Instead of curses, blessings issue forth for the people wicked prophet Balaam, prophesies about the end of days and the coming of Moshiach. * The power of the soul to transform even the greatest darkest.
By Bing AI
In Parshat Balak, the king of Moab, Balak, summons the prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel. On the way, Balaam is berated by his donkey, who sees, before Balaam does, the angel that G‑d sends to block their way. Three times, from three different vantage points, Balaam attempts to pronounce his curses; each time, blessings issue forth instead. Balaam also prophesies on the end of the days and the coming of Moshiach.
One of the two places in the Chumash (Five Books of Moses) where the principle of Moshiach is spelled out is in Parshat Balak. The Torah records the prophecy of Bilam who speaks of King David as well as his descendent - the Melech HaMoshiach ("Moshiach, Moshiach, Moshiach!! - Rabbi Hershel Schachter - TorahWeb").
Why was the prophecy of Moshiach’s coming voiced by a wicked, Jew-hating person like Balaam? Just to add fuel to the fire, this prophecy is found in the portion of Balak, named after a wicked, Jew-hating king. There are no mitzvahs in this parshah, and it ends with the Jewish people reaching a new low.
This is truly a testament to the power of the soul—the G‑d-given ability to transform even the darkest of places, the darkest of situations, to see goodness. We have the ability and the obligation to shine light and transform even the lowest areas of life to holiness.
What’s more, G‑d puts us in these dark situations and gives us the power to transform them. And when you lift from the bottom, you lift up the whole thing. That is the message found in the fact that the prophecy of Moshiach comes to use from Balaam in the portion of Balak.
Even a Balaam is changed to say Moshiach’s prophecy. How amazing are the Jewish people? Through us, the lowest, darkest situations and most evil people can and will be transformed to goodness and light.
(Based on "Why Balak Needed to Teach Us About Moshiach" - Chabad.org)
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