Though I rarely share thoughts on the weekly Torah portion, I thought that this week was an interesting opportunity to draw pertinent and relevant conclusions from the fascinating narrative.

In this portion, the Moabite King Balak hires the prophet and soothsayer Bilam to curse the people of Israel. Bilam proves incapable of this, and all of his imprecations end up being expressed as blessings. The entirety of the story is fascinating, but I’d like to point to three particular elements.

First, as Bilam is riding his donkey to answer Balak’s invitation, an angel stands in the way. Three times the donkey refuses to approach, and three times Bilam hits the animal. Finally, the passage says, “Vayiftach H’ Et Pi Ha’Aton.” “And the almighty opened the mouth of the donkey” and he spoke, complaining of being struck.

• I’ve sometimes used that very phrase when confronting the vile Hamas allies from a small number of extreme Jews who clothe their hatred of their brothers and sisters in religious garb, even as they march with antisemites and make common cause with those who endanger us all. It should be a reminder to us all that evil may clothe itself in “righteousness” or “justice”, but it’s still evil and worthy of our contempt, but never our disregard. As they say in the Air Force, always honor the threat..

Second, as one of his intended curses comes out as a blessing, Bilam says of the People of Israel “Hen Am Levadad Yishkon, Uvagoyim Lo Yitchashev” “They are a people that dwells apart, not reckoned among the nations.”

• The first part of this passage many of us are familiar with. A nation that dwells alone. It also happens to be the title of a cherished book in my library, the collected essays of Ambassador Yaakov Herzog, uncle of Israel’s current President, Yitzchak Herzog. He was a brilliant scholar. A point he made often - we are unique, we often stand alone, and we must embrace this to summon our hidden strength. The second part of the passage describes us as not reckoned among the nations. Treated differently. Shunned, with double standards and blood libels leveled at us constantly. On the other hand, if this is how the gathered nations of, say, the UN General Assembly act and treat the Jewish people, we don’t want to be reckoned among most of them.

And finally, as Bilam tries again desperately to fulfill his mandate and get paid by Balak, his next attempt has him saying “Hen Am KeLavi Yakum, U’KeAri Yitnaseh, Lo Yishkav Ad Y’ochal Teref” “They are a people that rises up like a lioness, leaps like a lion, not resting until it has consumed its prey…”

• This might stand as a warning to those who attack our brothers and sisters in Israel, or those who have engaged in a war on the Jewish people right here in the USA and across the world. We rise up. We take the initiative. We seek out friends, but we also know we have adversaries, and we look for them too. We cannot rest. We cannot be content if we have done one thing one time in one place to overcome our adversaries. Sadly, that is not enough. We all have a responsibility to do all we can do; with all who can stand with us; for as long as it takes; to push back this creature of hate which has emerged.

It’s time to rise up like a lioness.