Curses and Blessings
Transforming curses into blessings is the ultimate expression of G-d’s true unity because it proves that not even the evil has any power of its own, but to serve G-d’s purpose in creation. And therefore, ultimately, even the curses will be transformed into blessings.
Bilam’s Cressings (Curses Converted into Blessings)
The most potent weapon is the tongue. And the tongue is most destructive when it is used to curse another person. So harmful can one’s curse be, according to the Torah, that there are several commandments directed against cursing G-d, a leader, ones parent and any person.
In this week’s Torah portion, Bilam, the heathen prophet was hired by Balak, the King of Moab, to curse the Jews. Miraculously, every time he attempted to utter a curse against the Jewish nation, his curses were converted by G-d into blessings. Indeed, some of these blessings are unmatched in poetic beauty, and spiritual elegance. One of these converted curses, “Mah Tovu-How goodly are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places Israel” appears at the beginning of our Sidurim-prayer books, and extols the beauty of the Jewish homes and places of worship.
Bilam is also responsible for uttering the most earth shattering prophecies about the future destruction of those very nations that tried to destroy the Jewish people, specifically Amalek. Bilam is also responsible for the most dramatic blessing/prophecy concerning the future of the Jewish people and of the entire world- the coming of the Moshiach!
Why the Vile Bilam?
One obvious question that comes to mind is why did G-d have to convert Bilam’s curses into blessings and powerful prophetic visions? If G-d wanted to neutralize the deleterious effects of Bilam’s curses, He could have done just that. G-d could have taken away the power that Bilam obviously possessed that enabled him to harm others through his curses. And if the A-mighty wanted to bless the Jewish people, He could have found some more suitable person through whom the positive message could have been channeled. Why did G-d want a person, as horrible as Bilam, to be the conduit of G-d’s blessings to Israel?
The Purpose of Evil
The answer lies in our understanding of the dynamics of good and evil. Unlike other religions, Judaism does not believe that G-d has no control over evil; that evil is G-d’s rival for power. On the contrary, evil was created by G-d with a purpose.
What purpose can there possibly be for evil?
On the lowest and most basic level, the purpose of evil is to pose as an obstacle in our path. Evil was designed to give us a challenge so that our positive efforts are more meaningful and valuable. But, on this level, our purpose is to ignore the evil and even attempt to destroy those aspects of evil energies that cannot be salvaged by channeling them in a positive direction.
But, there is a higher purpose for evil. The ultimate objective and purpose for evil is to have it transformed into good. Our mystical tradition - Kabbalah - teaches us that even evil possesses hidden “sparks” of holiness and G-dly energy. So hidden, however, are these G-dly forces embedded in them that we cannot, under normal circumstances, access them. All that we can do is to ignore the evil, resist it and destroy its most powerful manifestations.
Only G-d has the power to liberate those “sparks of holiness” and thereby transform these very evil forces into positive ones.
There are two ways in which G-d allows for that process of liberation to occur so that we can access these hidden sparks The first method applies only to those who have already transgressed and upon realizing their guilt are so motivated to Teshuvah and get close to G-d with such passion that they are able to reveal and harness the hidden sparks of evil.
The second method will occur in the future; in the Messianic Age, at which time “the darkness will be transformed into light.” There are aspects of evil that cannot be salvaged; those will cease to exist. But the salvageable aspects of evil will be transformed.
This is one of the reasons that Maimonides writes, based on Biblical verses, that in the future all of the saddest days of the year, including the upcoming fast day and national day of mourning - Tisha B’Av – will not only cease to be sad days, but they will be transformed into joyous holidays.
Transforming curses into blessings is thus the ultimate expression of G-d’s true unity. This proves that not even the evil has any power of its own, but to serve G-d’s purpose in creation. And therefore, ultimately, even the curses will be transformed into blessings.
G-d therefore chose one of the most vile people - Bilam – to prophesy concerning the ultimate future Messianic Age, to underscore that evil has no power of its own and that in that period – on whose threshold we are now standing – all the darkness of the world will be transformed into light!,
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Balak by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
