#747: It Takes Two to Tango

Midrash Rabbah on Bamidbar/Numbers 23:1

Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri dances the tango

Bamidbar/Numbers 23:1

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽים׃

Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and have seven bulls and seven rams ready here for me.”

Gimme Some Torah #747

There is something weird about the story of Balak and Bilaam. Balak was a extremely wealthy and powerful king, while Bilaam was a rather pathetic, itinerant wizard. Why did Balak need Bilaam? The following midrash answers this question:

Balak was more skilled in magic and in snake charming than Balaam, who followed him like a blind man. What is this like? It’s like the case of someone who has a knife in his hand but does not know to butcher an animal, and his companion who knows how to butcher an animal but does not have a knife in his hand.

Thus were the two men similar: Balak sees the places where Israel falls, as it is said, "And he brought him up to the altar of Baal,” whereas Bilaam knew how to make Israel fall, as it says in Num. 23:1: "Build me seven altars with this."

It is not uncommon for two people or two forces to combine and create a more formidable threat. Take, for instance, individual antisemites on the one hand and the internet on the other. Each Jew-hater packs a payload of vitriol against our people, but not enough power or reach to truly pose a threat. The internet has a tremendous amount of power and influence but cannot hate on its own because it is inanimate. Combine the two together and you get a toxic mixture.

Another example is the current war against Israel. Iran has vast wealth but is located quite far from Israel. Iran’s Arab proxies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, are located close to Israel but need money to buy weapons, fund terrorism, and dig tunnels. Together, Iran and its proxies pose a serious threat to Israel, the region, and the world.

It really does take two to tango.

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I am the rabbi of Temple Beth El in Somerset, New Jersey, and the author of The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary.