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D'Var Torah on Parshat Balak “Or HaMikdash”

Parshat Balak deals, in part, with the “blessings” which Bilaam directed at Israel. Bilaam tells Balak to build seven altars to be used to offer sacrifices to G-d. Balak complies with the request and builds the seven altars where they offer 42 sacrifices.

The outcome is well known: G-d's compassion for the Jewish people ensures that Bilaam's curses were transformed into blessings and Balak's evil intentions were foiled. It remains to ask whether these sacrifices were offered in vain?

Hazal learn a lesson from Balak: “One should occupy oneself in Torah and Mitzvot – even if it's not “lishmah” in order that, by doing so, one will graduate to doing it “lishmah”.

“For, as the reward for the 42 sacrifices offered by Balak, King of Moab, his grand-daughter Ruth was an ancestor of Shlomo HaMelech, of whom it is written 'Shlomo will offer 1000 burnt offerings'” (Sotah 47:A). [Ruth was the daughter of Eglon who was the son of Balak]

By offering these sacrifices, Balak intended to damage Am Yisroel and even to make them contravene G-d's will; nevertheless, his reward for performing these sacrifices outweighed his evil intentions and he merited that his offspring, Shlomo HaMelech would offer karbonot “l'shem Shamayim” and build the Beit HaMikdash.

The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah(4,A) describes King Cyrus (Koresh) as the good king who turned sour. He became a Rasha since the korbanot and other items he supplied were not “l'Shem Shamayim” - rather for his own benefit, in order that the Jews would pray for his kingdom to succeed. The Gemara further comments about Balak, that as a result of his 42 Karbonot, in turn, 42 Jewish children were lost (Sota 47:A). Thus all Bilaam's “blessings” eventually turned back into curses apart from those relating to Shules and Batei Midrashot. (Sanhedrin: 105:B).

The question is asked whether the intention which is not “l'Shem Shamayim is a positive or negative one?  The Gemara differentiates between a non-Jew who does not have “kavana l'Shem Shamayim” and a Jew who does not have “kavana l'Shem Shamayim”. In the case of the non-Jew, the result is inconsequential since, if his request goes unfulfilled, he will respond by spurning or scorning HaShem and Mitzvot, whereas for the Jew, the matter waits in abeyance with his transgressions.

From here, one can learn a moral lesson for ourselves. Some claim that our generation is not fitting to re-start the Korbanot or re-build the Beit HaMikdash. Against this, the Gemara maintains that a Jew who does not have the kavana “l'Shem Shamayim” and who brings Korbanot or whose intention is towards other things as well – nevertheless, that Jew is considered righteous and will eventually come to perform the mitzva “lishmah”.

Nefesh HaHayim explains that this concept of “lo lishmah” is a level below the higher level which we are enjoined to reach. But we are not entitled to skip our learning or carrying out the Mitzvot simply because we don't (yet) have the requisite “kavana”.

We should merit to bring Korbanot even “lo lishmah” in order that by so doing we merit to bring them, “lishmah”.

Translated by Rabbi Menahem Lester from the Dvar Torah of HaRav Avi Kahana