Analyzing the normalcy of people's character is not typically the focus of a d'var Torah. However, when it comes to this week's parshah, things are quite different.   

Bilaam comes across as quite strange in the Torah’s narrative - from his overconfidence to his many lame excuses, from his hubris and brashness to his procrastination, and from his apparent desire to help the leaders of Midian and Moav to his enmity toward them. But we should consider that Balak was likewise a very odd person.    

The nation of Moav was extremely concerned about the impending presence of millions of Jews at its border. Rashi (on Bamidbar 22:5) explains that Balak was frightened by the prospects of B'nei Yisroel obliterating Moav, and that Balak therefore felt it necessary to act preemptively in order to annihilate B'nei Yisroel. 

Balak’s fear was irrational, as when B'nei Yisroel approached Edom, they did not threaten or engage in war; on the contrary, B'nei Yisroel asked Edom’s permission for safe passage through its territory, and B'nei Yisroel did not resist Edom’s refusal of such. (ibid. 20:14-21) Similarly, when B’nei Yisroel approached the land of Sichon, they did not attack Sichon. Rather, B'nei Yisroel asked for safe passage through Sichon’s territory, and they only fought after Sichon refused passage and launched an assault. So too was it with Og, who went forth to wage war against the passive B'nei Yisroel; B'nei Yisroel only fought against Og once provoked by his onslaught. (ibid. 21:21-35)

Why then, in light of recent events at the time, did Balak panic and feel that Moav was about to be wiped out by B’nei Yisroel?

Other actions of Balak similarly reflect irrational thinking. Rashi (on ibid. 22:7, from Medrash Tanchuma) explains that although representatives of both Midian and Moav initially approached Bilaam to request that he curse B’nei Yisroel, the Midianite contingent abandoned this venture once Bilaam began to stall. Despite Bilaam’s stalling and his constant inability to successfully comply with Balak’s request that Bilaam curse B'nei Yisroel, Balak did not give up on Bilaam and did everything possible to accommodate Bilaam's failures and constantly changing needs and demands for this endeavor. In real life, such accommodation would be totally absurd. Why was Balak not fazed by Bilaam’s stonewalling, failures and new and changing demands? Why did Balak act so irrationally?

In order to try to understand what motivated Balak to act as he did, we need to investigate his background. Rashi (on ibid. 22:4, again from Medrash Tanchuma) notes that Balak was not fit to serve as king of Moav and that he was therefore only provisionally appointed to the position when Sichon died, and Targum Yonasan ben Uziel (ibid.) writes that Balak only served in the position of king intermittently and was not granted exclusive rule.

It is likely that Balak was a very insecure individual, for he lacked the confidence of others, who refused to vest him with permanent and complete monarchy. Being insecure, Balak projected his perceived shortcomings onto various people and situations, such that he felt threatened when others did not feel threatened and he was submissive when he should been assertive and taken control.

It is thus understood why Balak was frightened by B’nei Yisroel when in reality there was no indication of an impending Israelite invasion or aggression of any sort, and immediate history and experience were actually indicative that Balak had no reason to fear an Israelite attack. It is also understood why Balak was so submissive to Bilaam and failed to assert himself, enabling Bilaam to manipulate him and repeatedly not deliver on his promises. Balak's insecurity was the cause of this irrational behavior.    

Despite the personal shortcomings of Bilaam and Balak, Chazal tell us (as cited by Rashi on ibid. 24:3) that each of these men possessed aspects of greatness. Clearly, both Bilaam and Balak squandered their potential and instead chose to engage in damaging conduct. 

Although the entire episode of our parshah and its unfolding were ordained by Hashem, the lesson to be learned from Balak’s behavior is that as much as each person has weaknesses, he has unique strengths and talents as well. Rather than allow one’s weaknesses to define who he is and take control of his life, one must turn to his strengths and talents, realizing that Hashem endowed them upon him to be used for success. Just as on the broad scale, Parshas Balak is about Hashem's master plan for our nation, on the narrow, microcosmic scale, it teaches that every person is given certain qualities by Hashem to use in navigating through life.

It is our job to realize that the qualities we possess are according to the Will of Hashem and that He gifted us these qualities for positive, constructive and noble purposes and goals that are unique to every person in fulfilling the Divine mandate in his life and in the world.