Podcasts about Balak

What do you get when a childhood CEO dream, a boring date night, and a refusal to settle for burnout collide? You get Mandy Balak's playbook for building brands, leading communities, and living life on purpose.In this episode, Mandy—entrepreneur, coach, and President of The Gathering—shares how she turned a last-minute class project into a media company, why her monthly Integration Day is non-negotiable, and what it really takes to build a legacy without losing yourself in the hustle.We talk ambition, alignment, burnout, bold decisions—and why leadership without presence just isn't it anymore. Whether you're running a business or running on fumes, this one's for you.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Please find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity St. Matthew 5:20-26 by William Klock In last Sunday's Gospel we were with Jesus and Peter in that fishing boat as Jesus preached to the crowd on the shore.  I said that I had a pretty good ides the sorts of things Jesus was preaching, because both Matthew and Luke preserve versions of his favourite sermon about the kingdom.  Today's Gospel gives us a snippet of Matthew's version of that sermon.  In Matthew 5:20 Jesus says to the gathered crowd, “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  In the words leading up to this, Jesus was preparing the people to hear this.  He talks about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world and a city set on hill and a light held high on a lampstand for everyone to see.  “That's how you must shine your light in front of people!” he says, “Then they'll see what wonderful things you do, and they'll give glory to your father in heaven.”  Do your works, does you the way you live make people take notice and give glory to God?  That's a tough one, isn't it?  And then, just in case people might be thinking that Jesus came to do away with the law and the prophets: “Don't suppose that I came to destroy the law or the prophets,” Jesus said, “I didn't come to destroy them.  I came to fulfil them!  I'm telling you the truth: until heaven and earth disappear—and since that won't happen this just means never—not one stroke, not one dot, is going to disappear from the law until it's all come true.  So anyone who relaxes a single one of these commandments, even the little ones, and teaches that to people, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.  And anyone who does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”  And this is where Jesus says those words, “Yes, let me tell you: unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”   Because Jesus was doing and saying so many things that a lot of people thought weren't right, I suspect some people thought that Jesus was teaching an easier way to the kingdom.  The Pharisees were mad because he didn't seem to keep the law with the same zeal that they thought everyone should, but I suspect there were others who thought Jesus was offering them a way to God without all the spiritual rigor and rules.  Just this week I found myself talking to someone who had left an orthodox, biblical church a few years ago and is now worshipping at a United Church.  The reason: “They aren't so strict.  They let people be themselves.  They aren't so bound to the Bible.”  In other words: The United Church offers a way to God that you can follow on your own terms.  I suspect some people thought Jesus was doing a sort of First Century Jewish version of that.  And so Jesus makes it clear that this is not the case.  No, just the opposite in fact.  Not even the Pharisees with all their zeal for torah, not even they meet the standard.  Later in the sermon he'll go on to talk about the wide and narrow way that will lead Israel to destruction and the narrow gate that few can find and the narrow and difficult way beyond that leads to the kingdom.  No, Jesus hasn't come to relax the standard.  Not at all. But before we can go on we need to ask a couple of questions.  When Jesus talks about “righteousness”, what does he mean?  Well, for the Jews “righteousness” was bound up with torah, with the law and with God's covenant.  A righteous person was someone who was faithful to God and to the covenant and that meant, fundamentally, that he was faithful in living the law that God had given his people. The name “Pharisee” means “separated one”.  That's what Israel was supposed to be.  The Lord had delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt to be his people and he gave them a law, he gave them torah, as a way of life that would separate them and that would make them distinct from every other people on earth.  When the nations looked at Israel they were supposed to be moved to give glory to God.  But for most of their history, the Israelites didn't do a very good job of being that separate and distinct people.  They were selective in their obedience.  They worshipped idols.  And so just as he cast Adam and Eve out of the garden and out of his holy presence, the Lord cast out Israel and sent her in exile to Babylon.  Righteousness means “covenant faithfulness” and if Israel wasn't going to be faithful to the covenant, then in order to be faithful himself to the covenant, the Lord would have enact the covenant curses that he promised would befall his people if they didn't keep their end of the covenant—if they were unrighteous. As I've said before fairly recently, the Pharisees knew all of this.  More than that, they believed that the exile was, after a fashion, still ongoing.  Because Israel was still ruled by pagans and because the Lord's presence had never returned to the temple.  They desperately wanted an end to Roman rule and even more than that, they prayed for the Lord's return.  But that wasn't going to happen as long as Israel was still unfaithful—still lacking in righteousness.  So the Pharisees decided to set an example.  They weren't just going to obey the law as best they could; they were going to live their whole lives as if they were priests in the temple.  They wouldn't just keep themselves from sin.  They'd keep themselves ritually pure at all times.  They were ready for the Lord to return.  If only they could get everyone in Israel just as ready!  But not everyone in Israel was as interested in righteousness as they were.  There were a lot of people who just weren't as serious about God's law as they were.  But worse were the compromisers—the Jews who gradually assimilated to the pagan ways of the Greeks and Romans and the people who willingly and knowingly became traitors to the covenant: tax collectors and sinners. Think of it this way: The Pharisees saw themselves in the midst of a culture war.  And they knew it wasn't the first time Israel had faced a culture war.  And so their heroes were the righteous men of Israel's past culture wars.  One of those heroes was Phinehas, one of Aaron's grandsons.  In the book of Numbers we read how Balak, the King of Moab, had hired a prophet to curse the Israelites.  But the prophet, Balaam couldn't do it.  Every time he opened his mouth to curse the Israelites, the Lord caused blessings to spill out.  So Balak, instead, sent a bunch of beautiful Moabite women to infiltrate the Israelite camp and to entice the men of Israel to worship the Canaanite god Baal with them.  Isreal's first culture war.  The men were enticed into sexual immorality and then into idolatry—those two always go hand-in-hand.  