Parshat Balak is one of the most perplexing parshiot in the Torah- with much study and discussion needed to understand even the simple storyline of the parsha. But perhaps the most fundamental question of all is- why is this parsha in the Torah to begin with?

I once heard a fascinating observation from my father regarding Parshat Balak-it is the only parsha in the Torah that takes place outside of the presence of Am Yisrael. From the moment that G-d speaks to Avraham in Parshat Lech Lecha until Moshe’s death at the end of Sefer Devarim, the entire Torah revolves around the Jewish nation, and is written from their perspective. We learn about the Avot and their families, the creation of the Jewish nation, and its journey through the desert to Eretz Yisrael. Each parsha takes place from the viewpoint of Bnei Yisrael, and discusses events that actively involve them.

And yet Parshat Balak is different. Although Bnei Yisrael are indirectly involved in the story, as the target of Bilaam and Balak’s wrath, they are not active participants. These events take place totally outside of the nation’s purview. In fact, had the Torah not told us this story, Am Yisrael might never have known that the conversations between Bilaam and Balak took place at all! 

So why is this story included in the Torah? Why must we be told about a plan that was hatched by one of our enemies, especially if the plan was ultimately unsuccessful?

One possible answer could be that there are important messages embedded within the story, both from the specifics of the narrative to some of the overarching mysteries that emerge from the parsha- the existence of a non-Jewish prophet, the talking donkey, Bilaam’s curses turning in blessings, the meaning of the blessings themselves. Each of these aspects of the story could be expanded upon greatly, revealing many important lessons for us to learn.

However, perhaps we can suggest an alternative explanation- one that emerges, not from the content of the parsha, but specifically from the Parsha’s viewpoint. Perhaps the issue that initially troubled us is exactly the lesson that Hashem wants us to learn. The world does not simply exist from the point of view of Am Yisrael. It exists from the viewpoint of many other nations and people as well. And while the Torah itself is, first and foremost, a guidebook for Am Yisrael, as well as a recounting of our nation’s history- which is why it is almost exclusively written from the viewpoint of Am Yisrael- G-d specifically shifted the viewpoint for one Parsha in order to teach us to be able to see beyond ourselves and our perspectives.

As individuals, with our own set of personality traits, needs, desires, and feelings- we experience the world around us from our own unique standpoint. We bring much of who we are, and the sum total of our lifetime of experiences, to each new day- and interact with the world accordingly. No two people have the same set of life experiences paired with the same innate character traits- and, therefore inevitably, no two people can experience the world in exactly the same way. On the one hand, this is part of the beauty of a society. As each of us has something truly unique that we bring to the world, we have the potential to change the world for the better, bringing our unique viewpoint to bear on the society and the world around us.

At the same time, this reality can also cause tension and friction. It is truly hard for a person to understand another person’s viewpoint and perspective, and, therefore, we often get stuck in the way that we see the world. We have a hard time stepping out of ourselves and appreciating the perspective of someone else. And especially when a disagreement arises, we tend to lock into our opinion and viewpoint, failing to appreciate that others may view things differently.

This is particularly true in the world we live in today. The “I” generation places a premium on each person’s right to be in touch with themselves and express their own individuality. In addition, the advent of the internet and social media has greatly furthered a polarization in our society. People are finding it harder and harder to simply listen to each other’s viewpoints, let alone understand and respect them.

On a Jewish communal and national level, the challenge is real, as well. Thousands of years of exile and persecution have caused us to focus inward, as we have fought for our survival, both physically and spiritually. It has also meant that as a community, we tend to view the world around us through the needs of the Jews- and have fought vigorously for those needs.

And yet, while our own needs and perspectives- both individually and communally- should always be our top priority, perhaps the message of this week’s parsha is that we also must leave space to recognize the viewpoints of others. We may not always agree with those viewpoints or positions but being able to recognize the perspective of others and realizing that they may see the world differently than we do is an important challenge to meet. G-d created a world with millions of individuals, each with their own unique vantage point- and it is important for us to be able to, at times, move beyond our own personal and communal worlds, to realize this.

The famous developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, outlined four stages of cognitive development that children ideally go through as they grow. During the Pre-operational Stage, from ages 2-7, children are wholly egocentric- they are only aware of their own needs and desires, unable to recognize and appreciate the needs of those around them. They are unable to see beyond themselves in any meaningful way. Yet, as they grow older and transition into the Formal Operational and Concrete Operational Stages, children begin to realize that not everyone thinks and experiences the world as they do, and they develop an ability to see things from the perspective of others.  

And yet- if we don’t actively cultivate this ability within our children, it can easily be lost. They can become consumed with their selfish wants and desires- further pushed by encouragement from an outside world - and lose this ability to respect and appreciate the viewpoint of others. We must raise our kids with a firm understanding of our beliefs and perspectives, yet also teach them to recognize that others will experience and view things differently. We should enable  to see beyond themselves; to realize that the world is quite vast, with numerous viewpoints and perspectives. The message conveyed should be loud and clear: We certainly don’t have to agree with everyone on everything, but we should at least be able to recognize their different viewpoint.

Parshat Balak is the only parsha in the Torah does not take place within the view of Am Yisrael. Perhaps G-d does this to teach us an important lesson- that both individually and communally, we must realize that others see world differently than we do, and therefore may have a different perspective on issues of importance to us. We must work on our ability to appreciate the perspectives of others, even as we stand firmly behind our own views. And, we must raise our kids to achieve this balance, as well.