Balak’s Fear and the Power of Unity: Then and Now
HaRav Dov Begonis Head of Yeshivat Machon Meir
Balak, king of Moab, was gripped by dread at the sight of the advancing Children of Israel. His fear wasn’t merely military—it was existential. The Torah records:
“And Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel” (Numbers 22:3–5).
But what provoked such overwhelming terror that Moabites were sick of their own lives?
According to Maor V’Shemesh, the answer lies in what Balak witnessed: a nation united—a people bound together by shared purpose, brotherhood, and divine calling. He understood a spiritual truth that holds to this day: When Israel is united, no force can stand against them. Not the Amorites, not Og king of Bashan—none who had already fallen before Israel’s unified march.
Faced with such strength, Balak turned to a dark remedy: Bilaam, a man whose very essence was division, jealousy, and the “evil eye.” Balak hoped Bilaam could fracture the unity of Israel and thereby weaken them.
In an attempt to locate a vulnerability, Balak led Bilaam to multiple vantage points—looking not for military weakness, but spiritual fracture.
“And Balak took Bilaam… and from there he saw the utmost part of the people” (Numbers 22:41).
“Only the edge of it shall you see…” (Numbers 23:13–14).
“To the top of Peor, which looks out over the wasteland” (Numbers 23:28).
Each location symbolized a potential breach: where Moses would one day die, or where the sin of Peor would unfold. But every effort to curse failed. Instead of a curse, blessings flowed.
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob… A star shall go forth from Jacob…” (Numbers 24:5, 17)
The Ancient Lesson for Our Modern Times
Today, enemies of Israel recognize the same truth that Balak and Bilaam did: Our strength lies in our unity. And so they seek to fracture us—politically, socially, spiritually.
They whisper in the ears of those whose connection to our heritage has grown dim. They cast doubt on the legitimacy of those who build and defend our ancestral land in Judea and Samaria. With subtle strategies and hidden funding, they stir conflict, sponsor agitation, and sow division within our own ranks.
But just as in the days of Bilaam, their schemes are destined to fail.
“Many thoughts are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of Hashem, it shall stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)
For it is not by man’s plans, but by the eternal promise of God, that our destiny is sealed:
“Remember His covenant forever… the promise He made to Abraham, His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob as a statute…”
“…To you I will give the Land of Canaan, the portion of your inheritance.” (I Chronicles 16)
Forward with Faith, Bound by Brotherhood
Let us internalize this enduring message: that Israel’s triumph—past, present, and future—is not just military or political. It is deeply spiritual. Our unity is our shield. Our bond with the land and with one another is our strength.
May we merit to see the total victory of light over darkness, of truth over deception, and the complete redemption of Israel speedily in our days.
