Today we're diving into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah 20 that explores exactly that: the surprising power held within seemingly minor mitzvot, or commandments.

The passage opens with a quote from the story of Bilam, the non-Jewish prophet hired to curse the Israelites: "He took up his parable, and said: The saying of Bilam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened" (Numbers 24:3). Now, what does washing your hands have to do with Bilam and curses? Stay with me!

The text immediately jumps into a discussion about halakha, Jewish law, asking about the liability of someone who eats without washing their hands. Our Rabbis teach that washing before eating is optional, while washing after is an obligation. Seems simple enough, right? But it gets much deeper.

The gemara, a part of the Talmud, even calls washing hands before a meal a mitzvah, a good deed, and after the meal an obligation. To illustrate the importance, the text tells a story that's, frankly, pretty wild.

Imagine a Jewish storekeeper living during a time of persecution. To survive, he secretly sold both kosher and non-kosher meat, specifically pork, to avoid detection. But he had a system: if a customer didn't wash their hands before eating, he knew they were likely not Jewish and would serve them pork. If they washed and recited a blessing, they got kosher meat.

One day, a Jewish man entered and didn't wash. The storekeeper, assuming he was a gentile, served him pork. The man ate it without a blessing. When he went to pay, he argued about the price, remembering a cheaper price the day before. The storekeeper revealed the awful truth: "That which you ate was pig!"

The man was horrified! He confronted the storekeeper, who replied, "May a plague come upon you, as when I saw that you ate without washing your hands and without reciting a blessing, I was under the impression that you were an idolater."

This story highlights the profound consequences of neglecting even seemingly minor rituals. As the text states: "First waters caused one to eat pig meat; final ones killed a person."

But it doesn’t stop there. The passage continues with another disturbing story. A man ate legumes and didn’t wash his hands. His dirty hands were noticed in the market, and someone used this detail to trick his wife into giving away her ring. The husband, enraged by the apparent betrayal, killed her.

The lesson? “Therefore, if anyone does not wash his hands after food it is tantamount to killing a person.” Strong words, indeed!

So, what's the takeaway? The text emphasizes that even seemingly small mitzvot have immense value. As Deuteronomy 32:47 says, "For it is not an empty matter for you, it is your life" – even a mitzvah that you deem empty and minor, in it is life and longevity.

The Holy One, blessed be He, cautioned Israel even regarding a minor mitzvah. Because if you observe My mitzvot, I will topple your enemies before you,’ as it is stated: “If only My people would listen to Me…I would subdue their enemies in an instant” (Psalms 81:14–15).

This brings us back to Bilam. When he saw how meticulously the Israelites observed even the smallest mitzvot, he understood he couldn't curse them. "Who can curse these, who observe His mitzvot and His name is associated with them?" (Numbers 23:21). Cursing them would be like cursing the Divine Presence itself.

And that's when, according to the text, God intervened, turning Bilam's curses into blessings. As Deuteronomy 23:6 tells us, "But the Lord your God was unwilling to heed Bilam, and the Lord your God transformed [for you the curse into a blessing]." Bamidbar Rabbah goes on to say that God amplified Bilam’s voice so that the entire world could hear him blessing Israel.

The passage ends with a reminder of the disastrous advice Bilam ultimately gave to Balak (Numbers 24:14), leading to a plague that killed twenty-four thousand Israelites after they were lured into sin. “Is there a curse like this one?” the text asks, underscoring the devastating consequences of straying from the path of mitzvot.

Ultimately, this passage from Bamidbar Rabbah 20 challenges us to reconsider our perspective on the "little things." It suggests that even seemingly insignificant actions, like washing our hands, can have profound spiritual and even physical consequences. It's a reminder that every action counts, and that even the smallest mitzvah can be a powerful force for good. So, maybe we should all think twice before skipping that hand wash!