DOUBLE SEDRA : CHUKKAT BALAK Hertz Chumash p. 652 Numbers Chapter 19, 22

This week's Sedra is generously sponsored by Len Hain.

SYNOPSIS CHUKKAT:

A special purification ceremony was performed for those who had been in contact with or had been under the same roof as a dead body. As part of the rites, a Parah Adumah (Red Heifer) which was without blemish and which had not been worked was slaughtered outside the camp and burned together with cedar wood, hyssop, and a scarlet thread. Its ashes were gathered, mixed with water from a running stream, and sprinkled upon the unclean person on the third and seventh days of his impurity. At the end of the seventh day, after he had washed his clothes and immersed himself in a mikvah, he could once again participate in Sanctuary worship.

For thirty-eight years the Israelites wandered throughout the wilderness, during which time all of the older generation between twenty and sixty had died except for Joshua and Kalev. At the beginning of the fortieth year from the Exodus, the remainder of the populace returned to Kadesh. It was there that Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died.

At the passing of Miriam, the well of water that had miraculously accompanied the Israelites ceased to flow. Once again, the people began to murmur against Moses for the lack of water. G-d told Moses and Aaron to speak to a specific rock and enough water would flow forth from it to satisfy the people.
However, Moses was so angered by the people's constant disrespect that he impatiently struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Because they had not followed G-d's instructions and thereby dishonoured Him before the people, Moses and Aaron were told that they would not be allowed to enter the Holy Land. The people were now told to prepare for the final stages of their long journey.

The only route to the Promised Land that was available to them was through the land of Edom, south of the Dead Sea. Moses sent messengers to the King of Edom, requesting permission to lead the people through his territory and offering to pay for any water the people and cattle might drink. Not only did the King refuse, but he also barred the Israelites' way by threatening them with an armed force.
The Israelites were, therefore, compelled to take the round-about route by way of the Southern borders of Edom since G-d had forbidden them to wage war against the Edomites. When the assembly reached a peak in the range of Hor Hahar, Aaron died and was buried there. Moses installed Aaron's son Elazar as the next High Priest.

After successfully repulsing an attack by the Canaanite King of Arad, the weary Israelites complained bitterly about their lack of food and water. Consequently, they were punished with a plague caused by the deadly bite of fiery serpents. When the people admitted their error, Moshe set a serpent of brass upon a pole. Whoever looked at this serpent was healed. The journey, which had taken the nation past the lands of Edom and Moav, came to a halt when the people reached the river Arnon, the boundary between Moav in the south and the Amorites in the north. Sichon, the King of the Amorites, refused to allow the Israelites to pass through his land and led his army against them. However, because of G-d's help the battle ended with the utter defeat of the Amorites. Turning northward towards the fertile lands of Gilad and Bashan, the Israelites overcame the resistance of Og, King of Bashan, and took possession of his country. The land on the east side of the Jordan had now been conquered and the Israelites finally camped on the border of Moav, facing Jericho.

BALAK

Balak, king of Moav, viewed with dismay the victory of the Israelites over Amorites. Dreading an invasion of his own country, he formed an alliance with his former enemies, the Midianites. Balak then sent messengers to ask Bilam of Pethor, a noted sorceror, to curse the Israelites. Bilam asked the delegation to stay with him overnight so that he could consult with G-d, as to whether he could comply with their request.
During the night, Bilam was warned by G-d not to go with the men, so he sent them away. Thinking that a more tempting invitation would prove effective, Balak sent a larger and more prestigious delegation, offering great honour and rewards to Bilam if he would cooperate. Bilam, obviously motivated by personal greed, asked the delegation to remain until he could again receive guidance from G-d. This time Bilam was given permission to go but to speak only as G-d directed him.
During the journey to Balak, Bilam's donkey saw an angel bearing a drawn sword obstructing the path and so it turned aside. The impatient Bilam struck the animal several times in an attempt to make it proceed. After the donkey protested this undeserved cruelty, Bilam finally saw the angel himself and was told he was at fault by inwardly wanting to accept Balak's offer.
Bilam offered to return home but was told to continue on his journey and speak exactly as G-d ordered him. Balak met Bilam at the border of the Arnon River and brought him to a nearby city for a feast in his honour.

