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t may come as a surprise that troubled, and to trouble the com-
criticism and chastisement is fortable." The second may be
not only regarded as a virtue more important than the first
of Judaism, but is included because the Torah sets a very
among the 613 Commandments high standard for us. By iden-
of the Torah. The Book ofLeviti- tifying our imperfections, it
cus (19:14) declares: 'Thou shalt urges us to improve. The func-
surely rebuke thy neighbor, and tion of the prophet is to chastise
not bear sin because of him." We and rebuke in the name of a
have a responsibility to improve great ideal.
The moral imperative of criti-
and elevate the character of oth-
ers by the proper expression of cism has a place in our daily lives.
The sages said that "love which
admonition and reproach.
Criticism is not only a com- does not contain a measure of re-
mandment addressed to the in- proof, isn't authentic love." Does
dividual, but it is also one of the love mean a total acceptance of
major functions of religion. What one's partner, of one's children in
is the Torah, if not the highest everything they do? Love, which
moral standard of life. Therefore, is authentic, involves the recog-
the Torah serves as goad and crit- nition of the faults and weak-
ic. Because it measure the dis- nesses of those who are very dear
tance between the ideal and the to us. If we truly love another, we
real, it reveals to each of us our seek to enhance the life of that
significant other. When love is
imperfections.
A powerful demonstration of not blind but critical, when there
this truth is conveyed by the is an effort made in the spirit of
Torah portion of this week which love for people to challenge each
contrasts two figures: Balaam other, to bring about greater re-
and Moses. Balaam was a hea- alization of their human poten-
then prophet who was commis- tial, then that love leads to
sioned by Balak, King of Moab, growth, development and
to put a curse upon the Jewish achievement.
people. Much to Balak's chargrin,
Balaam blessed the people. He
exclaimed: "How beautiful are
your tents, 0 Jacob, your
dwellings, 0 Israel!"
On the other hand, Moses was
persistent, tenacious and some-
times merciless in his criticism
of the people, accusing them of
How shall a person take re-
sinfulness, obstinacy, and faith- buke? One way is to respond ag-
lessness.
gressively, to react with hostility.
But the judgement of history If someone strikes us, our first re-
declares that Moses was the action is to strike back. If some-
beloved prophet of truth, while one's words are a blow to our ego,
the heathen prophet was known then we hit back. Children do this
as Bilam Harasha. "Bal aam the all the time, grown up children
Wicked." The Jewish people also.
through the centuries have
The best way to take criticism
revered the prophet who was the _ is constructively. No matter how
critic and condemned the sooth- deeply it cuts, no matter how ac-
sayer who was the propagandist. curate the critic is, we need to rec-
Moses made out of a horde of ognize criticism in a positive way.
slaves a holy people, while Bal- We need to admit that we are not
aam almost pushed that people perfect. We seem to admit this in
over the abyss of destruction by a superficial way. Often, we be-
his cunning strategies of deceit gin a sentence with these words,
and flattery.
"I know I'm not perfect, but..."
What Moses was to his gener- This is an exercise in rhetoric. We
ation, the Torah of Moses must say we are not perfect because
be to every generation. When re- if we were to say otherwise, we
ligion begins to soothe and flat- know how foolish we would
ter us, it is no longer authentic. sound. In effect, the speaker is
It is a form of ersatz therapy that saying, "I may not be perfect,
cannot truly heal. It is Balaam's granted, but I am a lot nearer
voice that speaks.
perfection than anyone else I
At a time of sorrow and an- know."
guish, religion brings solace and
We have to be willing to admit
strength to many. But that's not to ourselves, "I have faults of
the only function of religion. It which I am not even aware. I
has been well stated, "the pur- need help to correct them." This
pose of religion is to comfort the is a hard but necessary admis-

Shabbat Balak:
Numbers 22:2-25:9
Michah 5:6-6:8.

