The Torah presents a bizarre story this week: Bilam, a non-Jewish prophet with the power to bless or curse, is recruited by King Balak of Moav to annihilate the Israelites with his words. He is offered riches and honor. G-D tells him not to go. He goes anyway. An angel blocks his path. His donkey speaks. And then — in an ironic twist — he ends up blessing the very people he set out to destroy.
The Rebbe teaches that this moment is not just irony — it's a paradigm shift.
Even our enemies can become channels of blessing, and even in darkness, truth can’t be silenced.
Just as G-d ultimately used Bilam’s mouth to speak words of prophecy and praise for the Jewish people, so too in our lives and in our service, we often encounter situations that seem adversarial or confusing, only to later see that they have become a vehicle for growth, truth, or Divine revelation.
Whether you wear a badge, a uniform, or carry the heavy responsibility of leadership, the lesson of Bilam is this:
You may find truth in the most unexpected places.
And sometimes, the very voices that were meant to discourage or destroy you will be forced to sing your praise.
This is not weakness. This is G-D’s mastery — to turn the world inside out and make space for light where there once was only darkness.
As the Rebbe often said, “The world is not a jungle. It is G-d’s garden — sometimes overgrown, but always His.”
May we have the clarity to see the truth behind the noise, and the strength to walk forward knowing that even our challenges may hold hidden blessings.