| Hukkat-Balak 5762, Numbers 19:1 – 22:1, 22:2 – 25:9
Shabbat Shalom-
A particularly interesting thought occurred to me this week while reading the
portion, and though not yet entirely flushed-out, I thought it worthy of
mention. At the end of the double-portion, the non-Israelite Bil’am ben
B’or is called to curse the nearby-settled Israelite tribe, of whom the Moabite
King Balak ben Tsipor is afraid. The story comes amidst stories of poor
Israelite behavior yet is entirely in praise of Israel. Bil’am has 7
altars built three times, offers Israel 4 or so portents, and 7 total
speeches. In the second speech, he proclaims “He did not see foulness
in Jacob, and did not see foul-play in Israel. YHWH, his God, is with him,
and the blaring of the king in him. Mighty-God brings them out of Egypt,
as the appearance of the (magnificently-horned) wild-ox to him. For there
is no soothsaying in Jacob, and no sorcery in Israel. Immediately it is said to
Jacob, and to Israel what God does. Lo, a people like a female lion goes
up, and like a male lion is raised. He shall not lie till he eats torn
(beasts), and blood of fallen (beasts) he shall drink”. (Num
23:21-24)
This last line is striking in imagery. This people, not only forbidden to eat
animals with the blood still in them (Lev 19:26, also I Sam 14:32-35, Gen 4:10)
but to cover the blood (Lev 17:12-14), are here described as violently drinking
it in war-like gusto. One could claim this is the non-Israelite’s twist on God’s
word, or that that was the language of the time, but I will focus on the sense
of the phrases juxtaposed.
Can we use metaphors we don’t mean to instill? Is it appropriate to
call upon the blood-fervor of the beast though we ourselves never harness nor
experience it? Can one make good of evil, describe ultimate victory in
unjust terms? It seems to me a most dangerous game to speak in violent rhetoric
like this, to use powerful but inappropriate images to our advantage.
It is important that we take our words to task not just in what they convey
but in how they do it. Powerful metaphors and images, whether in
marketing, politics, or discussion, should not be used out of context for their
emotional charge, devoid of ethical connection. People might get the wrong
idea!
Have a caring week!
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