Moshe Rabbeinu was the greatest navi that ever was and ever will be; we declare that in the daily ‘Ani Maamins’. In Parshas Balak, we are introduced to another great navi, a rasha by the name of Bilaam. Exactly what kind of navi was Bilaam Harasha?
The answer is not so simple; it’s a machlokes rishonim. The Rambam says that he was a navi who was l’havdil on par with the gadlus of Moshe Rabbeinu. Yet the Ramban says the opposite. By the story with Bilaam’s donkey, we find that Hashem had to open up his eyes so he could see the malach standing there. If he was a navi, says the Ramban, there would be no need for Hashem to open up his eyes. The Sifri says there was no navi like Moshe, but that’s only by Klal Yisrael; however, by the umos ha’olam there was such a navi, which was Bilaam. Why did Hashem give the goyim such a great navi? So that the umos ha’olam can’t excuse themselves by saying ‘If we would’ve had a navi like Moshe Rabbeinu, then we would’ve been better’.
The Baalei Mussar point out that Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t born a navi. Hashem gave him the tools and potential to become the greatest navi and he fulfilled that potential. Bilaam was given the same tools and the same potential, but look what he did with it! Hashem gifted him with tremendous kochos and he used it to bring about destruction.
This is a lesson for all of us – we are all given strengths and tools – but the question is what do we do with it? We can use those kochos to build or destroy – it’s our choice.
Rav Yaakov Galinsky tells a story of a Rav who had a shvere shaila [difficult question] and needed time for himself to delve into it. He decided to go to shul late at night when no one else would be there so he would be able to learn in peace. There he sat quietly in the corner of the empty shul, when suddenly a yid comes running into the shul, heading straight to the aron kodesh. He pushes away the paroches, opens the door to the aron kodesh, and cried out loud, ‘Hashem, please give me ruach hakodesh!’ The Rav is astounded; what a holy Jew! Look how he cries to attain ruach hakodesh! But as the yid turns around, the Rav is stunned; this ‘holy Jew’ is none other than Yankel the ganav, a lowly thief. The Rav asks him, ‘Have you done teshuvah?’ ‘No, Rav’, Yankel is quick to explain, ‘it’s just that people used to live in much smaller apartments, so it was easy for me to steal. Now, however, people live in large homes with many rooms. I need ruach hakodesh to know where their valuables are hidden!’
Yes, it’s our choice what to do with the gifts we are given. A person can even daven for ruach hakodesh for the wrong reasons! And this is what Bilaam did - he used everything Hashem gave him for destruction.
The downfall of Korach was because he was fooled ‘by his eye’, as he saw with ruach hakodesh that Shmuel Hanavi would come out of him. He figured this must mean that he would be okay, and that led him to his destruction. Says the Be’er Yosef, Korach’s ruach hakodesh destroyed him. Everyone thinks ruach hakodesh is a tremendous gift, and yet we see Korach’s ruach hakodesh brought about his downfall.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz once said that siyata d’shmaya is like rain. Rain makes things grow, but it depends on what you plant. If you plant fruit, then rain will make fruit grow. If you plant thorns, the rain will make thorns grow. Siyata d’shmaya works in the same way - if you plant a seed of kedusha, then kedusha will grow. If you plant seeds of sin, then siyata d'shmaya will give you success in that area.
When the shevatim came face to face with Yosef Hatzadik in Mitzrayim, they didn’t recognize him because he had a beard. Rav Chatzkel Levenstein asks in the name of the Ponovizher Rav – the truth is that you are able to recognize a person by his mannerisms; even if his face is different, you can identify his walk or his talk. How is it possible that the brothers didn’t recognize Yosef? He answers that people say that Hashem simply didn’t want the brothers to recognize Yosef, so they didn’t. But, says R’ Chatzkel, that’s a mistake. If Hashem doesn’t want you to recognize someone, He doesn’t have to make you not recognize. It’s the opposite – in order to recognize anything, Hashem must give you the ability. You have no ability on your own to recognize anything. Anything you do know or realize, it’s because Hashem gifted you with the ability. For the brothers not to recognize Yosef, Hashem simply didn’t give them the basic ability of recognition.
Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman says that people think if you are adding up large numbers, then you need a calculator because if you are off by one digit, it can be thousands of numbers off. But to calculate two plus two – that you can do on your own. No, he says, the only reason why you know that two plus two is four is because Hashem gives you siyata dishmaya for the simplest things. Without siyata dishmaya, nothing is simple. He says that when he was in cheder, the rebbe asked, ‘Why can’t you put the oil cups upside down?’ The children answered, ‘because then the oil will fall out!’ ‘No,’ said the rebbe, ‘if the cups are upside down, you can’t even put the oil in to begin with!’ And that is how it is without siyata dishmaya – we can’t do anything!
Let us recognize the gifts that Hashem gives us and use them correctly. Let us daven for siyata dishmaya in our avodas Hashem, for success in the areas that really matter. As the saying goes, ‘Be careful what you pray for, as your prayers just might be answered!’ As Yidden, we know for certain that our prayers DO indeed get answered – let’s be extra focused to daven for siyata dishmaya in matters that are truly important. (R’ Moshe Oelbaum shlita)
