 Parashat Balak
Upper left is a block - BALAK - in a nest, which makes the block, just like the eggs, BEN TZIPOR. Upper right is a magician's trick in someone's hand. The elders that went to solicit Bil'am's help came with K'SA MIM B'YADAM. Left-center is a sword in hand – this is how the angel who blocked Bil'am's way is described. The donkey speaking is obvious. What she is saying to Bil'am is "why have you hit me these three times. The Torah uses the word R'GALIM for times. This allows a play-on-words by triggering an association with the Shalosh R'galim. This is another item (our observance of Holidays) that stands in our merit against the Bil'amswho would attack us. The donkey is saying more than the plain, "why did you hit me three times?" It is asking Bil'am how he expects to "hit" the Nation that observes the Three Festivals. One of the descriptive terms Bil'am uses for us is "like a lion cub". The bull and sheep were the repeated sacrifices offered by Bil'am and Balak. Which brings us to the spear at the bottom of the picture. It is that which Pinchas grabbed and used in defence of G-d's honor. Hebrew RAMACH is 248 - Pinchas armed himself with mitzvot. Zev Frank adds: Look at prohibition #248. [The ParshaPix Index][The Balak Homepage]
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