Thinking about Balak: It’s about tents and Torah

Our parasha, Balak, contains one of the most famous pasukim in the Torah: “How goodly are your tents, O Ya’akov, your dwelling places, O Yisrael!”

In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi asserts that “how goodly are your tents” refers to the thoroughgoing modesty of the fledgling Jewish nation: “For he (Bilam) saw that the entrances [of the tents] were not facing each other.”

The Midrash Aggadah offers an additional intriguing interpretation of our pasuk: “How goodly are your tents, O Ya’akov” — in the merit of Ya’akov having sat in them. And because of this, the Jewish people merited to dwell in tents in the desert.

Why does the Midrash emphasize the zechut of Ya’akov having sat in tents? Both Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 63:10 and Rashi maintain that these were not standard tents, but rather “the tent of Shem and the tent of Ever.” As we know from related midrashic sources, Shem and Ever had the first learning center wherein the knowledge of Hashem’s omnipotence, justice and righteousness formed the backbone of the curriculum.

The Midrash may now be understood in this manner: Based upon “the merit of Ya’acov having sat in them [the tents of Shem and Ever] … the Jewish people merited to dwell in tents in the desert.”

In addition it is written, “For G-d chose Ya’acov for Himself, Yisrael for His treasure” (Tehillim 135:4) and “Hashem did not bring [Ya’akov] close, rather, Ya’akov brought himself close to the Almighty, as the text states: ‘And Ya’akov was an innocent man, dwelling in tents’.” (Vayikra, Parashat Tzav VIII)

In sum, Hashem chose Ya’akov and Ya’akov chose Hashem.

Like his grandfather Avraham, Ya’akov was a seeker who did not rest until he had thoroughly developed his relationship with the Master of the Universe. Like Ya’akov Avinu, the entire Jewish people are chosen by Hashem: “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of princes and a holy nation” (Shemot 19:6).

With Hashem’s help, may we strive to emulate Ya’akov, so that we too may dwell in the tents of Torah and grow close to the Almighty. V’chane yihi ratzon.