{"id":48151,"date":"2019-01-24T16:40:17","date_gmt":"2019-01-24T14:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=48151"},"modified":"2022-08-18T12:17:12","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T09:17:12","slug":"from-magicians-blessing-to-daily-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/from-magicians-blessing-to-daily-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"From Magician\u2019s Blessing To Daily Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[587,453,463],"acf":{"old_id":"48151","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":42746,"related_cahpter":"141","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Good to get an \u201cobjective assessment,\u201d \u00a0but should our self worth be coming from outside sources?","content":"

An old joke tells about two old Jews sitting on a bench, reading their newspapers, when one notices that his friend is reading the bulletin of the Nazi party. \u2018What on earth are you reading?\u2019 \u2018And what should I read?? This is the best news ever\u2019, replies the friend, \u2018We are the largest, most powerful, most successful nation in the world!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

A magician, a speaking she-donkey, curses that turn into blessings\u2026 Numbers 23 and 24 tell us a fantastic colorful story that leaves many questions. For example, if Balaam is so powerful, why not hire him to bless the Moabites, instead of curse the Children of Israel? Turns out, that sometimes, people (we) get so involved in our desire to destroy someone else, that we focus on that, instead \u2013 and often at the expense of \u2013 our own well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another question is about the famous \u201cma tovu\u201d, the words that decorate many synagogues throughout the world and open our morning prayers, although they are taken straight from Balaam\u2019s speech (Numbers 21:5). <\/span><\/p>\n

Why pick the words of a non-Jewish magician who set to destroy us, as those that adorn our shuls and start our day?<\/span><\/p>\n

The MaHaRaL (1520-1609) teaches that these words are true, davka<\/em> because they come from an \u201coutsider.\u201d We know from the Talmud that witnesses must be completely not related to the matter over which they testify, or it seems false because they are \u2014- <\/span>noge\u2019a bedavar,<\/span><\/em> related to the matter. In order for something to credible, it should come from an impartial source. So it is with ma tovu<\/em>: had we praised our own tents, camp, overall fabulousness, it might come from \u2013 and create \u2013 a feeling of haughtiness and pride, the same feeling that might have led to the transgression in the next chapter. <\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, should all our self worth be coming from outside sources?<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing much has changed since: we still struggle how to take compliments: Is an \u201cobjective observation\u201d best? Or a kind word from a close friend?<\/span><\/p>\n

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