Parashat Balak: The Power of Jewish Women

As we approach Shabbat Parashat Balak, just days before Shivah Asar B’Tammuz and the solemn period of the Three Weeks, I felt compelled to share a few heartfelt words—even if it’s late, and even if I haven’t been feeling well. Some messages are too important to skip.

A Star Amid the Darkness

Parashat Balak always precedes the fast of Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, the gateway to mourning the Churban Beit HaMikdash. Yet even in this dark time, there is hope.

In one of his prophecies, the wicked Bilam declares:

“Darach kochav miYaakov” – A star shall emerge from Yaakov (Bamidbar 24:17)

Chazal teach that this “kochav”—this radiant star—is none other than the light of Mashiach. So even as we prepare to mourn destruction, we are reminded that redemption is near. May this Shabbat be the one when the Beit HaMikdash is rebuilt and Mashiach’s light shines forth speedily in our days.

The Power of One Jewish Woman

At times like these, we ask ourselves: What can I do? What can we, as women, do to bring the Geulah closer?

Let me share two powerful messages—one rooted in the Parah Adumah and the other in the legacy of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai—that remind us of our extraordinary influence.

1. “Ve’hiza ha-tahor al ha-tamei”: One Pure Soul Can Uplift Thousands

In Parashat Chukat, we read that a person who is tamei (impure) must be purified with ashes of the Parah Adumah, sprinkled by someone who is tahor (pure):

“Ve’hiza ha-tahor al ha-tamei” – The pure one shall sprinkle upon the impure.

The Gemara asks: Can one person purify only one other person at a time—or many? From the “Torah of Yavneh,” we learn that one tahor can purify even 10, 20, or 30 people—many at once.

But why is it called the Torah of Yavneh?

During the final days before the destruction of the Second Beit HaMikdash, amidst internal conflict and zealotry, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai staged his own death to escape Jerusalem and plead with the Roman general. His only request?

“Ten li Yavneh ve’chachameha” – Give me Yavneh and its sages.

He didn’t beg for the Beit HaMikdash to be spared; he knew that decree was sealed. Instead, he ensured the future of Torah learning and Am Yisrael’s spiritual survival.

From one courageous person came generations of Torah. From one tahor, thousands were purified.

So too with us. Never underestimate the power of one Jewish woman. One pure neshama can uplift an entire community.

2. What Are You Doing With Your Influence?

As we enter the Three Weeks, a time of mourning but also introspection, we must ask ourselves:

• Who can I inspire?

• Who needs my tefillah, my warmth, my listening ear?

• Can I gently guide someone back toward Torah and emunah?

“Ve’hiza ha-tahor al ha-tamei” isn’t just a halachic process—it’s a mission statement.

Each of us can be that tahor, that spark of purity and hope in another’s life. And your influence? It can be exponential.

Rising Like a Lion: Bilam's Unexpected Praise

Even Bilam, hired to curse Am Yisrael, could not help but proclaim:

“Hen am kelavi yakum” – Behold, a nation that rises like a lion.

Am Yisrael, even in the face of plagues, wars, and personal pain, always rises.

We rise with emunah, with tefillah, with unshakable identity.

“Ke’ganot alei nahar” – Like gardens by a river, ever nourished.

Just like those trees, we too can renew ourselves through the living waters of Torah—even when we feel far, even in times of darkness.

Beware the Small Breach: The Sin of Ba’al Peor

Yet at the end of Parashat Balak, we are reminded how even the greatest among us can fall.

24,000 men perished after the sin of Ba’al Peor—a tragedy that began not with open rebellion, but with a small lapse: sitting with the daughters of Moav to drink wine.

“Chatat l’petach rovetz” – Sin crouches at the doorway.

A small breach can lead to devastation. The Torah urges us to guard our kedushah, our boundaries, and our dignity. This too is our avodah during the Three Weeks.

A Modern-Day Story of Renewal

This week, I heard a powerful story from the border between Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan, where frum and secular Jews live side by side. A small, struggling Beit Knesset often lacks a minyan—until one devoted man started showing up every day.

His presence pulled others in. Men who hadn’t prayed in years found themselves coming back, drawn by one individual’s consistency and light.

That, dear friends, is “ve’hiza ha-tahor al ha-tamei”—in our generation.

In Conclusion: You Are That Soul

As Jewish women, we hold a unique and irreplaceable role. Your tefillah, your example, your compassion, your kedushah—these ripple out far beyond what you can see.

This Shabbat, as we enter the Three Weeks, hold tight to that promise:

“Darach kochav miYaakov” – The star is coming.“Ve’hiza ha-tahor al ha-tamei” – You are that pure soul.“Hen am kelavi yakum” – You will rise like a lion.

You are that soul who can bring light into darkness, hope into mourning, and geulah into galut.