HaRav Dov Begonis Head of Yeshivat Machon Meir
Balak, king of Moab, and his people were terrified of the Children of Israel to such an extent that they were sick of their lives out of fear and panic, as it says in the verse:
“And Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel” (Numbers 22:3-5).
What caused them such terrible fear to the point that they loathed their own lives?
The author of Maor V’Shemesh explains: because they saw that Israel was united like one person, with love and brotherhood reigning among them. They understood that when Israel is united, no one can stand against them - just as the Amorites and Og king of Bashan could not stand against Israel and were utterly defeated.
Therefore, the solution to the distress of Balak and Moab was to bring Bilaam the wicked whose entire nature was an evil eye and whose purpose was to curse and create division between people in the hope that he would be able to cause separation among Israel and weaken them.
Indeed, Balak took Bilaam to observation points from which he hoped to see division and calamity befall Israel, Heaven forbid:
“And Balak took Bilam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, and from there he saw the utmost part of the people” (Numbers 22:41). But not all of them.
And again, he brought him to another place:
“Only the edge of it shall you see, but you shall not see it all… And he brought him into the field of Zophim to the top of Pisgah” (Numbers 23:13-14)
Balak saw that a breach was destined to occur in Israel from there, since that was the place where Moses would die, and he thought that there the curse would take effect on them (Rashi).
And again:
“And Balak said to Bilam: Come now, I will take you to another place… And Balak took Bilaam to the top of Peor, which looks out over the wasteland” (Numbers 23:28).
Because he saw that in the future they would suffer punishment through Peor.
But as is known, the aim of Balak and Bilam to create division among Israel did not succeed. On the contrary: he came to curse and ended up blessing:
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel… A star shall go forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall arise from Israel, and shall strike the corners of Moab” (Numbers 24:17).
As of now, the enemies of Israel, who seek to dispossess us of our Land and to destroy us, Heaven forbid, also understand what Balak and Bilaam understood - that as long as Israel is united, they cannot defeat us. Therefore, they exert great efforts to drive a wedge in our national unity and cause division among Israel in various ways:
They enter into dialogue with people whose faith in our right to the Land of Israel has weakened and incite them against their brethren, those in Judea and Samaria, who sacrifice their lives to maintain our hold on the Land of our life. Also they channel hidden financial support to organizations and movements that cause division in Israeli society. Their machinations include many other evil doings as well.
But all these schemes are in vain, for:
“Many thoughts are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of Hashem, it shall stand.”
And certainly, only His covenant and His oath to our Forefathers, which we must always remember, will be fulfilled:
“Remember His covenant forever, the word He commanded to a thousand generations; which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying: To you I will give the Land of Canaan, the portion of your inheritance” (I Chronicles 16).
Awaiting total victory and complete salvation.