But Phinehas, came upon one of the Israelite men in flagrante delicto with one of these women.  Filled with holy zeal, Phinehas grabbed a spear and ran them both through together.  That was the end of Israel's first culture war and Phinehas became a hero for his righteous zeal. But much more recently, the Pharisees looked back on the heroes of the Maccabean Revolt—about 160 years before.  In those days Judah was ruled by Greeks.  And the Greeks just sort of thought that because their culture was so superior to everyone else's, everyone would just assimilate given the chance.  Think of Gus in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  “There are two kinds of people: Greeks and everyone who wish they was Greek.”  But no matter how many temples or gymnasiums the Greeks built, the Jews wouldn't assimilate.  Antiochus IV Epiphanes had enough of it and finally outlawed the law.  If you circumcised your son, you and he would be executed.  He defiled the Lord's altar by sacrificing a pig on it.  In Second Maccabees we read a horrific story of seven brothers and their mother who were tortured and gruesomely martyred when they refused to eat pork.  Jews were forced to offer sacrifices to Zeus.  Mattathias Maccabeus was watching as one Jewish man caved into that pressure.  The writer of First Maccabees tells us how Mattathias burned with zeal for the law, just like Phinehas had.  He ran forward and killed the man at the altar, then turned and killed the King's soldier.  That would kick off a revolt against the pagan Greeks.  But the Maccabean revolutionaries didn't just go after their foreign rulers; like Mattathias they went after compromising Jews as well. They were the inspiration for the Pharisees.  The Pharisees didn't have that kind of power.  They couldn't force anyone to keep the law or to keep it better.  But they had the same kind of zeal.  They desperately wanted, they prayed for the Lord to return to Zion to destroy the Romans and all the other unrighteous pagans—and all the compromisers like the tax collectors and sinners in Israel, too. And—getting back to Jesus peaching on the hillside—and Jesus now says that even that kind of zeal, that kind of righteousness isn't enough to get folks into the kingdom.  In other words, to the people who were coming to Jesus thinking he was making it easier—kind of like some modern liberal spirituality that you can shape to your own liking—Jesus says, “No.  I didn't come to make it easier.”  But then he condemns even the Pharisees.  They were the most righteous people around and even they weren't going to make the cut.  So what now?  Imagine all the people holding their breath to hear what Jesus is going to say next.  They really, really want to know.  Before he ever started preaching, they'd seen him doing all the Messiah things: casting out demons, healing the sick and the blind and the deaf.  They knew without a doubt that the God of Israel was somehow acting in and through Jesus, so they had to think that when he preached, he preached with authority and he spoke for God.  He's got their attention now.  Now they want to know what it means to be more righteous than even the Pharisees. So Jesus goes on and says, “You have heard it said to the people of old, ‘You shall not murder'; and anyone who commits murder shall be liable to judgement.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement; anyone who insults his brother with foul and abusive language will be liable to the lawcourt; and anyone who says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to the fires of Gehenna.”   And Jesus keeps going on like this.  If we skip down to 5:27—picking up just were today's Gospel ends—Jesus says something similar about adultery.  “You have heard it said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you: everyone who gazes at a woman in order to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  On and on.  Divorce falls in Jesus sites too: Divorce is wrong.  Marriage is a life-long covenant.  Tell the truth, he says, and you won't need to make oaths for people to believe you.  The law commanded justice and put limits on retaliation, but Jesus says, “Don't resist evil with violence”, “turn the other cheek”.  “When someone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat, too.  When someone forces you to go one mile, go a second one with him.”  And in verse 43 Jesus puts a cherry on top of all this.  They knew that the law was about loving your neighbour, but then they got the idea that the only people who were their neighbours were their fellow Jews.  Love your neighbours, yes, but hate your enemies—people like the Romans, the tax collectors, and the sinners who openly rejected God's law and covenant.  Love your neighbours.  Pray for God to smite your enemies.  And Jesus says, “No!  I tell you: love your enemies!  Pray for people who persecute you!”  Why?  “So that you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven.”   Do you want to have a share in the kingdom?  Do you want to be a child of the Father?  Do you want to know how to have a righteousness—a covenant faithfulness—greater than even the Pharisees?  Do want people to glorify God when they see how you live?  Then love the way that God loves.  That's what righteousness has always been about: it's been about a people that conforms to the heart of God.  Righteousness is about sinlessness, but it goes deeper than that and that's what the Pharisees and so many others in Israel had forgotten even though it was there all along: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbour as yourself.” Brothers and Sisters, this is what kingdom people look like in a culture war.  They love the way God loves.  This is the narrow gate, this is the difficult path that leads to the kingdom and life with God.  It's hard.  All we have to do is look around us.  Things haven't changed much since Jesus preached this two thousand years ago.  We're in the middle of a war ourselves and it seems like Christians are prone to the same two failures.  There's a ditch on either side of the road.  You fall into the ditch on this side when you give in and compromise.  Whether it's the Judeans who went along with the Greeks, leaving their sons uncircumcised, eating pork, and making offerings to Zeus or the Christians today who give up and buy into the pagan world's notion that love is whatever you make it, anything goes, and we can all live and fellowship with God on our own terms.  Brothers and Sisters, compromise with a godless and anti-gospel culture isn't the way.  Jesus didn't come to make it easier to get into the kingdom, but there are a lot of people and churches today who think that the answer to the culture and to dwindling interest in the gospel is to lower the bar and to make it easier to think of yourself as a Christian.  Appealing to the cultural moment might get you a few followers in the short term, but it will land you in the outer darkness, weeping and gnashing your teeth just as surely as the opposite error will. The opposite error—the ditch on the other side of the road—is Phariseeism.  And that happens when we forget that the gospel wins not through violence and force but when Christians love the way that God loves.  Brothers and Sisters, no amount of compelling, force, violence, or political power will ever move the heart of an unbeliever to give glory to God because of what they see in us.  But in the midst of a culture war it's very easy for God's people to think that seizing the reigns of power is the answer.  