"And Bila'am the son of Beor they killed by the sword." And what was the haughty Bila'am doing over in Midian that he got caught up in the war? Bila'am lived in Aram Naharayim, but when he saw that the Midianites took up his advice of sending out their daughters to cause the Jewish people to sin, by acting promiscuously with them, and thus causing 24,000 Jews to be killed by the wrath of HaShem, he came to receive his reward.
Not knowing that this journey would be his last, the jolly, fat Bila'am came back to Midian to get paid for his advice on how he smeared the Jewish people. Lo and behold, he finds Midian in a state of war against the Jewish people. But is he, Bila'am, worried? Not in the least! For he sees that the Jewish people are coming out to battle with just 12,000 men, a thousand for each of the tribes. Bila'am reasoned that there is strength in numbers. For when Midian faced the whole Jewish people of some 600,000 soldiers strong, the Jewish people were unable to overcome their enticements and they yielded to sin. Now that they were only 12,000 strong, what chance did they have of not sinning?
Little did old Bila'am know that these were chosen men, all righteous. Thus, although few in number, they were enough to conquer and destroy all of Midian. For there is no strength in numbers before the L-rd, and HaShem can save with many or few, as we have seen throughout Jewish history. Too bad for Bila'am that he failed to understand the powerful deeds of the righteous.
So, too, we find in the case of Jonathan, the son of King Saul. It happened one day that Jonathan, son of Saul, said to the attendant who bore his armor: Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison that is on the other side, for nothing prevents HaShem from saving, whether through many or few. And on that day, Jonathan alone went into the camp of the Philistines and destroyed it, causing them to flee.
Today, as black clouds cover the horizon over the Holy Land, many people have fallen into despair, with less then 20 days left before Ariel Sharon sends in tens of thousands of Israeli troops and police to uproot Jews from homes in which they have lived in for some 30 years. Synagogues destroyed or turned into mosques. A tale too horrifying to think about.
But there is light at the end of this tunnel. To witness tens of thousands of good Jews gathering together out of their love for the Land of Israel, as we did last week, in spite of personal hardships. To witness 8-day-old babies being carried about by their mothers and 80-year-old men all coming together to save the Land of Israel and the State from itself. To see all of this was to taste a bit of the Exodus from Egypt, to see the purest and holiest camp that there ever was in the Land of Israel, as some 40,000 Jews gathered to fight the good fight.
Still, there are voices that cry out that it is only a small number in comparison to the whole nation. Maybe, but maybe not. Remember that it was the 12,000 soldiers that were the minority of the army that was victorious over Midian. There was no need for more. For HaShem can save with a few just as He saves with the many. And so, for the sake of the lovers of the Land of Israel camp, who walk with perfect faith in HaShem, may HaShem save His people from themselves. And, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!"
Not knowing that this journey would be his last, the jolly, fat Bila'am came back to Midian to get paid for his advice on how he smeared the Jewish people. Lo and behold, he finds Midian in a state of war against the Jewish people. But is he, Bila'am, worried? Not in the least! For he sees that the Jewish people are coming out to battle with just 12,000 men, a thousand for each of the tribes. Bila'am reasoned that there is strength in numbers. For when Midian faced the whole Jewish people of some 600,000 soldiers strong, the Jewish people were unable to overcome their enticements and they yielded to sin. Now that they were only 12,000 strong, what chance did they have of not sinning?
Little did old Bila'am know that these were chosen men, all righteous. Thus, although few in number, they were enough to conquer and destroy all of Midian. For there is no strength in numbers before the L-rd, and HaShem can save with many or few, as we have seen throughout Jewish history. Too bad for Bila'am that he failed to understand the powerful deeds of the righteous.
So, too, we find in the case of Jonathan, the son of King Saul. It happened one day that Jonathan, son of Saul, said to the attendant who bore his armor: Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison that is on the other side, for nothing prevents HaShem from saving, whether through many or few. And on that day, Jonathan alone went into the camp of the Philistines and destroyed it, causing them to flee.
Today, as black clouds cover the horizon over the Holy Land, many people have fallen into despair, with less then 20 days left before Ariel Sharon sends in tens of thousands of Israeli troops and police to uproot Jews from homes in which they have lived in for some 30 years. Synagogues destroyed or turned into mosques. A tale too horrifying to think about.
But there is light at the end of this tunnel. To witness tens of thousands of good Jews gathering together out of their love for the Land of Israel, as we did last week, in spite of personal hardships. To witness 8-day-old babies being carried about by their mothers and 80-year-old men all coming together to save the Land of Israel and the State from itself. To see all of this was to taste a bit of the Exodus from Egypt, to see the purest and holiest camp that there ever was in the Land of Israel, as some 40,000 Jews gathered to fight the good fight.
Still, there are voices that cry out that it is only a small number in comparison to the whole nation. Maybe, but maybe not. Remember that it was the 12,000 soldiers that were the minority of the army that was victorious over Midian. There was no need for more. For HaShem can save with a few just as He saves with the many. And so, for the sake of the lovers of the Land of Israel camp, who walk with perfect faith in HaShem, may HaShem save His people from themselves. And, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!"