Women in the Bible

This past weekend I spoke at the Al-Falah Islamic Center in Oakville as part of an Interfaith dialogue on the subject of women in holy scipture.

There are not that many female heroines in the Bible, in fact, there are not that many named women at all. And even when they are given a name, they are often flawed secondary characters. In the Book of Genesis, the very first woman identified is Eve, created from the rib of man, who first act is to seduce Adam to sin by eating of the tree of life. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is another challenging figure, laughing at God who allows her to have a son at the age of 99, and sending off Hagar and her son Ishmael to die in the desert once she is pregnant. Leah and Rachel fight over Jacob to be the favorite bride.
But we do have Rebecca, who defied the notion that women cannot go directly to God. Rivka does not turn to Isaac to mediate between her and God. When her pregnancy distresses her, she goes directly to inquire of Elohim. The scope of female power increases when women can engage directly with the divine. (This makes more sense later in the story when Rebecca circumvents Esau to make sure Jacob gets the blessing and fulfills God’s plan). Traditional commentators skip over her plea to God, which is odd considering it is rare that anyone enjoys such an intimate communication with God. It makes sense that a religious woman experiencing gut-wrenching pain would pray to God to understand her pain. The pain is easier to endure when there is a purpose. Indeed she seems to be much better after she finds out that two nations are struggling in her, the pain is real and will result in something tangible.

The stealing of Isaac’s blessing by Jacob remains one of the most contested aspects of Rebecca’s character. Does she remain above condemnation for following God’s plan in getting the blessing for Jacob or is she vilified for being partner to the conspiracy? The argument for remaining blameless centers on the idea that Rebecca knew what she was doing was wrong, but went through with it for her son. Jacob says in Genesis 27:12 that if Isaac finds out what is happening, he will be seen as the trickster and a curse will be upon him. But Rivka declares that she will bring the curse on herself for the sake of her son. She knowingly participates in the trick, knowing it was wrong and should be punished. Midrash Tanhuma relates that God put the words in her heart. She said, "When the first Adam sinned, was he cursed? Was not his mother cursed? And now it is my turn. Fulfill your destiny and if you should be cursed, you curse will fall upon me." According to Ilana Pardes, women are powerless but despite that fact, they have an important role in teaching the weak and threatened young sons how to trick hostile oppressors, how to submit to paternal will and at the same time usurp the father's position.

In the book of Exodus we have even fewer females named. We barely hear about the mother of Moses – does anyone know her name its Yochevet. But there is a woman who stands out for her bravery and passion, one and her name is Miriam. the sister of Moses.
she watches Moses, in the basket in the nile. She arranges for his weaning by Yochevet. She leads dancing and singing at the sea – firsts of both these activites in the Bible.
The story of Miriam parallels another powerful woman named Deborah, a Prophet, leader, judge quite a unique combination of roles for anyone, let alone a woman. The Israelite army commander Barak comes to her for to prophesy on the upcoming war. Deborah tells him he will be victorious but he is unsure and demands she accompany him to battle. She decides to accompany him, but in punishment for his lack of faith, warms him that the enemy commander Sisera, will be delivered into the hands of a woman – Yael.
The text implies that this is against the natural order of things, for a woman to take an important role in battle, promoting the patriarchial nature of the text, but nevertheless it’s important to see the dual roles of powerful women. Deborah, who prophesies the victory and Yael, who is given the honor of beheading Sisera. This happens at the end of the story as Sisera stumbles into her tent thinking she is an ally, but once he falls asleep, after a tall glass of warm milk, Yael pierces his skull with a tent peg.
In rabbinical school I was assigned this passage and instructed to think of a creative way to present this text to teach to teenagers. Using the Alanis Morisette song “isn’t it ironic” my colleagues and I rewrote the lyrics to suggest the irony of Sisera dying at the hands of a woman.
“women have a funny way of sneaking upon when you’re in a big deep sleep and sticking a tent peg in your head”...“it’s a sharp pain, in the side of your head, and you can’t get up, cause you’re totally dead, that glass of milk sure didn’t help, and who would have thought it figures”

Indeed the true irony of the song is the powerful role of women in this story. Turning the bible on its head, Deborah speakers her mind, despite the discomfort for the men of the time, and even mocks them. The story even celebrates women’s violence. Perhaps there is one subtle knock against the women of the story, as Deborah’s name translates into bee and Yael’s name translates into Ibex ( a small mountain goat) while Barak’s name means lightning, a name still popular in Israel today and of course the name of the current US president, Barak Obama.

