“Who can count the dust of Jacob
  or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
  and may my final end be like theirs!” — Numbers 23:10

The Torah portion for this week is Balak, after the king of the Moabites, from Numbers 22:2–25:9, and the Haftorah is from Micah 5:6–6:8.

What are you living for?

That’s a question the Sages suggest every person should ask him or herself. However, the rabbis explain that it’s not an easy one to answer. People may have some abstract idea that it’s important to live for God, but what does that really mean? How do we translate that into our everyday actions?

To help us get a clearer picture about what it is that we want to live for, the rabbis suggest asking yourself another question: What would I die for? Though seemingly harsh, this is a more practical question that can give us some clarity. What would you willingly give your life for? Once you know what you would die for, the rabbis explain that you should live for those very same things.

In this week’s Torah portion, Balaam, the sorcerer who intended to curse the children of Israel but ended up blessing them, said that he wanted to die like an Israelite: “Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!” The Sages explain that while the wicked Balaam wanted to die like the righteous, but he didn’t want to live like them. There is a difference between dying for something and living for it. Balaam was very happy to die a martyr’s death, but he was not willing to live a moral, ethical, God-centred life on a daily basis.

We can be clear about what we value so deeply that we would give up our life for it, but that doesn’t automatically translate into living a life in accordance with our values. That’s much more difficult. For example, most of us would be willing to sacrifice our lives for the sake of our children. However, many people who feel that way often don’t live as though their children are their highest priority. In our fast-paced world, we sometimes forget to make time for family and dear friends. If we truly value them, it should be manifested in our daily actions.

Another example is that while many people would offer their own lives to save others, they often go through daily life without lifting a finger to help even one person in need. How many people are dying of hunger? How many lives could we save through life-giving charity? Our lives and our actions must reflect what we value.

Ask yourself the all-important question of what you would willingly sacrifice your life for. Then, go out and live that way. Remember, though, God doesn’t want you to die for Him – He wants you to live for Him.