Parashah 40 - Balak (Destroyer)

Torah Reading 

Numbers 22 : 2 – 25 : 9

2 When Balak son of Zippor, realized all that Bnei-Yisrael had done to the Amorites, 3 Moab became terrified because there were so many people. Moab was filled with dread because of Bnei-Yisrael. 4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “The multitude will lick up everything around us like the ox licks up the grass of the field.”

Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5 He sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor near the River[a] in his native land, saying to him, “Look now, a people has come out of Egypt. See now, they cover the surface of the earth and are settling beside me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, because they are too strong for me! Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them away from the country. I know that whoever you bless will be blessed and whoever you curse will be accursed!”

7 The elders of Moab and Midian left with divination fees in their hand. When they came to Balaam, they told him Balak’s words.

8 He said to them, “Spend the night here. I will give you an answer just as Adonaispeaks to me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent word to me: 11 See, the people coming out of Egypt cover the surface of the land. Come now, curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them away!”

12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them! Do not curse them, for they are blessed!”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Num.+22%3A2%E2%80%9325%3A9&version=TLV 

Micah 5 : 6 – 6 : 8

The Remnant of Jacob

6 Now the remnant of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples,
like dew from Adonai,
like abundant showers on grass
    that does not wait for a man,
    nor lingers for the sons of men.
7 For the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the forest beasts,
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
who, if he passed through, would trample and tear to pieces,
    and there would be no deliverer.
8 May your hand be raised up against your adversaries,
and may all your foes be cut off.
9 “Now in that day”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
“I will cut off your horses among you,
and I will destroy your chariots.
10 I will cut off the cities of your land,
and throw down all your strongholds.
11 I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
and you will have no more diviners.
12 I will cut off your carved images
and your sacred pillars from among you,
so you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.
13 I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you,
and destroy your cities.
14 So I will execute vengeance in anger
and wrath on the nations that have not listened.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mic.+5%3A6%E2%80%936%3A8&version=TLV

Mark 11 : 12 – 26

The Fruit of the Faithful

12 The next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find any fruit on it. When He came up to it, He found nothing except leaves, because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 And He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the Temple and started to drive out those selling and buying in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those selling doves, 16 and He wouldn’t let anyone carry goods through the Temple. 17 And He began to teach them, saying, “Is it not written,

‘My house shall be called
a house of prayer for all the nations’?[a]
But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”[b]

18 The ruling kohanim and Torah scholars heard this and began looking for a way to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. 19 Whenever evening came, Yeshua and His disciples would leave the city.

20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree shriveled from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Yeshua, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree You cursed has shriveled up!”

22 And Yeshua answered, saying to them, “Have faith in God! 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk.+11%3A12%E2%80%9326+&version=TLV

Romans 11 : 25 – 32

The Mystery Revealed!

25 For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes[a]—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; [b] 26 and in this way[c] all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer shall come out of Zion.
    He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 And this is My covenant with them,[d]
    when I take away their sins.”[e]

28 Concerning the Good News, they are hostile for your sake; but concerning chosenness, they are loved on account of the fathers[f]— 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. [g] 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 in like manner these also have now been disobedient with the result that, because of the mercy shown to you, they also may receive mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He might show mercy to all.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+11%3A25-32&version=TLV