Balak - 17 Tammuz 5775 (July 4, 2015)

Inspired by Rav Pesachya:

Picture the most beautiful garden. Gan Eden-our dwelling place with the Holy, where we speak to Hashem and He hears us. Hold that image. In Hebrew it is called Gan Eden. We are sheltered by a Holy Tent over us. The dwelling inside this tent is Holy too. We can hear the trickling of a brook, the flow of a river, and in the distance, we see the most beautiful waterfall sliding from a mountain. It is comforting, serene, and loving. This is where we sleep. There is where it is possible to speak to Hashem, and He makes this a dwelling as beautiful as any eye can see because We created it as One. Herein is a mystery for you to decipher.

How do we get there from a donkey speaking? In this week's parsha, Balak, we have a psychedelic union with an animal and its rider, Bilaam. Beyond the veil, beyond all else in metaphoric language that contrive this union, in the end, it is Hashem's voice speaking to us in delivery. On the surface, yes, we are dealing with a talking donkey, but we must question ourselves, what is the language this metaphor carries? Why did God create such a scene as this in our Holy Torah? "The strength of mankind is his ability to use language" anthropomorphically, so we can identify with the donkey and understand why it speaks. It is speech through our mouths that we are blessed as humans, with and without flaw. The flaw? Communication filtered through ego instead of listening with the whole, as Bilaam demonstrated.

So, the donkey says, and I'm picturing Donkey from Shrek here, in not so exact terms, but something like, "Why are you castigating me so?!" Now, I can't get into the details but donkey is speaking here and that is what I will deal with, which is communication between us and Hashem as told by this lovely story, for in truth, the message (or messenger, angel in Hebrew, for donkey was being blocked by an angel; read the parsha) is about the power of speech as evident coming from a donkey. We are created differently because of this with our mouth from which speech flows. This is profound, subjectively.

If we believe in the Allness, the Oneness of Creation, of who we are collectively with Hashem, we will deduce that who is really speaking, who is pushing out this breath from the donkey's mouth is Hashem, is us, the whole. It is a message, a vision of looking beyond the technicalities of something so tangible as read in the story. In this light, we are using this tool of language to differentiate us from the animals; and the meaning? Your self-evident truth, and without ego. From this starting point, we can see what our message is, individually and whole in Unity. The Source is what matters here. The Oneness we all pray for is in the message. We must transform the messages from God into Holy action. It is through this discourse that we start lifting the veil and recognize the purpose that we are given at birth, or at the inception of our realized existence. The fulfillment of our resistance to action is to Know Thyself. When we know ourselves, we know Hashem. It is here where we take our essence to another level by inspiration.

As such, this world needs our help. Hashem is our help, but He needs us too. "When you realize your worth, you know what you are capable of" unconditionally. Our Union is to help All of Creation at the right time and place. Find your right time and place. This is key. Be sure of what is in your environment and give until you feel you cannot give anymore and then give some more. This is our healing, our hope, our help.

Back to Gan Eden, this is the place we aspire to love and cherish. This is us with Hashem, our healing. With this we serve, protect and guide by being guided to the Allness of Truth, the Love of Life, and the Oneness of All. The Water in Gan Eden is our source in whatever way we drink from it, individually and in Unity. It is Benevolent. Water is Life and, in this garden, it flows everywhere and in any or all directions. It is now time to swim in and drink from it. Keep this place safe. It is your heart.

And all this from a donkey. I like the donkey.

May we have many stories to tell. Amen

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