We'll do anything, compromise just about anything, team up with just about anyone no matter how ungodly they are, to get our hands on that power.  And we can do it all with a zealousness like that of Phinehas or Mattathias that feels so right.  We try to meld Caesar and Jesus together, forgetting that Caesars bloody and violent way is the opposite of the gospel, which conquers through love.  You can't trust in Jesus and at the same trust in horses and chariots.  You can't trust in Jesus and at the same time trust in political power.  Jesus demands our allegiance and our trust—all of it and without compromise.  And it's when we give him that full allegiance that we have the loving heart of God.  It's when we're willing to follow Jesus as we turn the other cheek, as we give both our shirt and our coat, as we go the extra mile, even as we go to our own deaths, it's then that world takes notice and give glory to God.  That's how the gospel captivates hearts and transforms the world. Brothers and Sisters, that's the narrow gate and the difficult path.  Don't give up on righteousness when the going gets tough.  And never forget that law is ultimately about loving God and loving our neighbours—everyone—the way God loves them—enough to give his own son.  Love them as God does—even your worst enemy—even to point of sacrifice.  That's how God once captivated your heart and it's how he will captivate theirs. Jesus stresses just how important this is.  Going back to the end of our Gospel in Matthew 5:23 he says, “So, if you are coming to the altar with your gift and there you remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift right there in front of the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother.  Then come back and offer your gift.”   We probably miss the significance of this.  To go to the temple in Jerusalem to make an offering to God was the peak of righteousness, of covenant faithfulness.  This took precedence over everything else.  No one.  No. one.  Would go to Jerusalem.  And remember, Jesus is preaching in Galilee, a three day's journey from Jerusalem.  No one would trek all that way, carrying their animal for sacrifice or buying one at an exorbitant price at the temple, wait their turn, and then standing there with the priest ready to make the sacrifice, suddenly realise they needed to go all the way back home to make something right with a brother or a sister.  Yes, I think Jesus is using a bit of hyperbole here, but he wants to drive his point home, because this is how people—especially the Pharisees thought.  If you were doing it for God, nothing else mattered.  Think of the priest and the Levite in Jesus' parable, leaving a man for dead on the side of the road lest they become ritually impure.  For all their talk of loving God, they'd forgotten just how much God loves us and they'd failed to live it out.  That's why they grumbled when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners.  They'd forgotten that all of heaven rejoices over a sinner who repents. No, says Jesus.  Never think that you're honouring God if, at the same time, you're failing to love your neighbour the way God loves him.  Never think you're doing God's work if, at the same time, you've compromised his call to faith and to faithfulness.  Never think you're building the kingdom if, at the same time, you're compromising its principles.  Instead, stop what you're doing and make things right.  Go back and love your neighbour.  Reconcile and make things right with him.  Remember that you serve the God who gave his son out of love in order to reconcile sinful you to himself.  Have that kind of love in your heart and let it shape every thing you do. Brothers and Sisters, every Sunday we recite those words of Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  Don't just mindlessly say those words.  Be shaped by them.  Love God and love your neighbour with everything you've got and then you will have that righteousness greater even than that of the scribes and the Pharisees. Let's pray: O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Rage and Age of Gog and Magog Let's start with our familiar text: Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!” (So 4:16) This call to “Awake, O North” is thought to encompass three distinct calls recorded in 1. Jeremiah 31:7-8 (exiles of Israel), 2. Isaiah 41:25 (Messiah) 3. Gog and Magog (Ezek 38:2) Why are all three being called to "Awake" simultaneously? To awake in Scripture can have a few connotations. The contextual explanation is that there has been a period of inactivity, and the prophetic call is to arouse each group to action. Messiah will begin to gather the exiles who have aroused from a period of spiritual apathy, and simultaneously, Gog and Magog will awaken in that generation to create the chaos and darkness necessary to awaken Israel from spiritual "sleep." Because the gematria of Gog and Magog is 70 [Gimmel-Vav-Gimmel Vav-Mem-Gimmel-Vav-Gimmel, 3+6+3+6+40+3+6+3], they are thought to represent the symbolic 70 nations of the world, which will gather against both 1. Adonai and 2. Israel. Various commentaries make oblique references to Gog and Magog, but it will not be understood fully until the day arrives. Some say it is the descendants of Amalek among the nations. Amalek, from which King Agag arose, is the murderous spirit of Edom, or Rome, the fourth beast, headed by Babylon. In that sense, Gog (chief person) and Magog (his nation, people) has arisen in every generation to provoke the Holy One and people who trust in Him and obey Him. The Scriptures cited below reiterate that Gog and Magog are not a single ruler and nation, but a wicked remnant embedded among all nations. In some generations, they will rise up with enough strength and cunning to marshal huge numbers of the population to join their murderous schemes. The pre-millennial war will bring Israel to repentance, and Adonai Himself will destroy Gog and Magog with confusion, thunder, hail, blood, and lightning (Ezek 38-39). In other words, an amalgam of Egypt and Assyria's judgments. Psalm Two is traditionally associated with Gog of Magog: Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,“Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” (Ps 2:1-6) The commentators note that in this attack of Gog, it revisits an important precedent in Babel: at the tower of Bavel, the united conspirators agreed to attack Heaven itself. As a result, YHVH confused them, and the 70 languages of the nations were born. This is the traditional location of Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue. Amalek in the Torah portion Balak is referred to "first of the nations," in other words, the first to openly rebel against Heaven itself by attacking Israel in the wilderness; this "first" attack was also the first direct attack against Heaven since the "nation of mankind" attempted to penetrate it rebelliously at the Tower of Bavel. At the final attack of Gog from Magog, the nations will once again undertake to assemble and attack YHVH and Messiah DIRECTLY, thinking the Holy City Jerusalem has a “Patron” who will defend it. They believe this was the wicked Amalekite Haman's fallacy, attacking the Jews first instead of their God. Something will cause them to believe they have the wherewithal to wage war directly against YHVH and King Messiah. What do Gog and Magog have to do with the third “awakening” of the winds?

Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel, but God turns every curse into a blessing. Even when the enemy plots in secret, God is still in control. But while Balaam couldn't curse Israel from the outside, Israel fell to sin from within. This portion reminds us that no weapon formed against us can prosper unless we open the door. Guarding our hearts and walking in obedience is our strongest defense.PinchasNumbers 25:10-29:40Who Are You Willing to Offend?Stay ConnectedLinktree: https://linktr.ee/jacobstentWebsite: https://jacobstent.org/Facebook: @jacobstentfellowship Instagram: @jacobstent Download Our App: https://jacobstent.org/appGiving: https://jacobstent.org/giveEmail Signup: http://eepurl.com/g-YpcDJoin us for our Shabbat service with Bill Cloud and the Jacob's Tent Family!If you are enjoying this live stream, PLEASE consider sending in an offering, tithe, or donation to help us continue spread the gospel free from Jacob's Tent. We work hard to make sure this is an enjoyable experience to our online community, but it doesn't come without a price.Give online via the Jacobs Tent app, our website, or text any amount to 84321 to support this ministry. Yahweh bless you and keep you! Shalom.

In the beginning of this week's parasha , Pinchas, we read about the great rewards Pinchas received for doing the will of Hashem under very difficult circumstances. The Midrash at the end of parashat Balak asks how could it be that Moshe Rabbenu forgot the halacha of what was supposed to be done with Zimri and Kozbi? Thr Midrash answered, it was מן השמים, in order to give Pinchas the ability to get what Hashem wanted to give him. Although when we read the pesukim it seems like everything happened in the natural course of events, in actuality, it was Hashem pulling the strings. Now was Pinchas's time and if, in order for that to happen, the greatest Rabbi in history needed to forget a halacha , then that's what was going to happen. But it goes even further. Every person's tests and opportunities for growth have already been mapped out for them way before they were even born. Hashem knows what each person needs to fulfill his mission and He sets each person up with the tests that they need to accomplish that mission. The Vilna Gaon writes, Bilaam was being tested by Hashem to see if he would go to curse the Jews against His will. Hashem sent him many obstacles to give him help with that test and he failed each time. That story, as well, seemed very natural. The nation of Moav became afraid of the Jews after they conquered Sichon and Og, and so they hired someone who seemed capable of cursing them to remove the threat. Chazal tell us, one of the things Hashem created on the sixth day of Creation during bein hashemashot was the פי האתון – the mouth of the donkey who tried to dissuade Bilaam from continuing on. This means, already from the beginning of time, Hashem was preparing the tests that Bilaam needed to go through. Korach was tested when he didn't receive the position he wanted. His job was to say, "It's מן השמים ," and accept it. But instead, he made a revolt against Moshe and Aharon. There as well, everything seemed very natural, but Chazal tell us, the spot of the earth which swallowed up the eida of Korach was created already on bein hashemashot during the six days of Creation. At that time, when Hashem was creating the world, He was already preparing the necessary components for the test he was going to give Korach thousands of years later. Avraham Avinu's tenth test of Akedat Yitzchak , which we are still benefiting from today, did not just happen at that time. That ram that he slaughtered instead of Yitzchak was created during the six days of Creation. Already from then, Hashem was planning out every single nisayon that Avraham would need to go through. And the same is true of every single individual. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations we don't want to be in and we start trying to figure out how we got there. Our job is not to backtrack and see how we could have avoided it. Our job is to do what Hashem wants us to do in that very situation. Every circumstance we find ourselves in had been carefully planned out for us to achieve our purpose here. What may seem to be a bunch of natural happenings is nothing other than the yad Hashem. In life, we need to pass each test as it comes. We don't know how much is riding on each one of them. The next test could be what we need that will make us zocheh to the beracha that we have been seeking. Every one is necessary for us to pass and b'ezrat Hashem, if we do, then we will be fulfilling the purpose of our creation. Shabbat Shalom.

