Balak בלק 2025 Truth Over Tactics

In this week’s Parsha, Zimri publicly challenged Moshe by bringing a Midianite woman and asking, “Is she permitted? And if not, who allowed you to marry Tzipporah?” At first glance, the comparison seems absurd — Moshe married Tzipporah before the Torah was given, while Zimri’s actions happened after, under the full framework of halachah. But Zimri twisted the facts, claiming that since Moshe was a Kohen, he too should be forbidden to marry a convert.The truth is, Moshe had married Tzipporah before becoming a Kohen, and according to the Oral Torah, that’s completely permitted. But Moshe didn’t answer. Why? Because Zimri wasn’t seeking truth — he was just justifying his behavior. And sometimes, the right response to a dishonest question is silence.The lesson is powerful: When someone — or even our own yetzer hara — brings clever arguments that aren’t sincere, we don’t engage in debate. We “pull it into the Beis Midrash” — respond with action, learning, and connection to something higher. This was the path of the Frierdiker Rebbe, whose redemption on Yud-Beis Tammuz we celebrate — standing strong with mesirus nefesh, not through anger or argument, but with unwavering faith, compassion, and clarity.לקו״ש י״ח -ג

The Rambam teaches that belief in Mashiach must go beyond simply acknowledging that he will come — it requires active longing, a sense of absence, and a deep hope for his arrival. This is reflected in the Rambam’s surprising inclusion of a historical detail in the laws of the Red Heifer: that nine red heifers were prepared throughout history, and the tenth will be prepared by the King Mashiach. Even more striking, he inserts a personal prayer — “May he be revealed speedily” — right in the middle of a legal text.Why would a halachic authority include such seemingly narrative and emotional elements? Because, for the Rambam, the requirement to preserve the ashes of the Red Heifer is not just a technical point — it represents an ongoing, living mitzvah. And once the mention of Mashiach arises, even incidentally, it naturally stirs the soul to yearn and pray for his arrival. The Rambam is modeling this for us: belief in redemption is not enough — one must anticipate it, long for it, and feel its absence. Even when Mashiach is mentioned in passing, wrapped in the language of halacha, it should awaken hope and heartfelt yearning.לקו״ש כח-א

There are multiple ways to look at the concept of shlichut (being a messenger). A person who does a selichot might be doing it as a total replacement for meshaleach (sender), or perhaps only the action itself is connected to the meshale’ach (sender), or maybe even the act is not inherently connected — just the outcome serves the sender. In any case, there must be a designation (minui) of the shaliach, and the halachah requires that the emissary be like the sender.This leads to three general levels in divine service (avodat Hashem) when one acts as a shaliach: 1. He is not personally connected to the sender, but the result of his action serves the purpose — the connection is only in outcome. 2. The action itself is tied to the sender — meaning he is aware and aligned in his deed, even if not completely nullified. 3. He has no personal interests at all — his entire being is only what Hashem wants. Therefore, all of his actions directly reflect the meshale’ach.And even someone who doesn’t always feel deeply connected to the meshale’ach must know that being designated a shaliach means he is as the sender himself. And since he has a portion of that essence — even a small one — he is truly one with the sender.Thus, one must look into his inner essence to discover those hidden strengths that stem from his inherent connection to the meshale’ach — and bring them into his daily action.לקו״ש לג-ב

What did the Meraglim do wrong? They were sent to spy out Eretz Yisroel, its people and to see if the land was fortified- and that’s exactly what they did. The answer is that their conclusion was the problem.They said ‘we can’t conquer it’ - and that is not what Moshe sent them out to do. He only sent them to see the easiest way to conquer it and not whether we could conquer it. Moshe was certain that if Hashem commanded it, then certainly it could be done. This is the lesson we can derive - that if Hashem commands us to observe Torah and Mitzvos, even though it might seem difficult, we can certainly do it. Similarly, a person wouldn’t ask another to do something if they knew it was impossible. So too, Hashem, who created a person, would only create him with all the capabilities and abilities to be able to accomplish the mission Hashem set forth for him.לקו״ש יג-א

The law with transactions and acquisitions is that one cannot sell something that does not exist. Thus, one can only sell produce that is physically around. However, when you buy a tree, then you get to own the future fruits. The law is different when it comes to Hekdesh ( donations to the Bais HaMikdash) and Tzedaka, where a future commitment for a yet non existent item, although it doesn’t become holy, remains a mitzvah for you to keep your word. This translates into our service of Hashem. The tree represents the person himself, his mind and heart. This is someone who completely transforms himself and makes a transaction subjugating himself to Hashem. This guarantees that the future fruits-meaning his “ behavior” will be for Hashem. Then you have somebody else who didn’t change himself, but commits his actions. “his fruits“ to Hashem. That is a good transaction, but he cannot commit his future fruits (behavior), because we don’t yet know the outcome. This concept refers to the daily, mundane transactions such as eating, sleeping and working which he should be doing for the sake of Heaven. These actions cannot be guaranteed for the future. However, when it comes to Hekdish- holy things like Torah and Mitzvos - then if the person commits, then it’s a mitzvah to keep his word, and Hashem will help him do it.לקו״ש כז-א

