Weekly Torah Portion: Chukat Balak

This week’s Torah portions:  Chukat and Balak.  Chukat is found in Numbers 19:1-22:1. God instructs Moses and Aaron regarding the red heifer. Miriam,  the sister of Moses and Aaron, dies. Moses hits a rock to bring forth water rather than speaking to it. At the end of the portion, Aaron dies. Balak, Numbers 22:2 – 25:9,  presents the story of Balak, the king of Moab, who persuades the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he can defeat them and drive them out of the region. However, Balaam blesses the Children of Israel instead and prophesies that Israel’s enemies will be defeated. That curse-turned-to-blessing is recited in the morning prayers when entering the synagogue! “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your dwelling place, O Israel.”