Join Gabe Rutledge and the rest of DMF as we look at Torah portion Balak and assess Balak's fear towards the people of Israel. WE will correlate that to a modern anti-semitic wave happening globally. For more information on Dothan Messianic Fellowship, visit www.dothanmessianicfellowship.com 

R. Marcus Rubenstein's sermon from Shabbat morning services at Temple of Aaron on July 12th, 2025 on parshat Balak.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Ashear's new book LIVING EMUNAH VOL 8 click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644645.html The Chafetz Chaim writes that in the entire narrative of Bilam attempting to curse the Jewish people, there are no paragraph breaks—no פ or ס —in the Torah. This is because the danger was so severe, the Torah did not want to pause until the threat had passed. Balak and Bilam stood on a mountaintop with the potential to cause immense destruction, and meanwhile, the Jewish people were completely unaware of the danger surrounding them. But Hashem, as always, the שומר ישראל , was watching over His nation. He did not allow any harm to come to us. From the words Hashem placed in the donkey's mouth, and later in Bilam's own mouth, we see what Hashem found so impressive about Am Yisrael. The donkey referred to the שלש רגלים , and Rashi explains that Hashem was saying to Bilam: this is a nation that travels three times a year to Yerushalayim for the שלש רגלים —you will not be able to harm them. The Jewish people would leave their homes and land open and vulnerable, trusting completely in Hashem's promise that no one would invade while they were away celebrating at the Beit HaMikdash. That kind of אמונה is a shield no curse can penetrate. Bilam then says: מי מנה עפר יעקב How many mitzvot do the Jewish people perform even with the simple dust of the earth? מה טובו אהליך יעקב משכנותיך ישראל How beautiful are our shuls and batei midrash, filled with Jews praying and learning. עם כלביא יקום We are a nation that rises like a lion in the morning to grab mitzvot(Tzitzit, Tefillin, and Shema) with passion and strength. We didn't even know the danger we were in, and therefore we couldn't pray to Hashem to save us. But Hashem, who loves us infinitely, provides us with constant opportunities to earn זכויות , which He uses to protect us exactly when we need them most. As Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya teaches: רצה הקדוש ברוך הוא לזכות את ישראל, לפיכך הרבה להם תורה ומצוות Hashem wanted to give us many merits, so He gave us many mitzvot. The pasuk says: לב מלך ביד ה׳ It is no coincidence that the recent war was named " עם כלביא יקום ." Those very words came from Hashem's mouth through Bilam and now once again through the Prime Minister. They describe a nation full of spiritual power, rising early to do mitzvot—and that is our true strength. Despite the immense danger we faced—those missiles had the potential to kill thousands—Hashem once again, the שומר ישראל , stood guard over His people. Since the horrors of October 7th, we have witnessed an awakening across Am Yisrael. So many people who didn't even know the words " שמע ישראל " are now full ba'alei emunah , looking to grow in Torah and mitzvot. This renewed devotion gives us tremendous זכות , and it makes Hashem so proud of His people. We've seen the downfall of our enemies this year. We know that we are in the end of days and we await the גאולה שלמה . But we are not there yet. We are still in galut, and we are still without the Beit HaMikdash. Now begins the period of בין המצרים , the three weeks between שבעה עשר בתמוז and תשעה באב . We pray that this year תשעה באב will be a day of joy and celebration, but there is still work to be done. The pasuk says: וישא בלעם את עיניו וירא את ישראל שוכן לשבטיו ותהי עליו רוח אלוקים Bilam wanted to recall the sins of the Jewish people, such as the חטא העגל , to bring about their destruction. But what he saw instead was unity—Israel dwelling peacefully, each tribe in its proper place—and that unity brought down the שכינה , causing Hashem to transform his curses into blessings. The Midrash teaches that even if we, Heaven forbid, engage in עבודה זרה , as long as there is peace among us, no harm will befall us. That is the power of unity. Now more than ever, it is incumbent upon us to repair divisions. This is the time of year to go above and beyond to make peace, to apologize, to be more tolerant, and to bring love and unity to Am Yisrael. May these days of mourning soon be transformed into days of rejoicing. אמן .

This week's annual Torah cycle reading is parsha "Chukat," (Numbers 22:2-25:9) and represents a unique shift from the story of the mixed multitude "in the wilderness" to that of a pagan king who - much like Pharoah before the Exodus - is afraid of the people now lead by Moses. And it's a story that is part comedy, part prophecy, and a large part Today's Headlines. The Erev Shabbat reading: https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SSM-7-11-25-Balak-teaching-podcast-xxx.mp3 The Sabbath Day midrash begins where the story leaves off. Can a nation once undeniably blessed manage to curse itself? Balak: "How did an ancient pagan prophet tell us about TODAY's plague?" https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WT-CooH-7-11-25-Balak-Modern-day-AI-Bilaam-and-Midianite-Epstein-parallels-podcast-xxx.mp3 The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash:

Batya Ungar-Sargon shares Netziv commentaries on the parsha. These sessions are held on Zoom every week in memory of our mother in-law whose dedication to the Netziv (her great great grandfather), was legendary. It is estimated she studied the Ha'amek Davar some 78 times throughout her life, devoting every Tuesday to its study. May her memory be a blessing to her family and klal Yisroel.

