Don't Miss The Train! - Balak

One late night this week, I caught a ride back from a wedding to the train station and wanted to catch a certain train. On the way, we got stopped at almost every red light. Instead of making it with time to spare, I missed the train and felt stranded. At that moment, I looked up and said “Hashem, the ball is in your court, what do you want me to do?”

In this week's parsha, parshas Balak, the chumash says that Bilaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and started to ride towards Moav. His plan was ultimately to curse the Jewish people but, just as with my train for whatever reason, Hashem set a different plan in motion. Even when Bilaam got to the camp and was ready to curse us, the only words that came out were “How goodly are your tents, the dwelling place of Yaakov.” Rashi explains that it was a compliment about the tent entrances not facing each other. To recap, just because we think something is the plan or that it will go according to plan, Hashem has other plans which will ultimately lead to Brachos just like with Bilaam.

Golus is like the traffic lights on the way to the train. If we all work together, the lights will turn green and we will be there right away. If not, Hashem has a plan for something that we need to learn in that moment. In honor of Yud Beis tammuz, let’s all take on something small to turn the world around even slightly so that we can see the third and final temple finally descending.

Moshiach Now

Good Shabbos!

All the best

Avroham Y Ross