Welcome to the Mussar HaTorah Podcast where we learn to be the best version of ourselves through the Mussar we can find in the weekly Parsha. This is Season 1; Episode 1: Parshas Balak 5784.
In the parsha we have amazing scene of Billam having a conversation with his donkey.Where the donkey rebuked Billam because he had a lack of appreciation for everything the donkey did for him. Billam was couldn't come up with a reply to what the donkey told him. Rashi here says that the donkey died right after this because it would be too much of an embarassment for Billam if the donkey stayed alive. If the donkey stayed alive people would point to it and say "This is the donkey that slienced the great prophet Billam"
There is a midrash in Bereshis Rabbah (93:10) where Abba Kohen Bardela says about Billam not being able to reply to the donkey "Woe to us on the day of judgement; woe to us on the day of rebuke!". Just like Billam was shamed when had no justification for what his donkey say, so to every person will be shamed when they are called into account for their actions.
*Rav Henach Leibowitz (Z"L)* asks the following question. Why did the donkey have to die, this would have been a perfect reminder and an educational tool. People would see the donkey and remember to do teshuva so they are not embarassed on their day of judgement? Was it worth losing this example just to spare Billam HaRasha his dignity?
Rav Henach answers by the donkey needing to die we see how careful we need to be when it comes to honoring and respecting another person. Even a rasha like Billam who wanted to curse and destroy HaShem's chosen people, deserved to have his dignity preserved because he was still a human being. Even if we would lose this great example and lesson! We need to bend over backward to give everyone, friends and enemies alike, the respect they deserve.
There are time where we are involved in something very important for ourselves or for the rabim and someone may have their honor or feelings slighted while we are accomplishing our goal. We are tempted to say "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" and we would think this is something that is justified to do. However, according to Rashi the ends **do not** justify the means and when if comes to people's honor is at stake.
Have a good Shabbos!
