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How Good Are Your Tents, Jacob!

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In Bamidbar 24:5 it say, מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל- How great are your tents, Jacob. Rashi explains, מה טובו אהליך: על שראה פתחיהם שאינן מכוונין זה מול זה- How great are your tents: For he saw that the entrances were not facing each other. The general understand in Rashi is that there was a tremendous zechus (merit) for the Jews because they were careful with each others privacy. This trait of tznius (modesty) compelled Bilam (of course, with Divine Intervention) to bless the Jews.
Rabbi Meir Shapiro explains this in a different vein, ‘rooh sheayn pischeyhen mechuvanot ze keneged zeh’. Pesach can be translated as an entrance or as an opening. The Gemara tells us that God is extremely generous towards the Jews. He offers us a deal-come towards Me (with repentance and good deeds) and I will come towards you; open an opening for Me the breadth of a needle head, and I will come towards you with an opening the size of a ballroom. God asks us to do just one small thing for Him and He will shower us with abundance.
Rabbi Meir Shapiro explains that Bilam wanted to curse the Jews. He saw that their openings were not opposite each other, simply meaning they only have to do a little amount and God pays them with exponential growth. Hence, he understood the way in which God love His children and realized that there was no point in cursing them. In fact, he may as well bless them!
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Start your day…

“נְדָבָה בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר….gifts every morning” (36:6)

The Sfas Emes explains that sharing and giving has to be our first instinct, at the beginning of every day.

The Vilna Gaon expounded further on this point. The final bracha in Tfilas HaShachar is Hamaavir Sheina – Who removes sleep from our eyes – and what follows is the Yehi Ratzon – May it be Your Will – that lists various mitzvos we would like to be able to do. We do not pause between them to say Amen. The Vilna Gaon explains that we must start as we mean to continue – we thank Him for removing sleep from our eyes, and immediately pray for opportunities to do mitzvos.

There is a story told about R’ Meir Schapiro, who was fundrasing for his yeshiva in pre-war Europe. He had made his way through a new town, and heard stories about a man who lived there, who was fabulously wealthy. He knocked on the door, and requested to meet with the gentleman. He was informed that the gentleman was asleep, so R’ Meir requested to come inside and learn, until the owner arose. When he finally did wake up, he flatly refused to donate to the yeshiva, and R’ Meir gave a sad smile, and said “You shouldn’t have woken up then. I understand this pasuk now”.

The emphasis on every morning is a clear lesson for us that we must strive to help, share and give at every opportunity, even (especially?) at times that are inconvenient.

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