This week's Parsha we read about how Yisro, Moshe Rabbenu's father-in-law went to meet Moshe and the Jewish People to join them in the wilderness. The Torah tells us that this was in response to Yisro hearing about all of the miracles that the Jewish People experienced during the exodus from Egypt and the splitting of the sea. Yisro realized that after all of these miracles he needed to convert. In contrast, towards the end of Jewish People's sojourning in the wilderness after they had been miraculously victorious in battles that other nations tried to wage against them, Balak decided that he would take action and defeat the Jewish People. What did he do? He hired the wicked Bilaam to join him and curse the Jewish People.

Why did Yisro have a dramatically different reaction to these miracles than Balak did? The reason that there was such a big difference is because the Torah tells us that Yisro heard about all of the miracles and he realized that all of the "(miracles) that Hashem did (for the Jewish People)". Balak on the other hand, the Torah explains, that he heard all that "the Jewish People did (to the nations)". Balak didn't realize that all of the success of the Jewish People was Hashem's doing; he thought it was the Jewish People (themselves) so he felt if he joined forces with Bila'am he could overcome the Jewish People.

They both saw the world and saw what was happening, but Yisro realized that it was Hashem's Hand whereas Balak attributed what he saw to the regular actions of man.

May we follow the ways of Yisro and when we look into the world, into current events, into our lives we realize that it is Hashem guiding and directing things not us and not our strength.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath