It’s a question that’s echoed through the ages, and in the story of Balak and Balaam, we get a glimpse of a fascinating answer.

Remember Balak, the King of Moab, and Balaam, the prophet he hired to curse the Israelites? (Numbers 22-24) Their story isn’t just a historical account; it’s a deep dive into the very nature of Israel's strength.

In Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, we hear Balaam speaking to Balak, explaining just what he's up against. Balaam acknowledges Balak's observation: "A people hath gone forth out of Egypt." But he quickly corrects him, saying it wasn't just any ordinary exodus. No, "God brought them forth out of Egypt!" This is key. It wasn’t just about physical liberation; it was divine intervention. God, who, according to Balaam, "combines in Himself the powers of the angels and of the invisible demons," was actively involved.

Think about that image for a moment. God, the ultimate power, standing behind this people.

Balaam then goes on to explain the seemingly erratic nature of Israel's fate. "Swift as the flight of a bird," he says, comes both fortune and misfortune. When they sin, God can bring them low just as quickly as He can exalt them when they act righteously. It's a rollercoaster, a constant dance between action and consequence, between obedience and transgression.

But here’s the real kicker. Balak, in his desperation, is trying to find a weak spot, a way to bring woe upon Israel. Balaam tells him it's futile. Why? Because "they will have nothing to do with sorceries." They baffle the enchantments of other nations through their pious deeds. They don't rely on magic in battle, but instead, the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, consults God directly through the Urim and Tummin. Those were oracular objects placed on the High Priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:30), used to discern God's will.

It’s a direct line to the divine.

And it gets even more amazing. Balaam prophesies about a future time, a Messianic era, when Israel will sit before God "like a pupil before his master." They will receive the deepest secrets of the Torah, so profound that even the angels will consult Israel about these divine mysteries. Ginzberg's retelling highlights a stunning reversal: the angels, celestial beings, learning from humans! This is because the Israelites, in this future time, will be permitted to approach God more closely than the angels themselves.

Wow.

What does this all mean? Perhaps it suggests that the true strength of the Jewish people lies not in military might or magical powers, but in their relationship with God, their commitment to living a life of piety and learning, and their unique connection to the divine. The ability to access wisdom directly from the source, a source even angels seek. It's a powerful idea, one that might just explain that enduring resilience we talked about at the beginning. So, maybe the secret isn’t so secret after all. Maybe it’s simply… connection.