Let’s talk about Balaam and Balak, two figures from the Torah whose story is a masterclass in the art of near-misses and thwarted curses.

The next morning, after their initial failed attempts to curse the Israelites, Balak, the king of Moab, took Balaam to the high places of Baal. You see, Balak fancied himself quite the magician too – even more so than Balaam! Imagine that, leading Balaam, a renowned sorcerer, around like a blind man. Why there? Well, Balak, through his own magical knowledge, believed that Israel was destined to suffer a great misfortune at Baal-peor. He hoped Balaam's curse would trigger this disaster.

Their relationship was…peculiar. The Midrash describes them as two halves of a dangerous whole. One man holds a knife but doesn't know where to strike. The other knows the vulnerable spot but lacks the weapon. Balak knew the place of Israel's potential downfall, but he didn't know how to bring it about. Balaam, on the other hand, knew the art of conjuring evil, but he needed Balak to guide him to the right location.

So what made Balaam so special? What gave him the edge over other magicians? The answer, according to tradition, was his uncanny ability to pinpoint the exact moment when God is wrathful. His curses were effective because he knew precisely when to unleash them – at the very instant of divine anger.

Now, the Talmud (Avodah Zarah 4b) tells us that God is angry for a fleeting moment each day, specifically during the third hour, when kings remove their crowns to worship the sun. But this moment is infinitesimally brief. How brief? Consider this: Eighty-five thousand and eighty-eight such moments make up just one hour! Only Balaam, it was said, could accurately identify that moment.

Tradition states this moment has outward signs. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, when it lasts, the comb of a rooster turns completely white, without a single speck of red. Spooky, right?

But here’s where the story takes a beautiful turn. God’s love for Israel is so immense that during the entire time Balaam was preparing his curses, He simply…didn’t get angry. Balaam waited and waited, but the moment of wrath never came. So, Balaam's curse was ineffective, as God's love shielded the Israelites.

What does this all mean? Perhaps it shows us the power of divine protection. Or maybe it highlights the futility of evil when confronted with unwavering love. It certainly reminds us that even the most skilled evildoer can be thwarted by a force greater than themselves. It's a story of magic, curses, and ultimately, the enduring power of love.