Am Levadad Yishkon #17 – “Story of Bilaam Part Four – Pinhas and the War of Midian”

The story of Bilaam appears to end with his failure, on all three attempts, to curse the Jewish People. However, a closer reading of the text shows that the narratives that follow, involving the sin of Baal Peor, the act of Pinhas and the war of Midian, are an integral part of the story. These events form a tragic and triumphant conclusion to the showdown with Balak and Bilaam, and give us additional insight into the eternally unique qualities of the Am Levadad Yishkon.