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<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This week's <i>parasha</i>/portion is <i>Balak</i> (<i>Be</i>'<i>midbar</i>/Numbers 22:2-25:9). In this narrative, Balak king of Midian, hires the magician Bilaam to curse the Israelites. However, no matter how hard he might try, he may only utter words of praise provided him by God.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On his way to Balak, Bilaam encounters a fiery angel on the path. However, Bilaam does not see the angel. Only his donkey, who stops in his tracks and refuses to move, sees it. Finally, after Bilaam begins to beat the donkey in order to get him to move, the donkey miraculously begins to speak. To paraphrase, he says "you've known me all these years! Doesn't the fact that I stopped dead in my tracks tell you that something is wrong? Open your eyes!"</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In reading this section, the old adage "never assume" came to mind. And so, this midrashic poem on the parashah. I did publish this poem last year on the blog. However, I have edited and refined it further and so I wanted to share it with you one more time.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shabbat Shalom,</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Steven</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"> </span><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE"></meta> <title></title> <meta content="OpenOffice.org 3.2 (Unix)" name="GENERATOR"></meta> <style type="text/css">
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<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">never assume </span></b></span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">never assume </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> for when you assume </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">you know the rest </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">never assume </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> that you know what is </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> that you know the truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> before experiencing it </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">never assume </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> for when you do </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> you blind yourself to truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> unable to see what is </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> before you </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> within you </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> around you </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> hidden</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> unassuming </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> waiting for you to open </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> your heart your soul </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> to be present </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> to what is in this moment</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">the truth is</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">you think </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> you know </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">what you see</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> is truth</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">when told it is not</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> there is more to see </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> you do not listen with the heart </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> you do not see with the soul </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> you rely on only five senses </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> in reality</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> you rely on the ego</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> fearing the truth</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> needing to be always right</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">and so you try to </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">to move on </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">to take the next step on the journey</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">but you cannot </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">what stops you is </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the present </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the truth you cannnot see</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> crying out to be known </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> without that you will never move </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">you are stuck </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">not in present or past </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">simply stuck unable to step into the future</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">and make it present </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">why can't you see </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">the angel </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">the presence </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">the present </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">the truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">in the moment </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">why </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">do you push </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> beat </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> force </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> yourself and others </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> to move on </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> past the present </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">avoiding the truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">again and again</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">stop </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> open your heart</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> see feel know the moment </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the angel </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> divine presence </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> whether you experience it as</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> beautiful or not</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> comforting or frightening </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> pleasant or painful </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">all of these</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">it does not matter </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">for it is </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the moment </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the divine reality </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> the truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> all there is </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">open your heart </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> your soul </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> to the all-in-the-moment </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> do not assume to understand </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> what you think you see </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> until you open yourself to the truth within </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">do not assume </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">whether good bad or both </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">that it will remain </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">beyond this moment </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> nothing does</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">do not </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">assume </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">anything </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">just </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">be open </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> live fully </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> in the moment </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">acknowledging its truth </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> then you will find within</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> infinite blessings for all </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> and that is enough </span> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href="http://mindfultorah.blogspot.com/2010/06/revised-poetic-commentary-on-parshat.html">Mindful Torah</a> at 6/26/2010 03:23:00 AM