It's a double portion this week (Chukat-Balak), but I am choosing to focus my remarks on the passage from Parashat Balak in which, lo and behold, we encounter a talking donkey!
What is a miracle? How can this fanciful story help us to think deeply about the nature of miracles in nature and in our lives?
Wishing you a week of deep consideration,
Rabbi Jonathan Blake
This week's video will be displayed here, on YouTube.
RB, beautiful comments indeed.
ReplyDeleteI try to find one "moment" in every day. It might be a chance to help someone, hear a sound, or see something not obvious. The trick is being receptive to perceiving--and then actually noticing.
As Jews, I like to think our mission is not only to notice but to act. That way, one miracle in our midst can have a ripple effect.
Anyone who ever had a dog has seen their pet sense an impending storm. So too did Balaam's ass see something and stop, an act we supposedly intelligent humans pass up every day.
The thoughts of sailjazz (sorry I don't know your name)contain a beautiful way of life that is worth persuing by Jews and gentiles alike.
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me was how we as human beings feel that an animal should understand what we want. Far too many times I have seen horseback riders kicking and hitting their horses feeling they can motivate the 1800 pound creature through force. How glad I am that the Horse Whispering techinque has taken hold in many areas.
One often sees dog owners getting frustrated, yelling and even hitting their dogs that do not respond to their guradian's commands. Even worse, when an animal acts like an animal, begging for food or chasing another animal, we again may become frustrated or angry. Why should they not act and behave as God so designed? Are we so arrogant that we feel we can override their natural way of functioning? Perhaps before we react we should pause and think about the natural instinct of the animal or even the person. All creatures human and otherwise need and deserve our respect for their behavior. What would have ahppened if the donkey had been asked to move in a different direction? It would, of course, have gone thereby signaling Balam that something was amiss. Human arrogance again took control causing pain to the innocent and wise donkey.
JB's vidoe teaching is a weekly treat. Even better in person!
Franklin
Great comments from both of you - thank you! I was struck (no pun intended) by your analogy to the animal cruelty we see today -- very moving!
ReplyDeleteJonathan