JULY 18 • 2024 | 27
J
N

I

n youth group, we played a 
game called Two Truths and 
a Lie. Someone would make 
three statements and the group 
guessed which two state-
ments were honest and 
which was an intentional 
untruth. 
In this last year of rising 
antisemitism, I think that 
the American Jewish com-
munity is playing the same 
game; but we are confused 
over which statement is 
the untruth: 1) the Jewish 
people feels profoundly 
alone at this moment; 2) 
We are deeply blessed 
to be Jewish even in this 
moment; and 3) One cannot feel 
alone and blessed at the same 
time.
This week, the Torah tells us 

the story of King Balak, who 
ruled over territories east of the 
Jordan River during the days of 
the Israelite Exodus from Egypt. 
Balak saw the Israelites 
coming and feared their 
might and their military 
successes even though the 
Israelites sought only to 
pass through Balak’s land 
on their way to Israel. 
King Balak refused to let 
them pass unharmed, but 
his army was no match for 
God and our ancestors. 
As such, King Balak sum-
moned the services of the 
evil prophet Bilam, who 
followed them and made 
his way to a cliff, where he tried 
to look down on our ancestors. 
Gazing upon our people, the 
evil prophet Bilam declared 

two statements which define us 
today. First, “It is a people that 
shall dwell alone, and shall not 
be reckoned among the nations” 
(Numbers 23:9). Whether Bilam 
uttered these words as a curse or 
as a description is unclear. What 
we do know, however, what 
thousands of years of Jew hatred 
affirms, when we are alone, we 
are vulnerable.
Second, Bilam proclaimed, 
“How goodly are your tents, O 
Jacob; your dwelling places, O 
Israel” (Numbers 24:5). Moved 
by what he saw — perhaps the 
joy we Jews experience in Jewish 
living and the strength and sense 
of safety that come from Jewish 
peoplehood — Bilam could only 
offer us praise.
Thousands of years later, we 
are the inheritors of Bilam’s 
declarations; today both of his 
statements ring true. We are 
alone and we are also incredibly 

blessed; moreover, it is a lie to 
think that we cannot be both at 
the very same time.
As we march forward, we 
must embrace both Bilam’s 
truths about the Jewish expe-
rience. As a people, we are, by 
and large, alone. But in our 
aloneness, we have each other 
and, therefore, we must invest 
ourselves ever more deeply in 
the joy of Jewish living and in 
the strength and safety that come 
from our identity as a “king-
dom of priests and holy nation” 
(Exodus 19:6). 
In our aloneness, we are still, 
nevertheless, profoundly bless-
ed … so long as we choose to 
accept the blessing. 

Rabbi Aaron Starr is a spiritual leader 

of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in 

Southfield and author of the recently 

published book Don’t Forget to Call 

Home: Lessons from God and Grandpa 

on a Life of Meaning.

Two Truths & A Lie

SPIRIT
TORAH PORTION

Rabbi 
Aaron Starr

Parshat 

Balak: 

Numbers 

22:2-25:9; 

Micah

5:6-6:8.

How do you know when...
...

Your dad’s forgetfulness is more 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Your dad’s forgetfulness is more 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

than simple aging?
than simple aging?

Your aunt’s mobility makes it unsafe 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Your aunt’s mobility makes it unsafe 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

for her to be home alone? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
for her to be home alone? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The changes you’re experiencing mean 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The changes you’re experiencing mean 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

it’s time to get some help?
it’s time to get some help?

Whether you are seeking answers 
Whether you are seeking answers 
to questions, or aren’t sure what 
to questions, or aren’t sure what 
questions to ask, the experienced 
questions to ask, the experienced 

Geriatric Care Managers at 
Geriatric Care Managers at 

ElderCare Solutions of Michigan can help.
ElderCare Solutions of Michigan can help. 

ELDERCARE
SOLUTIONS of Michigan

Your partner in aging well

eldercaresolutionsofmi.org • 248.592.1944

Call today!

