Sobering Prediction

At the end of פרשת בלק, Bilaam spoke of how he advises what will become of the Jewish nation during the end of days. Some saw this as a positive reference to Messianic times when all will be good for עם ישראל.

Rabbi Twerski did not see this as a “happy ending.” The word יעשה, could be translated as either “what will be” ( Ya’aseh) or “what will be done to them” ( Yay’aseh).

This latter translation hints to the painful path many Jews will take over the centuries that would lead to assimilation and an abandonment of the Jewish religion. Our numbers as a people would have been so much greater if not for annihilation, in addition to assimilation.

This was a call for Jewish leaders to do their utmost to combat this plague. Children need to be educated from a young age to embrace the beauty of our religion. Torah education is the strongest weapon against the plague of assimilation.

Rabbi Twerski told of numerous experiences of patients or congregants of his who cried to him about their children having intermarried. One father said to him, “Had I known this was going to happen to my son, I would have kept kosher for sure!”

Assimilation is still plaguing us to this day. We, too, need to be aware and do our part to stop Jews from going astray.