Download the notes here:https://tinyurl.com/071225notes____________________________________Torah Portion:פָּרָּ שַׁ ת בָּלָּ קBalak“Balak”I”Numbers 22:2-25:9Micah 5:6-6:8Matthew 21:1-11Website: esm.usPastor Mark BiltzMission Statement: (https://esm.us/about/)El Shaddai Ministries exists to take Torah to the nations by restoring the Biblical and historical perspectives that have been lost over the last 2000 years, uncovering replacement theology, and healing our Christian-Jewish relationships.Statement of Beliefs:https://tinyurl.com/4ks6eznu

Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel, but God turns every curse into a blessing. Even when the enemy plots in secret, God is still in control. But while Balaam couldn't curse Israel from the outside, Israel fell to sin from within. This portion reminds us that no weapon formed against us can prosper unless we open the door. Guarding our hearts and walking in obedience is our strongest defense.Stay ConnectedLinktree: https://linktr.ee/jacobstentWebsite: https://jacobstent.org/Facebook: @jacobstentfellowship Instagram: @jacobstent Download Our App: https://jacobstent.org/appGiving: https://jacobstent.org/giveEmail Signup: http://eepurl.com/g-YpcDJoin us for our Shabbat service with Bill Cloud and the Jacob's Tent Family!If you are enjoying this live stream, PLEASE consider sending in an offering, tithe, or donation to help us continue spread the gospel free from Jacob's Tent. We work hard to make sure this is an enjoyable experience to our online community, but it doesn't come without a price.Give online via the Jacobs Tent app, our website, or text any amount to 84321 to support this ministry. Yahweh bless you and keep you! Shalom.

Torah Portion -Balak: (Numbers 22:2–25:9) - The Occult Prophet Balaam, A Prophet For Hire by Shawn Ozbun

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Ashear's new book LIVING EMUNAH VOL 8 click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644645.html The pasuk says at the beginning of this week's parasha that Balak saw all that Yisrael did to the Emorim and he became afraid. Rav Moshe Sternbuch asked, why did Balak become afraid specifically from the Jew beating the Emorim ? They had done much greater things before this which should have caused Balak to become afraid of them, like obliterating the Mitzrim or Kriyat Yam Suf . The Rabbi quoted from the Kli Yakar who answered, what Yirsrael did to the Emorim is referring to a different episode, namely when Yaakov Avinu, whose name is also Yisrael, defeated the Emorim with his tefilot back in parashat Vayechi , before Yetziat Mitzrayim . Balak said to himself, if the Jews can take down an entire nation using their prayers, how are we going to stand up to them? This is why he hired Bilaam, who also had powers with his mouth. Later on in the parasha , when Bilaam blessed the Jewish People, he was in awe of how they wake up every morning like lions to grab mitzvot , putting on tallit and tefillin and reciting keriyat shema . These are our greatest treasures. The more we use the power of our mouths for good, the more blessing will come down from Hashem. Rabbi Elimelech Biderman related a story that a rabbi from New York told him. The rabbi said this past year around Hanukah time, he read an amazing story about an older boy who was having a lot of difficulty finding his zivug. Baruch Hashem, this year, that boy got engaged on Thursday night, the 11 th of Kislev. At his engagement, his younger ten year old brother showed him a piece of paper which had written on it, Today the 21 st of Cheshvan, year 5781, Saturday night, I, so and so, accept upon myself to say kriyat shema looking inside the siddur and having kavana in each word in the merit that my brother gets engaged by the 11 th of Kislev . And that's exactly what happened. He said shema every night the way he's supposed to and his brother got engaged on the 11 th of Kislev. The rabbi in New York got so excited after reading this story, he related it to his own family at the Shabbat table that week. He also had an older son not married and he also has a ten year old son. When his ten year old heard that story, he accepted upon himself on Rosh Chodesh Shevat the same kabbala . He wrote on a piece of paper, For 30 days, I will say kriyat shema al hamita from a siddur the right way in the zechut that my brother gets engaged. On the 30 th night, that young boy fell asleep without saying shema . The next morning, when he realized what happened, he started to cry. He told his father that he took on this kabbala and did it for 29 days in a row but then missed it last night. His father told him not to worry, it didn't hurt his kabbala . He said, "You accepted 30 days and you did 29 of them." The father then told his son to do the last day that night and it will still count. Amazingly, the very next day, on the 2 nd of Adar, 31 days from the time this boy made his kabbala , which was also the day he finished his 30 days, his brother got engaged. We have tremendous powers with our mouths. We can say kind words to others, we can read Tehillim , we can learn Torah, we can pray to Hashem. These are our strengths. This is what Balak feared, and this is what Bilaam knew was our secret. Let us utilize these precious gifts that Hashem gave us and do them all the right way.

Bilam was arguably as great as Moshe, so how is it possible his life's journey ended up so diametrically opposed to that of Moshe's?

Israel is Blessed

In this gripping journey through Parshat Balak, Rabbi Bernath reveals the hidden spiritual war behind the political drama. Balak, king of Moav, turns to the infamous prophet Bilaam to curse Israel—but instead, Bilaam becomes an unwitting conduit for some of the most beautiful blessings in Torah. From the fall of Sichon and Og to the rise of Pinchas, this class explores how even our enemies testify to our eternal strength—and how every darkness can be transformed into light.TakeawaysSpiritual Warfare: The real battle wasn't fought with swords, it was waged in the heavens. Balak understood the power of spiritual energy and tried to use it against the Jews.Power of Blessing: Bilaam, despite himself, delivered the deepest praises of the Jewish people, because truth isn't controlled by ego, but by G-d.The Danger Within: When external curses failed, Bilaam exploited internal weakness—seduction and immorality. The greatest danger often comes from within.Transformation is Inevitable: Even klipah (spiritual husks) serve holiness in the end. Bilaam's blessings live on—while his plots fade into oblivion.Identity is Non-Negotiable: The Jewish soul cannot be cursed. Our truth is eternal, our connection Divine, and our mission unshakable—even our enemies admit it.#ParshatBalak #Balak #Judaism #Torah #Bible #BibleStudy #Bilaam #Moav #Moshiach #Curses #Prophecy #Parsha #TorahPortion #TorahLessons #TorahPortion Support the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Rabbi Amy Bernstein's weekly Torah study class via Zoom - Numbers/Bamidbar 22:2-25:9 - July 11, 2025.

