Take Advantage of Yourself - Parshat Balak 

How terrible it is to see naturally talented people not use their talents. Or even to see others not use whatever talents they do have. There was an ad running starting in the 1970's for the United Negro College Fund: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." How true. It is even sadder and more painful to see someone use their talents to try to hurt others.

In this week's parsha, Parshat Balak, we actually find this happening to Bilaam. Bilaam was gifted with the ability to reach the level of prophesy of Moshe.1 He could have led the nations of the world towards moral behavior. How did he use it? He tried to use it to curse an entire people who had done him no harm2. What a waste. How sad.

We find another biblical personality who also simply did not use his status properly. Yeravam, the first king of the Israel kingdom, was given the opportunity to lead the people of the Kingdom of Israel to unity. Yet he chose a path of disunity and strife. So great however was the opportunity that was squandered that he is taken to task. He is among the few people mentioned by name who will not merit entering the world to come.3 Moreover, he is viewed as the epitome of an evil person: "We all have the ability to be as righteous as Moshe or as evil as Yeravam"4. When trying to understand this passage in the Rambam, I asked my teacher, Rav Michael Feder, how to understand it. He explained to me that Moshe had fulfilled his potential to the utmost - therefore he was proclaimed as righteous. Yerovam who did not use his gifts for the common good is considered as evil.

The great American writer, Maya Angelou wrote "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."5 Let us take up this challenge. Let us discover that untold story, the latent talent, the unused potential. Let us recognize our own special gifts. Everyone has them. Some may be more obvious than others but we all have them. Yes, even you. They are a part of who we are.

We all have that unique gift6. Let us appreciate ourselves and what we have to give. And let us use that gift. The world will be a better place for it

 

Notes

  1. Bamidbar Raba - Naso:14
  2. Devarim 23:6
  3. Maimonides - Laws of Repentance 3:10
  4. Ibid. 5:2
  5. Maya Angelou -I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
  6. Viktor Frankl also writes often about the uniqueness of each individual and his gift to the world.

                                                                                                            

Have A Great Shabbat!laughing

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