot go and curse.
Balak tries again
Balak sends new greater men to convince Bilaam. Bilaam responds that even if Balak were to give him a house full of silver and gold, he cannot do anything against the will of Hashem. He tells them again to remain overnight and he will see what Hashem says to him.
Hashem appears to him and tells him he can go along on condition that he is bound to say whatever Hashem puts in his mouth.
Bilaam goes and a Malach blocks his donkey
Bilaam gets up early in the morning, saddles his donkey, and goes on the journey with the messengers. Hashem was really angry and sent a Malach to block him. The donkey was able to see the Malach but Bilaam could not. The Malach stood there with a sword in hand and the donkey tried to turn away from it. Bilaam got angry and hit the donkey to direct it back on path.
Again, the Malach appears and stands in the way of the donkey with a fence blocking on both sides of him. The donkey sees the Malach and tries to squeeze around it, smashing Bilaam’s leg on the fence. An angry Bilaam hits the donkey once again. The Malach continues further along the pathway and blocks them on a very narrow passageway. The donkey stops suddenly and crouches down under Bilaam when it sees it cannot get by. Bilaam is furious and keeps hitting the donkey with his stick. He did not see the Malach and had no idea what was causing this radical behavior.
The Donkey yells at Bilaam!
Hashem then opened the mouth of the donkey and it begins to speak to Bilaam saying “What have I done to you that you hit me three times!”
Bilaam responds to the donkey that it was humiliating him and if he had a sword he would kill it.
The donkey tells Bilaam, I have been your trusted donkey that you have always ridden on, and I have never done anything like this to you!
Hashem opens Bilaam's eyes
Suddenly Hashem opened Bilaam’s eyes and he saw the Malach standing in front of him with a sword in his hand. He quickly bows to the Malach.
The Malach rebukes Bilaam for hitting the donkey and says had it not turned away, the Malach would have killed Bilaam. Bilaam responds “Chatasi” I sinned. I didn’t realize it. The Malach tells Bilaam to continue going with his men but whatever Hashem says to say he will need to say.
Bilaam and Balak meet up
Balak goes out to Moav to meet Bilaam and says “Why didn’t you come to me?” Bilaam says “I have come to you but do I have power to say anything? It is whatever Hashem puts into my mouth.”
Balak slaughters some cattle for Bilaam and in the morning takes him up to Bamos Baal where he can see part of the nation.
Bilaam tells Balak to build seven Mizbayachs and bring seven rams. He brings his sacrifice and Bilaam goes alone to try and see if Hashem will appear to him by day because usually, He only appears to him at night. Hashem appears to him by “chance” and tells him to go back to Balak and He will put words in his mouth.
Bilaam blesses the Jewish people
Bilaam tells him “You wanted me to curse the Jewish people but how can I curse them without Hashem cursing them? From their beginning I see them as mountain peaks, they are a nation that dwells alone and not with other nations” … He blessed the Jewish people.
Balak is furious and tries again but fails
Balak was very upset and tries to get Bilaam to say curses on the people. Again, Bilaam tries but Hashem sends him blessings on the people. Bilaam sees that Hashem only wants to say good things and he says "Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov" – how great are the tents of Yaakov…. And continues with more blessings.
Balak is furious and claps his hands in anger at Bilaam. Bilaam keeps saying good things about Hashem and the people and then leaves.
The Jewish People sin terribly in Moav
The Jewish people stayed by Moav and started to act inappropriately with the girls of Moav and started to serve the Baal Peor. Hashem was very angry and said the leaders that were sinning need to be hanged and hit them with a plague. There was a man from the Jewish People that went and did a terrible Aveira with a girl from Midyan.
Pinchas was brave and stood up against this terrible act and stabbed a spear into them to kill them.
The plague stopped.
(Adapted partially from Chabad.org, and The Pesukim and Rashi and Medrash Says)
And now for the fun part
PARSHA PARTY
SNACKS LISTED FIRST SO YOU CAN TRY AND GUESS TOO!
Gummi Magic bears
Fruity Peak
Dunkees
Lego Blocks Candy
Money Rolls
Lip candy
Animal Cookies
Tents made out of Graham Crackers and fluff/peanut butter/Choco Spread
THE PARSHA PARTY ANSWER LIST!
Gummi Magic bears – The Midyani people came to Bilam with magic charms in their hands. Also the Mov people used Magic charms for enticing the Jewish people
Fruity Peak – Bilaam blessed the Jews from the mountain peaks and also blessed them with mountain peaks
Dunkees – Bilaams donkey saw the Malach and kept turning off the road
Lego Blocks Candy – The donkey tried to squeeze around the malach smashing Bilaams leg on the wall
Money Rolls – Bilaam said all the gold and silver and money wouldn’t be able to do anything if Hashem does not allow
Lip candy – Bilaam blessed the Jewish people instead of cursing. Also Moshe was told to speak to the rock
Animal Cookies – The donkey of Bilaam, the animals that Balak brought as sacrifices
Tents made out of Graham Crackers and fluff/peanut butter/Choco Spread – Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov the Bracha of Bilaam
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
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Zechus for all the soldiers on the front lines in Israel to stay safe and succeed!
Zechus for the hostages to be returned safely and the wounded and grieving to recover from the terrible tragedy that occurred on Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah.
Le'iluy Nishmas the soldiers lost in battle and all the Kedoshim lost on 10.7.23
Zechus Refuah Sheleima: Miriam bas Chana
Le'iluy Nishmas: Gittel a"h bas Shraga Meir Hakohen
Le'iluy Nishmas Tziporah Chana a"h bas Yaakov Avraham Eliyahu
Le'iluy Nishmas Eliyahu zt"l ben R' Chaim Yitzchak and Raizel a"h bas R' Dovid Mordechai
Le'iluy Nishmas Moshe ben Dovid
Le'iluy Nishmas Meir Naftoli ben Tzvi Halevi
Le'iluy Nishmas Shneur Zalman ben Yitzchak HaKohen
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