Latest episode of the podcast. Please consider sponsoring a class online in someones merit, memory or refuah shelemah. You can donate here in the app or send us an email at info@ejsny.org with the dedication you want to make. Thanks!

Latest episode of the podcast. Please consider sponsoring a class online in someones merit, memory or refuah shelemah. You can donate here in the app or send us an email at info@ejsny.org with the dedication you want to make. Thanks!

On naming milary operations. Follow along in Bemidbar 23:24. Provide your feedback or join the WhatsApp group by sending an email to torahreadingpodcast@gmail.com.  

"Let my death be the death of the righteous! Let my end be like his!"What is it that Bilaam asks for? He seeks the profound, things that we all seek.Take three minutes to listen to the Parsha Pick-Me-Up to learn more.

Balak, King of Moab, and Bilaam, sorcerer extraordinaire, hatched a plot to annihilate the Jewish people. Had their plan been successful, there would not have been even a single survivor. And they almost pulled it off. In fact, absent a Divine intervention, the glorious Jewish Nation would have been toast. What gave them such power? […]

Balak, King of Moab, and Bilaam, sorcerer extraordinaire, hatched a plot to annihilate the Jewish people. Had their plan been successful, there would not have been even a single survivor. And they almost pulled it off. In fact, absent a Divine intervention, the glorious Jewish Nation would have been toast. What gave them such power? Where did Bilaam's preternatural ability come from? In this wonderful Parsha podcast we uncover the secrets of Bilaam and discover what it takes to harness this extraordinary force ourselves. Do you have what it takes?– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory of Addison ben Ruth, the father of our dear friend Pat Billman. Addison passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 103. He was a remarkable man who will be sorely missed. May his soul be elevated in Heaven.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Parshas Balak, focusing on the story of Balak, the king of Moab, who hires the powerful prophet Bilaam to curse the Jewish people (Numbers 22). Rabbi Wolbe recounts the riveting narrative where Bilaam's donkey, divinely enabled to speak, rebukes him for striking it, symbolizing resistance to his mission to curse the Jews. Rashi's commentary highlights the donkey's reference to “three times” as an allusion to the Jewish people's observance of the three festivals (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot), which Bilaam seeks to undermine. Rabbi Wolbe explains why the festivals define the Jewish people, emphasizing the miraculous nature of Jerusalem's Temple Mount, which, like a deer's hide, supernaturally expands to accommodate millions during these pilgrimages without anyone feeling cramped. This contrasts sharply with Bilaam's frustration when his donkey pins his leg against a wall, revealing his inability to tolerate minor discomfort, unlike the Jewish people who trust in Hashem's providence. Rabbi Wolbe draws a broader lesson, contrasting Bilaam's arrogance and reliance on material wealth with the Jewish people's faith in Hashem's control, as seen in historical miracles like the Six-Day War and the protection of Jewish homes during festival pilgrimages. He critiques the modern notion of “financial security” as a form of arrogance, urging listeners to let go of self-reliance and trust in Hashem while still acting responsibly. Using the metaphor of a tractor-trailer stuck under an overpass, he suggests “letting the air out of our arrogance” to align with divine will. The episode concludes with a call to live with faith, recognizing that Hashem orchestrates every outcome, and to embrace this trust for a meaningful Shabbos and life._____________This episode (Ep 7.37) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Balak is dedicated in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Studios (C) to an online TORCHzoom.com audience on July 8, 2025, in Passaic, New Jersey.Released as Podcast on July 10, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Numbers, #Balak, #TalkingDonkey, #Faith, #Surrender, #DivineGuidance, #Trust, #PersonalResponsibility, #Hashem, #Protection, #Serenity, #Embrace ★ Support this podcast ★

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 34 | Balak, by Rav Eli Weber Who is Bilam?

Sefer Bamidbar | Balak | 5785 | The Nature of Bilam's Prophecy, by Rav Ezra Bick Why do we need to know what Bilaam said to Balak? What is the significance of the entire story of Balak's failed plan to enlist Bilaam to curse Israel?

Balak | Mah Tovu Ohalekha Yaakov, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What motivated Bil'am to bless as he did? Following the progression of Bilam's blessings. The lyrical, uplifting blessings with which Bil'am blessed Bnei Yisrael are among the most elegant and moving series of passages in Tanakh. What motivated Bil'am to bless as he did - was he simply a mouthpiece of Hashem, or did he, at some point, identify with the mission to bless God's people? A careful look at the text of his blessings, along with the passages that stitch those blessings together, reveals a more complex reality and a more profound answer.

