Balak - Vacation
Taking a break allows us to appreciate beauty, reconnect with God, and recharge our batteries.
The world around us seems crazy, and it often feels like there is no respite from the chaos. However, I urge everyone to try and make time for a break during the summer, even just a brief one. One reason Parshat Balak falls during the summer may be that it aligns with the theme of vacations. This parsha offers a unique lesson about taking breaks, as it is the only parsha in the Torah where the main narrative has no breaks in the text. The entire story of Bilaam, as written in the Torah scroll, is one continuous paragraph. Why is that?
The traditional commentary about Bilaam begins with the first Rashi in Sefer Vayikra where he contrasts the way God addressed Moshe with the way He spoke to Bilaam.
אֲבָל לִנְבִיאֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶן בִּלְשׁוֹן עֲרָאִי וְטֻמְאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם
to the prophets of the nations of the world, however, God revealed himself in a manner which is described by an expression ordinarily used for denoting events of a casual character and of uncleanness, as it is said, (Numbers 23:4) “and God happened to meet (ויקר) Balaam” [Rashi, Leviticus 1:1]
God spoke to Moshe with חֲבִיבוֹת—love and care—using the word "Vayikra," which expresses a warm connection. However, in our Parsha, He communicates with Bilaam using the term וַיִּקָּר (rooted in the Hebrew word "kar," meaning cold), indicating a relationship that is cold, distant, and purely random.
Incredibly, the next Rashi in Parshat Vayikra highlights another manifestation of God’s love for Moshe and the Jewish people — the breaks in the paragraphs in a Torah scroll.
מֶה הָיוּ הַפְסָקוֹת מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת? לִתֵּן רֶוַח לְמֹשֶׁה לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בֵּין פָּרָשָׁה לְפָרָשָׁה וּבֵין עִנְיָן לְעִנְיָן
And what purpose did these subsections serve To give Moses an interval for reflection between one division and another and between one subject and another [Rashi, Leviticus 1:1]
It's interesting to note that we use paragraphs to divide the Torah, not chapters, which were only introduced later in history for the Christian Bible. Rashi explains that these paragraph breaks were God's way of allowing Moshe to pause and contemplate each idea before moving on to the next. A "Parsha Petucha," a major new paragraph, allows a long opportunity for reflection, while a "Parsha Setuma," a minor paragraph, provides a shorter break.
This flow of communication contrasts starkly with the structure of our Parsha about Bilaam, which has no paragraph breaks whatsoever. God's relationship with Bilaam was cold and lacked any space for serious contemplation. Bilaam himself didn’t seek to pause and contemplate because he did not find God's messages personally meaningful or worthy of more than superficial attention.
Our parsha teaches the importance of taking breaks. However, the connection between Rashi’s two points is also a deeper lesson. If you recognize that breaks enhance relationships, you are mindful to take them, so you don’t become a productive zombie with little regard for people. That's how taking breaks can create chavivut—connection and relationship.
This summer, if possible, take the time to step away from the nonstop stream of news and seemingly endless demands on our time, concerning our personal lives, Israel, the USA, and the world. Don’t view this breather as selfish; it's quite the opposite. Taking a break allows us to appreciate the beauty around us, reconnect with God, and recharge our relationships. And this rejuvenation prepares us to face whatever is coming our way. Taking a break can be a selfless and worthy goal, as it ultimately makes us better, more productive, and more connected individuals.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch