Advance Warning

How do animals know things that people don't?

In Parshas Balak, Bilam’s donkey sees a malach blocking the path, while Bilam himself sees nothing. Even b’derech hateva, animals can often sense things that people cannot—especially impending danger. But how? Animals have sharp senses. Donkeys and horses, for example, have excellent hearing, picking up sounds too quiet or high-pitched for us to hear. Their wide-angle vision allows them to spot movement from the side and sense predators. Some animals can detect earthquake vibrations before humans feel anything. Others sense changes in air pressure before storms. This helps keep our egos in perspective: even an animal can see what you can’t! Paying attention to them can help keep us safe.