Our role as Jews is to be an example. The Torah describes us, thousands of years ago, as expressing the virtues of modesty and privacy.
With all due respect, Balaam did not Blessed the people because he was that Impressed he was warned severely that he could not curse the people!!!
Yet, later he told Balack how to cause the children of Israel to Sin against G-D by tempting them with their women, and caused them to
worship baal-peor their god.
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Shouldn't we look different from the rest of the world ? Shouldn't we dress with modesty and privacy in mind instead of fashion, sensuality, and trying to look younger ?
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G-d's warnings were to no avail - he consistently went against them and planned to curse, until G-d personally transformed his words into blessings.
However, our Sages teach that the extreme modesty of the Israelites so astounded Balaam that for the moment, even he was honestly impressed (see Rashi, Numbers 24:2) - resulting in the blessing found in Numbers 24:5.
He remained evil though - and later devised ways to circumvent their modesty in his advice to Balak.
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Thank you Yaacov, I did not want to credit Balaam for anything!! Not even for the honest feelings of been Impressed by G-D'S People. I find him detestable and I am not Impressed by him in the least! However you are correct. Thanks.
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Nu, Balaam advised his principal to subvert the Children of Israel by sexual subversion. The strategy almost worked, until Pinchas drove the point of tznius (modesty) home on the tip of his spear through Zimri and Cozbi.
Let the point be this -- unless someone has never experienced modesty -- such as someone whose boundaries have been breached by untreated sexual abuse at an early age -- no one can force us to act immodestly, and that no one can overcome a G-d fearing people from without. Only by the exercise of free will can a well-adjusted person act immodestly, and only by internal failure can a G-d fearing people be overcome.
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Thanks for the readings, I can not always make it to services on Friday evenings!
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You made no mention of the donkey in the story. It was the donkey who saw the angels the first two times. It is the donkey who spoke to Bilaam not to strike his obedient servant.
Is the moral of the story that we should be modest like the donkey ? Bilaam wasn't the modest one was he ? Bilaam seemed to be clued out until the donkey made him see the light.
I do follow all your other words about modesty and holiness. But even there i have a question. How would you expect a Sefer Torah to be maintained. Is it holiness which is obvious , but how about just common sense protection. A Sefer Torah is a monumental task and expensive. We normally keep our best things well protected. The tallis exemplifies what i see as holiness. Mixing holiness with modesty is fine, but common sense is also fine. protect your sacred and precious belongings.
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