John Isner did not stand a chance in his tennis match against unseeded Thiemo de Bakker. That’s because the day before he won the longest tennis match in history, one that took more than eleven hours over three days. In his own words, “I've never been this exhausted before…I didn't really have a chance.”
So, was it worth it?
Well, that depends on the goal. If the purpose is to enter the history books – then yes it was. But if the ultimate goal is to prevail then we need to conserve our energy to win match after match – something Isner’s first match denied him.
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In this week’s Parsha of Balak, the non-Jewish prophet Bilaam attempts to curse the Jewish people, but eventually blesses them instead. He was hired by Balam, king of Moav to “come and curse this people for me, for they are too powerful for me.”
Bilaam’s ultimate prophecy is the prophecy of the “end of days,” the time of the final redemption. He was hired to foretell the destruction of the Jewish people. He ends up prophesying of their lasting survival and dominance.
What indeed assures the survival of the Jewish people? Bilaam himself declares the uniqueness of the Jewish people, stating, “It is a nation that will dwell alone, and will not be reckoned among the nations.”
Many have argued that our survival is only assured by virtue of our absolute or near-total integration into wider society. If only we would stop being so Jewish, we’d be accepted.
But Bilaam says it as he (and all he represents) sees it. We are indeed a different people. We are different because of what we believe, because of who we are and because of our ultimate destiny. It is our own acceptance of these distinctions that will bring greater acceptance from our non-Jewish neighbors.
In fact, in the end of the portion we read about a threat to Jewish continuity. After Bilaam failed to secure the Jewish people’s demise on G-d’s terms, he gave Balak the only advice left. Separate the people from their G-d, from their Torah and their values. If the Jewish people are bereft of their Jewishness, they too will fade with history. Based on his counsel, the Midianites attempted to infiltrate the Jewish people by intermarrying with them. And they almost succeeded, save for the heroics of Pinchas (more on that in next week’s portion).
Physical wars of attrition against the Jewish people – from Pharaoh to Hitler – have failed. It’s the spiritual ones we need to stay away from.