Blessings in Unexpected Places
This week's Torah portion, Balak, reminds us that even when people try to curse us, blessings can still break through.
Balak, the king of Moab, sees the Israelites as a threat and hires the prophet Balaam to curse them. But despite the pressure, Balaam can only speak the truth he receives from God. When he actually sees the Israelites—really sees them—he recognizes their beauty and offers this blessing instead, the one we still say today in our synagogues:
Mah tovu ohalecha Ya'akov—How good are your tents, O Jacob.
Balaam's perspective shifts completely once he witnesses the goodness of the people before him. Sometimes we need to get close enough to really see what's in front of us.
Yesterday, I officiated a wedding, and I witnessed this same transformation unfold in real time. I don't do many weddings, and I always insist on working with couples for a few months beforehand. It was beautiful to guide this young couple through the traditional Jewish ceremony and help them shape it into something meaningful and fully their own.
And on the couple’s wedding day, it felt like the universe was conspiring in their favor. Just two hours before the ceremony, the skies opened up with a torrential downpour that looked like it would force everything indoors. But then the rain stopped, the clouds cleared, and the only evidence left was damp grass beneath our feet. A moment that could have felt like a curse transformed into a quiet blessing—just like Balaam's words.
Both stories teach us the same lesson: what looks threatening from a distance often reveals itself as a blessing when we move closer and look with clearer eyes. This is Torah for our time, when fear-driven narratives dominate our discourse and make it hard to see the goodness that surrounds us. When fear drives the narrative, it's easy to miss the beauty, strength, and justice right in front of us. May we have the courage to speak truth even under pressure, and the clarity to rise above fear and see the blessings all around us—even when they first appear as something else entirely.
Also... yes, this is the portion with the talking donkey. Torah keeps us humble.
Rabbi, something was left out at the end of this paragraph...
And on the couple’s wedding day, it felt like the universe was conspiring in their favor. Just two hours before the ceremony, the skies opened up with a torrential downpour that looked like it would force everything indoors. But then the rain stopped, the clouds cleared, and the only evidence left was damp grass beneath our feet. A moment that could have felt like a
Even with the missing piece, your take rings true, as we are never alone in our struggle and there is beauty and truth with us.