Modern day Bilaams

Sar Shalom

This week we will be reading the Torah portion Balak which contains the story of Bilaam traveling with the Moabite King Balak's officers on a mission to curse the Israelites. As Bilaam went on his way with those officers, his donkey saw an angel on the path holding a sword and veered off the path into the fields. Then when there were walls along the path, the donkey would push up against the wall, pressing Bilaam's foot against it. Finally, when the walls were too close together, the donkey just sat down. Each time, Bilaam beat the donkey to spur it along the path.

Bilaam, whether he actually experienced that journey or only dreamed about it, is an archetype for those who have a fixed idea of where they want to go, are willfully blind to any obstacles to getting there, and lash out at anyone responds to those obstacles in a way that impedes their getting to their destination. Such is the description of many, including many who claim to be supporters of Israel, pushing a two-state agreement with the Palestinian national movement (PNM). However, Israelis, with the exception of a vanishlingly small minority, are acutely aware of the reality of their purported partner for an agreement and thus elect governments that hesitate to conclude such an agreement. The moral narcissists, burying their heads in the sand about the nature of the PNM, conclude that this hesitancy is due to the settlers' insatiable demand for "Palestinian" land, and thus lash out by telling stories about Israel's disregard for human rights and support more consequential actions like UNSCR 2334.