Your dwellings, O Israel!
So the foreign prophet Balaam
proclaimed
As he gazed down upon the
Israelites
Encamped as one people.
Called upon to curse them for
Balak,
The King of Moab,
Balaam could only utter words
of blessing.
What if our speech was so
directed
By similar inspiration?
What if we only saw
The good before us
And in each other?
Would challenge, conflict,
and disagreement
Disappear?
Most likely, difficulties in
our lives would remain
But the ways in which we
would face unexpected changes,
negativism, and unfounded pessimism might be greatly different.
Before us, we would see,
instead
New opportunities that would
test our patience and courage,
A fresh approach on how we
define goodness and satisfaction each day,
And reasons to embrace hope
at all times,
Knowing that we can turn to
one another for the strength to face new vistas together.
Balaam said of the
Israelites: “Blessed are those who
bless you!”
May we see that when we find
b’rachah, blessing, in ourselves, and in our fellow community members, our tents
will be good and our dwellings places will emanate SHALOM, wholeness and peace.
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