Balak: The Blessings of a Blind Prophet

A Tale of Two Merchants

Two merchants set up shop side by side at the same bustling market. The first merchant sold the finest linen, each piece as soft as a baby's bottom and as white as polished ivory. He delighted in customers who knew their fabric; those who could appreciate quality and, after a brief inspection, handed over their money with little fuss.

The second merchant, on the other hand, sold cloth that was, shall we say, of lesser pedigree. The threads were uneven, the colors as faded as last year’s fashion. He dreaded discerning customers. They could spot the flaws in an instant. His ideal customers? The ones with no taste, no knowledge—or better yet, those who couldn’t see too well. Like the elderly man squinting over his spectacles, or the shopper arriving just before sunset, when the fabric's flaws were mercifully hidden in the low light.

The Blessings of Balaam

"This is the word of Balaam... the man with the blinded eye" (Num. 24:3) Why did Balaam boast of being blind? 

The Midrash teaches that “everything Israel enjoys in this world comes from the blessings of that evil man, Balaam.” But in the future, the Midrash says, Israel will benefit from the blessings of the Avot—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Midrash supports this idea with the verse, “The Eternal your God will guard for you the covenant and the kindness that He promised to your fathers” (Deut. 7:12). The kindness promised to the Avot, it seems, is reserved for future times.

But why only for future times? The Maggid explains this Midrash like so:

The Avot were great men—wise, holy, and attuned to spiritual greatness. They were like the discerning customers in the parable, able to recognize the fullness of what Israel could become. Their blessings were meant for generations that would rise to spiritual heights, generations filled with the knowledge of God.

But what about the generations in between? The ones lost in exile, struggling with suffering, and reduced to spiritual shallowness? Who would bless them, when they seemed so far from the ideal?

For these times, God chose a prophet who didn’t see the flaws. Balaam, nearly blind, could not see the imperfections and failings of the people.

And that, in fact, was his strength. Balaam needed to explain: Why was he blessing Israel? Why did God need or even want his blessings? Balaam’s blindness was the key. He only saw what God wanted him to see—not the shortcomings of Israel, but their potential.

Thus Israel, even in its current imperfect state, benefits from Balaam's blessings.

(Adapted from Mishlei Yaakov, pp. 360-361)