By Rabbi Moshe Pogrow
The Jewish people were not the only believers in monotheism. Already in Avraham’s time, in the age of polytheism, there was Malki Tzedek, who was kohen l’Kel Elyon, a “priest of G-d the Most High.” This G-d, of course, was the same G-d whom Avraham’s descendants would later accept as the One and Only. We find that Iyov and his friends also served this one G-d, and in this week’s parsha, we discover that Bilam, too, considers himself a servant of the one G-d.
Monotheism, important as it is, is not the quintessence and certainly not the whole essence of Judaism. Rather, Judaism teaches monotheism with all the ramifications that it has for human life: the unity of G-d with the unity of life through G-d’s Torah.
However, the spiritual level of Bilam the monotheist was morally inferior, and in this respect, he was far below Malki Tzedek and far below Iyov and his friends. Bilam’s spiritual aptitude to draw near to G-d was subordinated to his egoism; he placed himself at the service of unholy powers and their base desires.
Chazal tell us: Look at what a difference there is between the prophets of klal Yisrael and the prophets of the nations! Compare a navi like Bilam with a Yeshayahu, a Yirmiyahu, a Yechezkel.
The nevi’im of klal Yisrael served as G-d’s watchmen, warning the nations against sin. Bilam advised the nations to use moral seduction as a tool of war, so that people would lose their place in the World to Come.
Klal Yisrael’s prophets were full of compassion for the Jewish people as well as for the nations of the world. Yeshayahu writes, “My heart throbs like a harp over Moav’s woes,” while Yechezkel says, “Wail lamentations over the fall of Tzor!” The prophets of the nation, on the other hand, were heartless. Far from sharing the pain of another nation, Bilam rose up to uproot an entire people, without cause, for nothing.
Therefore, the entire story of Bilam was written to reveal why G-d removed ruach hakodesh from the nations of the world. Bilam was one of those who received it—and see how he misused his spiritual gift.
Based on the commentary of Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt”l on Chumash, with permission from the publisher.
