In this week's Torah reading we revisit the story of Balak, Balaam and his talking donkey. The whole episode of Balak and his failed attempt to get Balaam to curse the People of Israel is a departure from the hitherto unbroken narrative of the departure from Egypt and the increasingly problematic period that leads to the long-awaited entry to Canaan, our Promised Land. While humour and irony abound, this episode is loaded with deeper meaning and also with vivid imagery, as the wicked prophet Balaam unwillingly pours out his blessings upon the wandering tribe. But, before he does so, he receives some astringent mussar at the hands of his donkey and a sword-brandishing angel.Never losing its freshness nor its fascination, the tale of Balaam and his donkey has inspired art, literature and music. Here, in this YouTube clip, in "Balaam and the Ass", our member Max Stern depicts it as what he calls "a contemporary duo for trombone and percussion". Referencing the biblical passage of Bemidbar 22:21-35, Max writes:
Beaten because she strays from the way, the dumb
animal -- on beholding an angel -- miraculously speaks back. More than a humorous
animal tale, this is a commentary on what it means to be human.
Credits: Contemporary Duo for Trombone and Percussion (played by Stewart Taylor, trombone and Gene Cipriani, percussion).
