Dvar Torah for Parshat Balak

"This is the word of...the evil-eyed man" (Numbers 24:3 based on Zohar 1:68b).

Ol' one-eyed Balaam. What a mouth that guy had! He could jinx and damn with the worst of them. What do I mean?

The Talmud (Berakhot 7a) tells us that Balaam knew the nanosecond of the day in which God's anger was the deciding element of Divine decision. In that nanosecond he was ready, God forbid, to curse the Jewish people so thoroughly as to wipe them totally off the face of earth. The Tosafists ask what Balaam could have said in such a brief instant that would be so effectively destructive? They answer that he could have said, "Annihilate them." (In Hebrew this can be said in one word.)

Imagine. The wrong word at the wrong moment by one individual can so utterly affect the lives of millions and change the course of history. What if *you* said the right word at the right time, or any time for that matter? If Balaam, one of the greatest villains of all time, had it within his grasp to counter the purpose of God's creation, certainly your words that you speak for the betterment of the Jewish people and mankind will certainly have a positive impact.

This is particularly true if you are also a bit "one-eyed." Balaam's one-eye was focused on the negative aspects of life. Wherever he cast a glance, he cast withering vibes. A Jew, on the other hand, looks at life differently. "One with a good eye is blessed," says King Solomon (Proverbs 22:9). King Solomon saw this first-hand. The holy Zohar tells us that his great-grandmother, Ruth, had such a generous eye that wherever she cast a glance, blessing immediately followed.

So put down your negativity and look at others—and yourself—favorably. If you see someone or something in need, ask God to provide it in the best possible way. May your prayers soon be answered. Amen.