Voices of WRJ: Balak

by Rachel Maryn This week’s parashah, Balak, includes something for everyone. There’s a frightened king, a hesitant sorcerer, a talking donkey, and if that’s not enough, there’s a curse thrown in just for good measure. In this portion, King Balak of Moab is worried that his nation will soon be taken over by the Israelites. To ensure this doesn’t happen, he retains the services of Balaam, a sorcerer, to come and curse the Jews. God tells Balaam that he shall not curse the people because they are blessed. This message from God makes Balaam hesitant about the king’s request. After much convincing (and a conversation with his donkey) Balaam comes to Moab and tries three separate times to curse the Israelites, but all that comes out of his mouth are praises. Needless to say, he fails and returns to his land. The end of the portion deals with a plague that is halted with the killing of a Midianite princess and the Jewish leader she is consorting with. There are many parallels to draw from this story. I chose to examine the praises that Balaam said on his third try to curse the Israelites. He said, “How Goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel?” This line should familiar to everyone as the opening line of Mah Tovu, a song of praise sung on Shabbat. It has come to mean: worship with us and be welcomed. This goes hand in hand with the philosophy of “Audacious Hospitality” that Rabbi Rick Jacobs, URJ President, has been espousing since the San Diego convention a couple of years ago. The meaning of this phrase is that any Jew should feel welcome at any synagogue he walks into. However, over time this phrase has come to mean more than just being welcomed as a fellow Jewish worshipper. It has come to signify the importance of forging new relationships outside of Reform Judaism. Its meaning has widened to encompass those who up until now have been marginalized: the interfaith family, Jews of color, and the LBGTQ community. It also means connecting to people where they are. WRJ has listened and has seen what has been happening and what changes need to be made. At the recent WRJ Board of Directors meeting, many historic changes were proposed to keep WRJ as vibrant as ever as we move through our next 100 years. No one is sure what WRJ will look like in the future, but measures are being taken right now to ensure our place in it. I continue to feel honored to be a part of such a forward thinking organization. We keep proving over and over how we are all, Stronger Together. Rachel Maryn is WRJ Mid-Atlantic District president and a member of Women of Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, MD.