June 25th: Balak
THIS WEEK IN THE TORAH
Rabbi David E. Ostrich
What do we do with other religions? What does one religion do conceptually with the existence of other religions? In our Tradition, it is very clear that other gods do not exist. Thus does the Torah regard the “gods” worshipped by pagans and idolators as false gods. As the traditional version of the Aleinu puts it, “They worship gods of wood and stone that do not save!” Our position is that there is only One God—the One we address as Adonai, and our Lord does not want us to “have any other gods!”
Nonetheless, other religions which worshipped other gods did exist, and our ancestors lived in close proximity to these various pagans and idolators—whom the Talmud refers to as AKU’M, an acronym for Ovday Kochavim uM’zolot, Worshippers of Stars and Constellations. We lived side by side with them and participated with them socially, civically, economically, and personally. This is why the Prophets were so insistent that we resist their religions.
There were so many possible entanglements and opportunities for enabling idolatry that an entire section of the Mishna, Avodah Zara / Idol Worship, is devoted to drawing lines so we can avoid or evade them. (It is in this context that we get the modern rules for the kashrut of wine—and Scotch Whisky.)
On the other hand, there is a clear sense that non-Jewish religions can be valid and godly—and much of that sensibility springs from this week’s Torah portion. The story itself is rather strange. The Torah usually focuses on God’s revelation and continuing interest in the Hebrew/Israelite people—and on the singularity of God’s main prophet, Moses. In this story, however, the attention turns to a non-Jewish prophet, Balaam, who also communicates directly with God. The story of King Balak’s attempts to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites seems to be the main narrative, but the theological revelation is what captivates the Rabbis of the Midrash. For them, more than the drama and the talking donkey and the failure of King Balak’s plan is the mystery of this non-Jewish prophet of the One God. Remember, when he speaks the words, “Mah tovu ohalecha, Ya’akov, mish’k’notecha, Yisrael. How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel”( Numbers 24.5), this is not the first or only instance of Balaam speaking the words of the One God.
Though the story in the Torah reveals relatively little about Balaam, there are indications that he was well known among both Gentiles and Israelites, and from these clues, the Rabbis of the Midrash craft a remarkable theological scenario. Since God created all people and loves all people—not just the Jews, God is interested in communicating with every nation and giving them advice about how to live. For the Israelites, God gives these instructions through Moses, and, for the Gentiles, God gives these instructions through Balaam. He is, in this legendary construct, equal to Moses in prophetic ability and importance—and in God’s eyes. So, though we certainly have our own sense of chosen-ness and our special relationship with the Divine, we also have these voices in our Tradition thinking positively of non-Jew’s ability to connect to God and godliness.
This appreciation of non-Jewish religiosity has two prominent legal expressions. First is the famous statement of Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah (in the Talmudic tractate Sanhedrin) that “The righteous of all nations have a place in the World-to-Come.” Second is Rabbi Moses Maimonides’ extending of this principle to include not just non-Jewish righteousness but also non-Jewish religiosity: “The pious of the nations of the world have a portion in the World-to-Come.” (Mishna Torah, Yad, Teshuvah 3.5).
For our sacred mission—to be “Mam’lechet kohanim v’goy kadosh / A kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19.6) and “L’or goyyim, A Light to the Nations,” (Isaiah 42.6), we have been assigned our own special mitzvot (613). Other nations/religions, however, have their own roles, and they too are expected by God to live up to the standards of their covenant, the Noachide (Rainbow) Covenant and it seven mitzvot: Do not worship idols, Do not curse God, Do not commit murder, Do not commit adultery, bestiality, or sexual immorality, Do not steal, Do not eat flesh torn from a living animal, and Do establish courts of justice. This, according to the Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 561a-b (and Tosefta Avodah Zarah 8.4), is how non-Jews can be faithful to God and accepted into the World-to-Come.
Of course, the inter-religious dynamic became different once our main competitors were also monotheists. With the advent of Christianity and later Islam, the anti-idolatry concerns in the Bible and Talmud became less applicable. The differences between our religions are real, and it is very important that we maintain the authenticity and integrity of our unique spiritual tradition, but the ferocity of Biblical attitudes about AKU’M are out of place in our modern world.
To be fair, there are also voices in the Tradition that are parochial, chauvinistic, and exclusivist, but we who strive for mutual respect and cooperation with all other religions have ancient precedent and textual support for our open-minded and universalist approach.