Parshat Balak: The Weekly Parsha Story Illustrated by AI

[Music] Hello children. Today we're going to tell you about the story of Balac. Balac was the king of Moab, a nation that lived east of the Dead Sea. Balac heard about all the victories of the Jewish people in the desert. How they defeated the Egyptians. How they crossed the sea. How they beat Sehon, king of the Amorites and Oak, the king of Bashon. And Bolak became very frightened. The people of Moab were afraid and terrified of the Jews. Balac said to the elders of Midian, "This nation will consume everything around it like an ox eats all the grass in the field." Balac realized that he couldn't defeat the Jewish nation in a regular war. So he came up with a unique idea. Instead of fighting with swords and spears, he would try to fight with curses. Balak sent messengers to a very special man. His name was Pilong. Who was Pilong? He was the greatest sorcerer and prophet among all the nations. People throughout the world knew him and were afraid of him. Balac sent messengers to Bilam and said, "Come and curse this people for me because I know that whoever you bless is blessed and whoever you curse is cursed." When the messengers arrived at Bilam with this request, Bilam did not answer right away. He told them, "Go to sleep and tomorrow I will tell you what God tells me." That night, God came to Bilam in a dream and asked him, "Who are these people?" God knew who they were, but wanted to see what Bilam would say. Bilam told God about Balac's request. And God said to him, "Do not go with them. Do not curse this nation, for they are blessed." The next morning, Bilam said to Balac's messengers, "Go home because God has not given me permission to go with you." When Balac heard the answer, he didn't give up. He thought maybe Bilam didn't come because my messengers weren't important enough. So Balac sent new messengers more numerous and distinguished than the first princes and high officials of the kingdom. They offered Bilam even more money and honor. Don't refuse to come. I will give you great honor and whatever you ask I will do for you. What did Bilam answer? Even if Balak gives me a house full of silver and gold, I cannot go against God's command. But then Bilam added, "You two stay here tonight and I will see what else God tells me." Why does Bom need to ask again? God already told him no. This shows that Bilam wanted to go and he hoped that God would change his mind. That night, God came to Bilam again and said, "If the men have come to call you, go with them, but only do what I tell you." The next morning, Bilam got up, saddled his donkey, and set out with the princes of Moab. On the way, something amazing happened. God was angry that Bilam was going. Why? Because God saw that in his heart, Bilam wanted to harm the Jewish people. God sent an angel with a drawn sword to stand in the way. The donkey saw the angel, but Bilam did not see him. In the middle of the field, the donkeys saw the angel and turned off the path. Bilon got angry and hit the donkey. Then they came to a narrow place between the vineyards with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. The donkey saw the angel again and pressed up against the wall, crushing the foot against the wall. The became even angrier and struck him again. Then in a very narrow place where it was impossible to turn right or left, the donkey saw the angel and simply couldn't go any further. Bilam got so angry that he struck the donkey hard with a stick. And then the great miracle happened. The donkey started to speak. She said to Bam, "What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?" And Bom replied, "Because you have wronged me. If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you. The donkey answered him, "Aren't I your donkey, the one you've ridden all your life?" "Have I ever done anything like this to you?" Bam said, "No." Only after that did God open Bilam's eyes, and he saw the angel with the drawn sword. Bam fell on his face in fear. The angel said to him, "The donkey saw me and turned off the path. If she hadn't turned, I would have killed you and left her alive." The donkey saved Bomb's life. Bom said to the angel, "I have sinned. I didn't know you were standing in the way. If this is not good in your eyes, I'll go back home." The angel said, "Go with the men, but only say what I tell you to say." When Bom arrived at Balac, the king came out to greet him with great joy. But Bilam immediately said to him, "Behold, I have come to you. But only what God puts in my mouth, that is what I will speak." Balac prepared great sacrifices, seven bulls and seven rams in three different places and asked Bom to curse the Jewish nation. At the first place at Balat Bal, Bom went up to a high mountain and wanted to see the Jewish people in order to curse them. But what happened? Instead of a curse, a blessing came out. How can I curse if God has not cursed? How can I be angry if God is not angry? Then Bilam added a blessing and said, "A unique nation that cannot be counted because they are so numerous and the other nations cannot influence them." Balac was very angry. "What have you done to me? I have brought you to curse my enemies and instead you bless them." But Balac didn't give up. He took Bilam to another place to the top of the peak. There they prepared sacrifices again and Balac asked Bilam to try cursing them once more. But again, instead of a curse, an even stronger blessing came out. Balac got even angrier. If you can't curse them, at least don't bless them. But Balac still didn't give up. He took Bilam to a third place, to the top of Pagor. Maybe it'll work from here. And Bilam said, "How good are your tents, oh Yakov, your dwelling places, oh Israel. They are spread out like rivers, like gardens by the river, like cedars by the waters. Whoever blesses you will be blessed, and whoever curses, you will be cursed." After Balac got angry and told Bilam to go home, Bilam gave one more blessing about the distant future, but the story wasn't over yet. Before Bilam left, he gave Balac some advice. If you can't defeat the Jews in war or with curses, defeat them through sin. Bilon suggested that the daughters of Moab and Midian tempt the Jews to sin. More idolatry and indeed the Jewish people began to sin with the daughters of Moab. God was very angry and sent a plague and 24,000 people died in the plague. [Music] The plague only stopped when Pinhaz, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest, stood up and acted with great zeal for the honor of God. What happened next? And how did the people react? Find out in the next