Self Awareness Journey

Shame prevents vulnerability. Honest self awareness helps us overcome shame. Lack of vulnerability causes aggressive behavior.

Bilaam was insecure or had shame surrounding his standing with the Balak the King of Moab. When Hashem was standing him up and compelling him to face his own darkness he was unwilling to get vulnerable.

When the donkey refused to budge, Bilaam gets angry and says to the donkey, if I had a sword in hand I’d kill you. Why the aggressiveness towards a donkey? Rashi teaches us that Bilaam was ashamed of how he appeared to his compatriots.

Here he was the great Prophet who couldn’t even get his donkey to move.

Ultimately, Bilaam does Hashem’s will and to some extent is humbled.

For us it is a powerful lesson in recognizing our true worth as a creation of Hashem and allowing that to eliminate any shame we may possess. Doing so, allows for us to grow and eliminates the need for us to get aggressive, passive or otherwise.

So explore your soul, get to know yourself and recognize your true worth!

Good Shabbos!