Two types of Karbonos represent two aspects to incorporate to successfully achieve our G-dly mission on this world. The Omer, which was brought on Pesach was comprised of barley -an animal food, and it was from the new crops, which permitted everybody to start using their new crops. The second was the Shnei HaLechem, the Two Breads, which was brought on Shavous -from wheat, human food. This too was from the new crops, which permitted the Bais Hamikdash to use new crops for Karbonos.Sacrificing the animal food represents our interactions with the physical mundane world. We must know that the first thing that we must sacrifice is the ‘animal’ ie. not to act with our animal instincts- those of survival and pleasure. Rather, recall our mission and purpose. Even when we are involved in spiritual pursuits - learning and Davening, the human aspect must also be sacrificed. In other words, that as much as we’re involved, understand and enjoy it, the foundation of Naase Vinishma must exist. That means that understanding that Torah is holy and way beyond us, we completely subjugate ourselves. Only based with that foundation, can we truly blossom and grow in Torah and Mitzvahsלקו״ש לב-ב

Not only are we not permitted to use inaccurate scales, we are not even allowed to own one. When it comes to stealing, it’s very clear that the person desires to steal from another and is not concealing that intent. However, when it comes to using an inaccurate scale, the person is attempting to show that he is trying to be honest on the outside, but on the inside, he is being deceptive. Therefore, the Torah tells us to eradicate this behavior and not even to own such a scale. The lesson we learn questions the possibility that Jews - sons of Hashem and an actual part of Him- can be convinced by the Yetzer Horah to sin. The answer is offered with the mitzvah of not owning inaccurate scales. The Yetzer Horah tells you have scales; have measures. Follow all the laws of Torah perfectly, but in one little area, it’s not so important. He tries to give you a little bit of doubt here and there and that’s how he gets into our heads. Therefore, it’s vital that we have accurate scales so that everything is measured, perfect and strong in all the areas of our life.לקו״ש כז-ב

A Metzora represents someone who is on a spiritual decline. He therefore, becomes impure with a mark, a “Nega”and is sent out of the camp, where he reflects on his behavior and actions, changes his ways and becomes a Bal Tshuva. Interestingly, the Nega is an extremely low thing, yet it brings the person to the greatest of heights. Similarly, the rabbis say, that when Tshuvah is done out of love and from the depths of your heart, it can actually transform all your sins into good deeds. Since you are repenting from the core of your Neshama, you are, therefore, connecting yourself to Hashem where future and past equally exist. This actually enables you to change the past.לקו״ש כז-ב

At the inauguration ceremony of the Mishkan, Moshe Rabeinu tells Aron that although a mourner doesn’t eat from the Kabonos, yet now during your mourning for your two sons, I want you to eat the Karbonos. Aron goes ahead, eats some and then burns some. He says that they are two different types of Karbonos, and therefore, even though he has to eat one, the other one has to get burnt. There are the “temporary Karbonos” like these to inaugurate the Mishkan , which were more stringent, and then there are the “generational Karbonos” meaning the regular Karbonos which would be brought throughout the generations.The lesson is that generational Karbonos represent the generational Yiddishkeit that we’ve been doing throughout the generations. Those the Yetzer Hora doesn’t really fight against, and it becomes our second nature. However, in every generation, the leaders enact new Takanos (the call of the hour), and those the Yezer Hora fights. His argument is that we never did this before. We must derive that these are actually even more important. The generational Yiddishkeit, could be enjoyed. Alternately, regarding the temporary call of the hour, those must be burned, meaning we have to approach those with total self sacrifice.לקו״ש כז-ב

There is a debate regarding a contribution for a Korbon: whether it is more important to keep your word or to keep your intention. Therefore, if someone promises to bring a small Korbon but brings a large one, according to one opinion, it’s not valid. However, according to another opinion, since the intention of every Jew is to bring the biggest and the best, although he may bring a small Korbon, it’s just that presently he can’t afford a larger one and therefore, it is considered valid. In a deeper sense a Korbon refers to someone who desires to be “Korov”- wants to be close to Hashem. He wants to offer everything that he has to Hashem, as opposed to someone who is just doing a specific mitzvah- just focusing on subjugating one part of himself to Hashem. Therefore, when someone decides to be a Korbon- to give everything over to Hashem, although he is presently doing just one specific action, it is considered as though he is submitting himself completely to Hashem.לקו״ש כו-ב