Lunch and Learn: Ma Tovu – Familiar Song, Farcical Story, and Future-Focused with Rabbi Michael Birnholz

Balaam the prophet of Moab is hired to curse the People of Israel.  Instead he offers blessings.
In Numbers 24:5 we read Mah Tovu ….
How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!

Each morning we have an opportunity to say these words and live out Balaam’s experience: surveying the world and choosing between blessing and curse. One little line is all it takes to spark a great conversation and lots of learning.

We should study this text because:

a) It’s an amazing story with a spiritually-aware talking donkey!
b) We should reflect on the words we say and stories we tell and pivotal moments in our day.
c) We have to ask; can we turn curses into blessings or turn the blessing of others into a blessing for ourselves?

Rabbi Michael Birnholz arrived at Temple Beth Shalom in Vero Beach in 2002 following his ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.  Over the almost 20 years that Rabbi Birnholz has been in Indian River County, he and his family have had a chance to grow in body, mind and spirit right along with Temple Beth Shalom. 

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