Rabbi Hillel Eisenberg shares an anecdote in his book The Parsha on Fire.
He relates that his father suffered a serious and life threatening heart attack. It was so serious that he was only given a 5% chance of survival. A few weeks after the event, his father left the hospital completely cured. Shortly after returning home, his father was walking in the neighborhood and he encountered a Jewish neighbor who had often expressed his negative views on Judaism and faith.
When they met, the neighbor told Rabbi Eisenberg’s father that he owed him a debt of thanks.
When he was met with surprise, the neighbor said when he heard about the cardiac arrest he offered a heartfelt prayer to Gd. The neighbor continued to say that Gd must have been so shocked and surprised to hear from him in an actual prayer - that Gd must have answered this powerful entreaty.
This week’s Torah portion is called Balak.
It’s an interesting reality that the Torah portion is named after a very evil person.
Balak was a true hater of Jews.
He did everything in his power to destroy the Jewish people.
(Isn’t it ironic how contemporary this story is? Virulent Jew hatred was fomenting in Biblical times and although it continues to this day we are still here surviving and thriving! Boruch Hashem)
So why should such a person be accorded the honor of having a Parsha named for him?
Not only did Balak receive an epynomous portion he received an even greater gift.
Balak had a Grandaughter whose name is Rus or Ruth.
Rus was not only one of the greatest women in Jewish history, she was also the forebear of King David and ultimately Messiach.
This is truly confounding.
Balak dedicated his life, using any means at his disposal, offering fervent prayers and multiple sacrifices to Gd, beseeching for the destruction of the Jewish people, why would he be so rewarded?
As Rabbi Eisenberg teaches us, all of of Balak’s actions were forms of passionate prayer.
“Prayer uttered in sincerity can turn Gd away from the stature of the person talking. It can overshadow previous deeds and external scenarios. The passion and meaning injected into those prayers, the fire burning in the soul of the one praying, can pierce the very heavens”.

Today is Day 643
So many young lives snuffed out. Young men, sons, brothers, a newly married bridegroom all passionately fighting for the Jewish people.
Fighting so selflessly.
For US
What can we do?
We have to pray our hearts out!
We have to beseech the Creator that no more precious lives be lost.
It’s up to us.
Even if we feel small, or unequal to the task.
Offer up a heartfelt whisper of a prayer.
Rabbi Eisenberg concludes his story about his father’s miraculous recovery by saying that many esteemed people, holy people, tens of thousands of people, prayed for his father’s recovery.
Yet the neighbor, who had previously disconnected from Gd was confident that his prayer was the one that saved his father’s life.
Now that we have learned the power of prayer from the most unlikely candidate, from Balak, we can postulate that the neighbor might indeed be right.
His heartfelt and unlikely prayer might just have been the tipping point.
(We might want to take a moment to consider what type of man Rabbi Eisenberg’s father must be to evoke a heartfelt prayer from someone who doesn’t pray - food for thought.)
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!