In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Parshas Balak, focusing on the story of Balak, the king of Moab, who hires the powerful prophet Bilaam to curse the Jewish people (Numbers 22). Rabbi Wolbe recounts the riveting narrative where Bilaam's donkey, divinely enabled to speak, rebukes him for striking it, symbolizing resistance to his mission to curse the Jews. Rashi's commentary highlights the donkey's reference to “three times” as an allusion to the Jewish people's observance of the three festivals (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot), which Bilaam seeks to undermine. Rabbi Wolbe explains why the festivals define the Jewish people, emphasizing the miraculous nature of Jerusalem's Temple Mount, which, like a deer's hide, supernaturally expands to accommodate millions during these pilgrimages without anyone feeling cramped. This contrasts sharply with Bilaam's frustration when his donkey pins his leg against a wall, revealing his inability to tolerate minor discomfort, unlike the Jewish people who trust in Hashem's providence. Rabbi Wolbe draws a broader lesson, contrasting Bilaam's arrogance and reliance on material wealth with the Jewish people's faith in Hashem's control, as seen in historical miracles like the Six-Day War and the protection of Jewish homes during festival pilgrimages. He critiques the modern notion of “financial security” as a form of arrogance, urging listeners to let go of self-reliance and trust in Hashem while still acting responsibly. Using the metaphor of a tractor-trailer stuck under an overpass, he suggests “letting the air out of our arrogance” to align with divine will. The episode concludes with a call to live with faith, recognizing that Hashem orchestrates every outcome, and to embrace this trust for a meaningful Shabbos and life._____________This episode (Ep 7.37) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Balak is dedicated in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Studios (C) to an online TORCHzoom.com audience on July 8, 2025, in Passaic, New Jersey.Released as Podcast on July 10, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Numbers, #Balak, #TalkingDonkey, #Faith, #Surrender, #DivineGuidance, #Trust, #PersonalResponsibility, #Hashem, #Protection, #Serenity, #Embrace ★ Support this podcast ★

What happens when the sacred victim becomes the sovereign nation? We delve into a provocative exploration of Jewish identity and otherness in this week's episode. Drawing inspiration from the Torah portion Balak and a thought-provoking essay by Hussein Aboubakr Mansour, we challenge long-held beliefs about Judaism's role as the quintessential "other" in society. Have we been misinterpreting our own history? Key Takeaways The concept of Jews as universal "others" may be more modern than we realize Embracing particularism might be more authentic to Jewish tradition than universal symbolism Zionism can be seen as a return to Jewish particularity rather than just a political movement Timestamps [00:00] Introduction to the episode and the theme of “The Jew as Other” [01:45] How the term “other” appears in this week's Parsha and Moab's fear [03:50] Biblical context: Egyptians and Haman's perspective on Jews [06:45] Jewish laws and their role in antisemitic narratives [09:30] Rabbinic interpretations and perceived Jewish separateness [12:15] Rabbinic blame of God for antisemitism through Jewish laws [14:30] Evolution from oppression to loving the stranger in Torah [17:00] Introduction of Hussein Aboubakr Mansour's argument [20:15] Breakdown of the Jew as metaphor and object of culture [28:00] Zionism's rejection of “otherness” and affirmation of sovereignty Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Safaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/661213 Hussein Aboubakr Mansour‘s Substack article https://open.substack.com/pub/critiqueanddigest/p/the-jew-after-otherness Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2025/07/09/understanding-anti-semitism-through-history/

Welcome to the Covenant & Conversation series, Rabbi Sacks' commentary pieces on the weekly Torah portion, exploring ideas and sharing inspiration from the Torah readings of the week. This audio on Parshat Balak was recorded by Rabbi Sacks in 2019. Follow along with the audio here: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/balak/not-reckoned-among-the-nations/ Read and download the written essay, and all translations. For intergenerational discussion on the weekly Parsha and Haftara, a new FAMILY EDITION is now also available: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-family-edition/balak/not-reckoned-among-the-nations/ ___________________ For more articles, videos, and other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.RabbiSacks.org and follow @RabbiSacks. The Rabbi Sacks Legacy continues to share weekly inspiration from Rabbi Sacks. With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.

Tammuz and Av are, according to the Zohar, days of judgment. The Creator of the world "provides a cure before the plague" and sends us the secrets of the sweetening of the judgments. How do you turn judgment into mercy, failure into success, death into life, destruction into growth? This is the secret of human correction and this is the secret of true healing. Dealing with the main causes of illness - hate, anger, negativity & greed. Meditation for expanding the consciousness of light & pleasure, a few lines below: Support our efforts to provide you with more materials, donate to Live Kabbalah: https://livekabbalah.org/donations Guided Meditation of the Tetragrammaton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AzyLFM2AY Read and learn more about this Parashah: https://livekabbalah.org/balak Join our course program: https://livekabbalah.org/live-kabbalah-courses Join our Zoom Program: https://livekabbalah.org/weekly-zohar-tree-of-life-study-live

In this week's parsha, Balak hires the prophet Bilam to curse the Israelites. But every time he opens his mouth, blessings come out instead. From these unexpected prophecies, we get some of our most enduring ideas, like the image of Israel rising “like a lion,” and the quiet holiness of privacy ("How good are your tents, O Jacob"). Thousands of years later, the contrast still feels familiar—between those who build and those who destroy, between the noise of social media and the sanctity of a home with the front door closed. What does it mean to live as a blessing even when others root for your failure? Tune in to find out.

Join us for a discussion of the weekly parsha, including the saga of Bilaam trying (unsuccessfully) to curse the Jews, and what that teaches us about perspective. If you enjoy the Toras Chaim Podcast, please help us spread the word! You can share a link on social media, leave a review or rating on your favorite podcast platform, or best of all, discuss what you've learned at the shabbos table!We love to hear from our listeners. Be it comments, questions or critique. You can send an email to overtimecook@gmail.com or via instagram @OvertimeCook or @Elchonon. Thanks for listening!Elchonon and Miriam

BLatest episode of the podcast. Please consider sponsoring a class online in someones merit, memory or refuah shelemah. You can donate here in the app or send us an email at info@ejsny.org with the dedication you want to make. Thanks!

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

Is Bilaam a villain—or a mirror? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Mike Feuer dive into Parshat Balak to explore the figure of Bilaam—an outsider prophet with powerful words and a dangerous gaze. They discuss what makes Bilaam a spiritual counterpoint to Avraham, why God turns his curses into blessings, and how ayin tova (a good eye) can transform how we see the world.