The next day, he took Bilam to a hill sacred to the worshippers of Ba'al, from where he could see part of the Israelite camp. After Bilam and Balak had sacrificed a ram and a bullock on each of seven altars, Bilam told Balak to stay near the burnt-offering while he withdrew to inquire of G-d. On his return, he delivered his first speech : "How can I curse the ones that G-d has not cursed ?" he asked ... "Behold, it is a people that lives apart and not included among other nations."
Angered at Bilam's unexpected praise for the Israelites, Balak took him to the top of Mount Pisgah hoping for different results. However, Bilam once again disappointed Balak by declaring that G-d would not break His promise of blessing Israel and that no magic could prevail against them.
In despair, Balak asked Bilam to desist from either cursing or blessing the Israelites. Before departing, though, Bilam foretold the sovereignty and glory of Israel and the doom of Moav, Edom, Amalek and other enemies of the Israelites.
The Israelites then encamped at Shittim. Here, the heathen women of Moav, advised by Bilam, tempted the Israelites to join in the worship of Ba'al Peor and to participate in an orgy of idolatry and immorality. Moses sentenced the sinners to death and a plague developed among the assembly. Pinchas, the son of Elazar the Kohen Gadol, witnessed a flagrant act of immorality between an Israelite Prince and a Midianite Princess. Zealously defending the laws of G-d, he executed the evil-doers. The plague subsided but only after twenty-four thousand of the congregation had perished.

HAPHTORAH HERTZ CHUMASH P 682 Micah Chaps. 5,6

Micah speaks out against oppression of the poor by the wealthy, the dominance of materialism and the lack of true piety in the cities of Judah and Israel. This would result in the destruction of the kingdom of Judah in the same way as the kingdom of Israel had fallen.
Yet, Israel's future destiny will endure despite the lapses of the generation. His statement regarding the religion of truth is one of the most sublime ever recorded. "What does the Lord your G-d require of you, but to do justly to love mercy and walk humbly with your G-d".
The mention in the Haphtorah of Bilam and his prophecies is the common theme between the Sedra and the Haphtorah.

TELL ME RABBI ..... THE THREE WEEKS

The twenty-one days between Tammuz 17 and Tish'ah B'Av are called "Yeme Ben Hametzarim" (The Days of Difficult Straits), as described in the Book of Lamentations (13), "...all her persecutors overtook her between the straits."
Historically this period has seen numerous catastrophes which have befallen the Jewish people. We therefore limit all forms of rejoicing, and mourn the destruction of the First and Second Holy Temples which were both set to flame in this period.
The intensity of mourning practices steadily increases from the Fast of 17th Tammuz to reach its peak on Tish'ah B'Av itself, when even the most basic pleasures such as washing, anointing, eating and drinking are forbidden.

Although it is customary not to hold weddings during the Three Weeks, engagements, meals in honour of a bris or pidyon haben are permitted but without music or dancing
We avoid saying the blessing 'Shehecheyanu' during the Three Weeks in most cases so it is customary not to wear new clothes. Because of the many major tragedies that occurred in this period, we are especially careful of entering into situations which may result in bodily harm.
It is also usual to avoid litigation during this period as it is considered an inauspicious time.
We do not take a haircut or trim the beard during the Three Weeks.

During the first 9 days of Av we do not eat meat or drink wine except on Shabbat since from this time all sacrifices in the Temple ceased. The Fast of Tammuz is on Thursday 4th July (dawn to dusk).
This is one of the four fasts ordained by the prophets to commemorate tragic historic events (Zechariah 8:19).
Five tragedies befell the Jewish people on this date:
Moses smashed the original tablets of G-d's covenant;
the daily sacrifice was suspended in the First Temple due to a lack of sacrificial animals;
Apostamos, an officer of the wicked Antiochus, burnt of Torah scroll;
a heathen idol was brought into the Temple compound;
the walls of Jerusalem were breached by Titus' army ending in the destruction of the Second Temple.