Asociación Israelita Montefiore - Bogota
Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaacov, mishcanotecha Yisrael, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel! Oddly enough, this phrase that Jews say every time we enter or pass a synagogue was said for the first time by Balaam, a sorcerer hired by Balak, King of Moab, to curse the people of Israel.
Balak, full of hate and fear, knows he has to face the children of Israel in the wilderness, and as his strategy, decides to hire the prestigious sorcerer, famous in the entire area for his word power: That whom he cursed, curse would befall on him, and that whom he blessed, blessing would befall. Balaam travels to Moab to fulfill his task, climbs the mountain to observe the people of Israel and, surprisingly, every time that he is about to pronounce the curse, the only words that come out of his mouth are words of blessing: Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaacov.
Our sage disagree on what it was that Balaam saw from the mountain. What was it that forced him to change a terrible curse into words of praise and admiration for the people of Israel? And although there is no consensus over the answer, it is clear that Balaam recognized in our people a different nation. Israel was difficult to curse, and its distinctive feature turned out to be the key to immunity.
Taking Balaam’s story as pre-text to reflect upon ourselves and our reality, I think that it can become a nice invitation to reflect upon the image we Jews project to the rest of humanity. Somehow, this sorcerer represents the external look held by other nations towards us, and through which we are judged, for better or worse, from the outside.
And following this invite, I would like to rescue four elements that I believe have been representative of the frequent look turned to us, the Jews, and which I repeatedly hear at the different non-Jewish forums where I’m called to participate:
1) The first one is our cultural level: It is common to underline the high educational level of Jews, the low historical percentages of analphabetism, the important positions achieved by many Jews in key places for human development, the number of Jewish Nobel prizes worldwide, all the great discoveries or inventions promoted by “Jewish minds” throughout history, etc.
2) The second element is unity: Our fellow non-Jews generally emphasize that we are a solid people that has managed to preserve unity throughout the ages, despite all the difficulties we have been required to face. Some features that stand out, for instance, are: the importance we grant to family, to the union of parents and their children, highlighting as an important quality our internal cohesion and the strong ties of love and friendship among us.
3) The third element is a consequence: the solidarity and mutual displays of generosity within the Jewish people. Many have asked me whether what “is said” is true; the Jews first help each other: that we worry about those who have less, about those who are undergoing a bad situation, or for those who lost their job. Other highlights are: the solidarity we show towards our community institutions, our aid to different social projects and our constant support of the State of Israel.
4) And finally, our fellow non-Jews wonder about the fact that despite our being a people with 3500 years of history, we Jews have known how to stay attached to our customs and traditions. Particularly emphasized are the importance that families grant to the Shabbat dinner on Friday nights, the fact of not eating pork, and the effort to maintain Jewish marriage as a fundamental value. Besides acknowledging in us a society-integrated people, we are also appreciated for knowing how to preserve our tradition.
Without a doubt, there are other qualities that distinguish the Jewish people. Some will be more relevant in specific societies and others will reflect not so positive features, especially when those opinions are influenced by irrational prejudices or anti-Semitic postures. But I chose these four because for me, they represent both a common and historical vision of that which has made us special and, at the same time, challenge us to ask ourselves to what extent does that positive image agree with the reality that we, members of the people of Israel, have of our Jewish experience and the community we live in.
A good cultural level (Talmud Torah), the union of our people (Ahavat Israel), solidarity (Guemillut Hassadim), and a solid Jewish practice (Mitzvot) have been the fundamental values over which our people have managed to consolidate the historical continuity of our tradition and which, in some way or another, have made us stand out before the eyes of our fellow non-Jews in every generation.
What would Balaam see today if he climbed the mountain and saw our people from afar? The challenge to preserve that singular character is still in force and depends on the way each one of us decides to live Judaism, becoming a member and participating in community activities, and building a Jewish home by raising children in the tradition of Israel.
Thousands of years ago Balaam, the famous sorcerer hired by Balak, changed his curse into a blessing when he saw that we Jews were different, that we knew how to preserve that which made us distinct in the eyes of the rest of humanity.
God willing, we will also be able to preserve and keep, humbly and responsibly, that which makes us special and which will allow us, from generation to generation, to continue feeling moved and proud of our people and of our beautiful tradition.
Shabbat Shalom uMeborah!
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