The story is told of Reuven who awoke in the morning, but refused to get up and go to school. His mother tried again and again to get him to go, but he remained adamant: "I don't want to go to school!" "But Reuven" said his mother "you must go to school. You are the principal…"
 

This is well-known and amusing anecdote which can raise a smile in some people, but what is the connection between this and our parsha?
 

And so, in the manner of jokes, sometimes in order to retain the element of surprise, the teller holds back a critical detail at the beginning of the story and "remembers" to reveal it only at the end. However, it is surprising that at the beginning of our parsha we encounter a similar phenomenon in our holy Torah (lehavdil elef havdalot!):

The parsha opens with the story of Balak ben Zippor, an unknown person who we have never heard of, and only after three verses, the Torah seemingly "remembers" to tell us a "forgotten" detail: Balak was the king of Moav at that time. What is the explanation for the way this story is told by the Torah?

This is not the only mystery which arises upon a close reading of the beginning of our parsha. The parsha opens, as mentioned, with Balak ben Zippor, however the next verse 'abandons' him entirely and moves on to speak of the Moabite nation and its actions, and at the end, as mentioned above, it goes back to explain Balak's role in the story. In order to clarify this, we will quote the verses:

"And Balak ben Zippor saw all that Israel did to the Emorite. And Moav feared the people very much, for they were numerous, and Moav was filled with dread of B'nei Israel. And Moav said to the elders of Midian: now this nation will lick up our entire region as a bull devours the vegetation of a field, and Balak ben Zippor was king to Moav at that moment."

These words are amazing, and demand to be explained!
 

HaRav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch offers a wonderful explanation which answers these two questions simultaneously, which can be understood more clearly by prefacing another question:
 

And indeed all of Balak's behavior in our parsha is extremely bizarre. He doesn't act as the kings before him did, and instead of proclaiming a general draft of all the able-bodied men to make war upon Israel as his predecessors did (Amalek, the Canaanites, the Emori, Edom, Sichon and Og) he surprisingly turns to Bilaam ben Beor the sorcerer. We must not overlook the fact that Bilaam was an enemy of Moav and not an ally! As the result of Bilaam's curse, Moav lost a great part of its territory (as mentioned in the previous parsha and Rashi's commentary on it). We would have expected that Sichon, who had already paid once for Bilaam's services (in a simpler and easier war than the one with Am Israel) and already had a "business relationship" with him, would be the one to employ him again in the war against B'nei Israel. But to our surprise, it is Balak who turns to Bilaam!  

Balak's strange conduct doesn't stop here. He promises Bilaam again and again an enormous payment, even though Bilaam clarifies to Balak that he is buying a "pig in a poke" (and not to mention, a lion!) since "All that HaShem will put in my mouth (that) is what I will assuredly say." We must search for an explanation and the logic behind Balak's actions.
 

Now, says HaRav Hirsch, we can understand the beginning of our parsha. The words "And Balak saw" refer not only to the event mentioned in the same verse ("what Israel did to the Emori") but to everything which is described in the following verses (and Moav feared, and Moav was filled with dread, and Moav said to the elders of Midian). Balak sees all of this happening but does not intervene! The Moabite nation is gripped by deep fear, while their king, who is responsible for their welfare and defense, completely ignores this. So they start to look for a solution to their terrifying problem by themselves. The Torah emphasizes Balak's state of mind by deleting his title (king of Moav) at the beginning of the story, and after it describes the independent action of the nation which ignores its king, the Torah stresses: wasn't "Balak king to Moav at that moment?!" Nevertheless, they do not turn to him, but act on their own! This also explains the unique expression melech l'Moav (king to Moav) which is found in no other place, and it implies that Balak was supposed to be king to Moav, but that was not the situation at that moment!

Balak understands that he is losing control over his kingdom. The nation has lost its faith in powerful and courageous kings, since it saw what happened to the last ones, and therefore it completely ignores its formerly valiant and esteemed king, and begins on its own to search for solutions. Why do they turn specifically to Midian (which is not at all close to the scene of the event, and is not in the predicted path of conquest of B'nei Israel)? The Sages have already answered this: "Since they saw that Israel were conquering (their enemies) in an unnatural way, they said: their leader matured in Midian so we will ask them what his nature is." (Bamidbar Rabbah ch. 20 par.4)

Upon seeing this, Balak understands that he has no choice except to do something extraordinary. Out of his desire to regain his authority, he is willing to pay his entire fortune to bring Bilaam, even though the merchandise he will receive is questionable. This is the only way Balak has to retain his throne: to resort to bringing a "miracle worker" to rival Moshe, and this will encourage his frightened nation and restore their confidence in him and their support for him. With this explanation we can reconcile all the aforementioned questions, and the parsha is thoroughly clarified!  
 

And in the spirit of Torah ethics, we can add, that perhaps the Torah details this story not only so that the commentators can deduce Balak's intentions, but also to emphasize a great lesson in Mussar. Behold: even though Balak continued to sit in his royal hall, with his scepter in his hand and his crown on his head, from the moment that his people didn't regard him as the address for the solution to their troubles, he was no longer considered a king! Proclamations alone that someone is king are not enough. Actions are what determine. If, when one has an urgent need, he ignores his designated king and starts to look for solutions through his own powers – by doing this he casts off the yoke of his king's reign! In this real – life test, we must strive and strengthen ourselves. Even when, may the Merciful One spare us, a trial or difficulty comes upon a person or a nation, our eyes must be lifted first and foremost to our King, the Master of the World, in a plea that He will save us, and not to put our trust in the power of flesh and blood or in any other factor. Of course, afterwards we are allowed and required to make every effort and exertion we can; however, first and foremost our obligation is to turn the Master of All the Powers. This is the test of faith and trust. (See The Chazon Ish, Emunah U'Bitachon ch. 2.)

May we soon merit the realization of the words of the prophet Yishayahu (65:19-25):
 

"And I will rejoice with Jerusalem and exult with My nation. No more will the sound of weeping or wailing be heard in it… And it shall be that before they will call, I will answer, while they are still speaking I will listen. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, the lion shall eat straw like cattle, and dust shall be bread for the serpent. They shall not do evil nor destroy on all My holy mountain, says HaShem."

Anticipating the coming of the righteous deliverer and the building of Beit HaMikdash speedily and in our days, Amen.