Trying to Read Between the Lines
There is something I think about at least twice a year - once during the winter, when we read the Torah portions regarding the exodus from Egypt, and again in the spring when we read about the same topic at the Pesach (Passover) seder.
The Torah and Chazal (an acronymn for Our Sages of Blessed Memory) detail the hardships that the Jews suffered in Egypt. In addition to enslaving the Jews, the Pharoah decreed that the boys born to the Jews would be killed by throwing them into the Nile.
Those of us with children share a primal fear of losing a child, which most of us lock up in a dark basement. Unless we actually experience this type of tragedy (G-d forbid), most of us rarely approach the door to this basement, let alone screw up the courage to take one or two steps downward to confront this fear.
The Jews in Egypt lived in this basement.
For years one end.
Our sages write that the Jews were saved from Egypt because of the righteousness of the women. They used their femininity to attract the men, so that they would continue to have children. The women helped the men overcome their despair.
Every year at this time I take pride in being a Jewish woman, but I feel that there is still something missing, the answer to a very simple question.
Who helped the women overcome their despair?
In my more flippant moments I think that there must have been REALLY great chocolate back then.
When I am more serious, though, I remain mystified.
If a leader can be described as having an iron fist in a velvet glove, then Jewish women have soft hearts - covering a diamond-hard faith in G-d. This faith that G-d has a plan for the world, and that we have to keep going no matter what, has sustained the Jews for centuries.
I keep trying to read between the lines to see how they developed this faith, but I can't find it.
All I see is white space.
There is something I think about at least twice a year - once during the winter, when we read the Torah portions regarding the exodus from Egypt, and again in the spring when we read about the same topic at the Pesach (Passover) seder.
The Torah and Chazal (an acronymn for Our Sages of Blessed Memory) detail the hardships that the Jews suffered in Egypt. In addition to enslaving the Jews, the Pharoah decreed that the boys born to the Jews would be killed by throwing them into the Nile.
Those of us with children share a primal fear of losing a child, which most of us lock up in a dark basement. Unless we actually experience this type of tragedy (G-d forbid), most of us rarely approach the door to this basement, let alone screw up the courage to take one or two steps downward to confront this fear.
The Jews in Egypt lived in this basement.
For years one end.
Our sages write that the Jews were saved from Egypt because of the righteousness of the women. They used their femininity to attract the men, so that they would continue to have children. The women helped the men overcome their despair.
Every year at this time I take pride in being a Jewish woman, but I feel that there is still something missing, the answer to a very simple question.
Who helped the women overcome their despair?
In my more flippant moments I think that there must have been REALLY great chocolate back then.
When I am more serious, though, I remain mystified.
If a leader can be described as having an iron fist in a velvet glove, then Jewish women have soft hearts - covering a diamond-hard faith in G-d. This faith that G-d has a plan for the world, and that we have to keep going no matter what, has sustained the Jews for centuries.
I keep trying to read between the lines to see how they developed this faith, but I can't find it.
All I see is white space.
posted by westbankmama at 11:41 AM
6 Comments:
Really good chocolate sounds like a reasonable answer, thus sayeth Jack the man who grew up with four sisters and over the years added a wife, MIL, GIL etc. In short I don't claim to know everything about women but I do know that they love chocolate.
and how much chocolate do you think was being produced in egypt at the time?
Maybe that what they really did in the pyramids
;)
Great thought-provoking post WBM
J.
if we, as women, are content with the belief that when we were created last, from life (as opposed to dust) and closest to G*d since everything was created from furthest (to G*d) to closest, then shouldn't we then assume that the reason the women were able to overcome their despair, or live with it or through it with unwavering faith, is because they were spiritually closer to Hashem, and they knew that this was all part of His plan for this first golus. maybe somewhere inside, they understood that all that they were going through was for a greater good, and that ultimately, their children would end up in eretz yisrael.
or maybe it was the chocolate.
Jack - I was actually called a sexist when I claimed that women like chocolate more than men (by SoccerDad). Now I have your evidence on my side...
JerusalemCop - I never thought about it that way. Is that where the Toblerone was produced first?
Bec - I think it is probably a bit of both, don't you think?
I've been a lurker for a while now but I have to say that was a lovely and thoughtful post... and I agree with bec- I think women are closer to Hashem given the fact that we give life as well... just a theory. Chocolate doesn't hurt, though!
regina - thank you for the compliment. As Jack said in one of his posts, it is nice to be acknowledged when you write something thoughtful - although the "controversial" posts usually get more comments.
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