After failing three times to curse the Jewish people, Bilam, the gentile prophet, turns his focus to the relationship that the Jewish nation will have with other nations of the world.
וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַקֵּינִי וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִנֶּך
He saw the Kenite and declaimed his parable and said: Strong is your dwelling, and set in a rock is your nest (24:22)
Rashi comments that the Kenite were descendants of Yitro (Jethro) the father-in-law of Moshe. Bilam saw through prophecy the greatness that these descendants would attain. Some of them would even become judges in Jerusalem! Bilam addresses them based on a personal connection.
In Shemot 1:9 we read that when Pharoah saw the spread of the Jewish people in Egypt he declared, “Behold! the people, the Children of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we. Come, let us act wisely to it lest it become numerous and it may be that if a war will occur, it,too, may join our enemies, and wage war against us and go up from the land.”
The Talmud Sanhedrin 106a relates that when Pharoah said, “let us act wisely,” he was turning to his three top advisors for their input on this matter. Those advisors were Bilam of this week’s parsha, Iyov (Job) whom the book of Iyov (one of the books of Tanach) is named for, and Yitro (Jethro) Moshe’s future father in law. Bilam advised Pharoah to enslave the Jews. Realizing that this was Pharaoh’s preference, Iyov remained silent and Yitro ran away. For his part Bilam was eventually killed by the Jewish people (he was killed in the war with the Midianites mentioned in next week’s parsha). For remaining silent Iyov was stricken with intense suffering (his suffering is depicted in the book of Iyov). For running away Yitro was rewarded that his descendants would become members of the Sanhedrin, the highest court of the Jewish people.
Rashi in our parsha cites a related comment to this episode from Talmud Sanhedrin 106a on Bilam’s words mentioned above about the Kenites. “I wonder,” he said, “from where you became worthy of this (i.e.the greatness they would attain)? Were you not with me at the time we gave the advice, ‘Come, let us act wisely to it’? Yet now you have settled in the stronghold and citadel of Israel!” In other words Bilam was amazed at how they started from the same point but ended up with totally different futures.
Now we should be wondering about Bilam’s wondering! It’s obvious why things turned out differently for them. As the Talmud states, Bilam advocated harming the Jewish people while Yitro couldn’t bear to see it and didn’t hesitate to show it.
Rather Bilam wondered how Yitro came to do that brave act. After all, they both started off the same. They became Pharaoh’s advisors because both were very wise and held in very high esteem. Since they started at the same place Bilam couldn’t understand how Yitro made the decision that would bring him all this glory and he didn’t! Add to this question Yitro’s checkered past as an intense idol worshiper.
So what was the difference? The answer is character. Pirkei Avot (Chapters of Our Fathers), 5:19 states, “Whoever possesses these three things, he is of the disciples of Avrohom, our father; and [whoever possesses] three other things, he is of the disciples of Bilam, the wicked. A good eye, a humble spirit and a moderate appetite he is of the disciples of Avrohom, our father. An evil eye, a haughty spirit and a limitless appetite he is of the disciples of Bilam, the wicked.” Bilam was a very corrupt person and this drove him from following the truth that as a prophet and wise man he recognized deep down.
Yitro on the other hand may have been quite messed up theologically, but he sought the truth and was able to find it and act upon it because he was a refined and moral person.
This difference between Yitro and Bilam teaches us a fundamental lesson in understanding human behavior.Two young people may seem to be the same but they end up living completely different lives. It may be because on the outside they are the same but on the inside there is a vast difference between them.
Your character can make you or break you. It can make the difference whether you will embrace the truth or be blinded to it. It will make the difference as to whether you will be a disciple of Bilam or bear the honor of being a disciple of Avrohom.
Shabbat Shalom!
Yitzchak