The presentation and significance of Parshas Balak pose a few fundamental questions. Firstly, why was it necessary for the Torah to record the entirety of the story of Bilaam's involvement with Balak and Bilaam's attempts to curse B'nei Yisroel? Would it not have been simpler for the Torah to briefly note that Bilaam tried to curse us and that Hashem converted Bilaam's words into berachos? In the case of Nachalei Arnon (Bamidbar 21:15), the miraculous account of Hashem preventing the Emorim from ambushing B'nei Yisroel and His crushing of the Emorim was condensed into a few pesukim. Why do we need to know the whole episode of Bilaam, including his negotiations with Balak's messengers, his dialogue with the donkey, the details of Bilaam trying to attain prophecy via korbonos, and so forth? The basic point could surely have been made without the elaboration and punch-by-punch detail.

Secondly, the text of Bilaam's blessings was incorporated into the Musaf Shemoneh Esrei of Rosh Hashanah as well as other parts of our liturgy; why was this done? Although the berachos pronounced by Bilaam were truly miraculous, as Hashem intervened and stifled the words of curse that Bilaam planned to say and instead compelled Bilaam to express words of blessing, why was it necessary to adopt the utterances of the vile Bilaam for our tefillos? The same core messages that Bilaam conveyed can be found in other parts of Tanach and Rabbinic literature; why not quote from there and avoid association with Bilaam?

It is stated regarding the account of Bilaam that "...vayahafoch Hashem Elokecha lecha es ha-kelalah li-v'racha...". (Devarim 23:6) This is commonly translated as "...and the Lord your God changed the curse into a blessing..." However, the connotation of the word "vayahafoch" is perhaps misunderstood. In other contexts, the shoresh (root-word) "hafach" has a quite deep, vivid interpretation. In the story of Esther, "v'nahafoch" refers to a state of total paradox, such that every facet of the tale was "reversed" ["nahafoch"] so as to create a completely new state of affairs. So, too, the word "mahpecha", also from the "hafach" shoresh, means "upheaval". "Hafach" connotes a full reworking and redefining of events rather than a mere change. "Hafach" is used to describe a total, extreme reversal of fortune and fate, such as "Hafachta mis'pedi lemachol li" - "You transformed my mourning into dancing" (Tehillim 30:12). The complete redefining of Dovid Hamelech's life was best described by the shoresh "hafach".

We can now understand why the entire story of Bilaam had to be narrated in full detail, as every facet of the account forms part of a larger picture of Hashgacha P'ratis (Divine Providence), in which each factor necessarily contributes to and culminates in a complete and unexpected reversal of what was planned. The "minor" events leading up to the tale's climax were crucial for the outcome. It was essential for Bilaam to be warned by Hashem not to curse the Jews and to heed His dictates, and it was also necessary for Bilaam to be granted permission by Hashem to go along with Balak's emissaries. Had Bilaam been barred from going, or had he gone without warning and with the intent to disobey Hashem, he would not have attained the state of prophecy necessary to intimate Hashem's messages of beracha. So, too, it was necessary for Bilaam's donkey and the malach (angel) to counter Bilaam while he was on his trip, not in communication with Hashem, in order to dispel Bilaam's notion that he could undermine Hashem when not in His presence; this subdued Bilaam, thereby enabling him to achieve meaningful prophecy of beracha about B'nei Yisroel. Additionally, had Bilaam not exhibited a great measure of haughtiness commensurate with his level of nevu'ah, he would not have attempted to grossly abuse his prophetic powers and would thus not have ended up confronting Hashem and been forced to utter words of blessing. Furthermore, had Bilaam not argued with Balak and his cohorts and thereby harbored animosity toward them, he would not have articulated his prologue - a curse against those who victimize B'nei Yisroel, and a blessing for Jewish ascendancy against such nations.

In short, every part of the account was a necessary piece in a puzzle of precise Hashgacha P'ratis, and the converging of each factor as dictated by Hashem, all in a paradoxical negation of everything intended by Bilaam and Balak, forms the entirety of the story. The narrative of Bilaam is very similar to that of Megillas Esther, in which seemingly unrelated, minor events merged into one large picture of Hashgacha P'ratis, totally unraveling what was planned by Haman. The story of Esther is referred to in the Gemara as a Hallel - a praise of God - and the same can be said as regards the story of Bilaam in this week's parshah. In both cases, the details were required to be woven together and laid out for the reader, as the lesson and inspiration would not be possible if presented in a summary fashion within the span of a few pesukim. The meshing of seemingly unrelated factors into a total reversal of fate is shared by both stories, and the shoresh "hafach" is therefore aptly applied.

It is thus also understood why the berachos of Bilaam are so important, such that they were incorporated into our liturgy. These berachos reflect Hashem's absolute control and manipulation of human nature, intent and actions. They demonstrate that Hashem, out of His love for His nation, wove an intricate set of events into wondrous good and transformed the words of a vicious anti-Semite into blessing. By invoking the words of Bilaam, we declare that Hashem - Who overturned ["hafach"] everything for the sake of His people - can surely hear our tefillos and overturn all if He deems our prayers and causes appropriate and worthy in His eyes.