There is a powerful poem written by Merle Feld called “We all stood together”
My brother and I were at Sinai
He kept a journal
Of what he saw
Of what he heard
Of what it all meant to him

I wish I had such a record
Of what happened to me there

It seems like every time I want to write
I can’t
I’m always holding a baby
One of my own
Or one for a friend
Always holding a baby
So my hands are never free
To write things down

And then
As time passes
The particulars
The hard data
The who what when where why
Slip away from me
And all I’m left with is
The feeling

But feelings are just sounds
The vowel barking of a mute

My brother is sure of what he heard
After all he’s got a record of it
Consonant after consonant after consonant

If we remembered it together
We could recreate holy time
Sparks flying

The author’s hope is that together, brothers and sisters, need to find common ground, to see the humanity in each person and share together holy time and space. Despite the shortage of famous female personalities in our bible, they are there and we can learn a lot from them. We are reminded that our biblical ancestors, both male and female, can teach us about leadership and vision. We are reminded that we must look beyond gender or race to see the value of people as leaders, ones who inspire us, who give us hope, who push us to seek the truth and fight for justice.

the Pope’s visit to IsraelMay 16th, 2009 22 Iyar 5769

I was intrigued by the Pope visiting Israel this week, as Pope Benedict XVI became only the second pope in the history of the Catholic Church to officially visit the State of Israel.
While Catholic-Jewish relations have greatly improved over the last half century, this particular trip had Israeli, Jewish and Vatican leaders expressing high hopes for a smooth visit that would enhance the Catholic-Jewish and Israel-Vatican relationships.
From the minute he got off the plane, Benedict’s actions and words have been severely checked and scrutinized from all sides.
Abe Foxman of the ADL wrote in an op ed article this week that it must be recognized that Benedict is following in the footsteps of his predecessor, the beloved Pope John Paul II, whose groundbreaking pilgrimage in March 2000 hit all the right notes and captured the hearts and minds of Jews and Catholics around the world. John Paul came not only as the pope, but also as Karol Wojtyla, a pro-Jewish Polish survivor of the German occupation in Poland - a truly compassionate personality with close Jewish friends who, in his Western Wall note, asked for forgiveness for his own sins -- and he had never sinned against the Jews. If he had, at that point, become a candidate for Israeli prime minister, he would have been elected by an overwhelming majority
Its unfair to measure the two especially because the world was different 9 years ago, before 9/11, before the latest intifada, where there was much more hope and optimism in the region and the world. Also, the two popes have vastly different personalities and public personas. Where the Polish-born John Paul II was a grand communicator able to project his charm and personal story to a wide audience, Benedict, a native of Germany, is a reserved theologian who conveys a professorial tone. Listening to him talk, he is very quiet, with a strong accent that at times makes it hard to understand his true intentions.
Prominent officials have sharply criticized Benedict’s much-anticipated speech at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial for failing to live up to expectations.
When Pope John Paul II visited Yad Vashem he referenced the Nazis by name, condemned the murder of millions of victims and mourned the loss of his Jewish friends. He met at length with 30 Polish Jewish survivors.
By contrast, Benedict failed to mention Nazis or Germany, as well as his own personal history in Germany during the war. Its been well documented that he was in the Hilter youth, though it was also clear that his family was against the Nazi Regime. In his speech, he did not use the word murder and ignored the issue of Christian responsibility for the Holocaust. A historic opportunity was squandered. But as Jon Stewart said in the daily show, are we being too critical of the specific words he said, are we being “anti-semantic”.
Daniel Gordis (senior vice president, the Shalem Center in Jerusalem) said: "The pope’s mistake was that he assumed the role of diplomat rather than religious leader. There was nothing technically wrong with what he said at Yad Vashem. But in choosing such carefully measured, tepid language, he said nothing that an ordinary diplomat could not have uttered. We heard none of the passion, the fury or the shattered heart that is the hallmark of genuine religious courage and leadership. Atop Mount Scopus, Pope Benedict literally gazed upon the hilltops that Amos walked when he begged that 'justice flow like a mighty river' and that Jesus called home when he demanded a renewed moral order. With anguished self-reflective contrition (he is German, after all), or with a courageous call that Palestinians should have a state but must also publicly proclaim that Jews need a home to call their own, too, the pope could have assumed the mantle of the man of God in the tradition of those who have come here before him."
But a close examination of Benedict’s text and actions shows that he did deliver an appropriate speech focusing on the concepts of remembrance. He also met briefly with Holocaust survivors. It must be noted also that in recent months, Benedict has made strong statements repudiating Holocaust denial.
As John L. Allen Jr. (senior correspondent, The National Catholic Reporter and author of “The Rise of Benedict XVI") said: "Whatever the disappointments from the Yad Vashem visit, they’re not indicative of a pope with a lack of respect for Judaism, or one who’s indifferent to either anti-Semitism or the memory of the Holocaust. I also know that prior to his election as pope, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger bluntly acknowledged Christian complicity in the Holocaust. I know the pope has reflected at length, including in his own autobiography, about his childhood in Nazi Germany, and his shame that his nation produced such a monstrosity. Finally, I know the pope has written a virtually unprecedented letter expressing his anguish over the recent controversy involving the lifting of the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying bishop. It probably would have been helpful to hear some of this at Yad Vashem, and people can be forgiven for seeing the visit as a missed opportunity. In context, however, it seems clear that Benedict meant well."
By coming to Israel at this time, the 82-year-old pontiff is solidifying the Vatican’s formal relationship with the State of Israel, launched when a historic diplomatic agreement was signed in 1993. His trip demonstrates the Church’s commitment to the security and survival of Israel as a Jewish state. This is no small thing, following after the Gaza Strip war still fresh in people’s minds, his trip refocused on building bridges between Jews and Palestinians, instead of only walls.
Benedict is also establishing a track record for future popes. No longer will Pope John Paul’s journey be able to be portrayed as an aberration or a personal mission. Indeed, Benedict’s trip will institutionalize that every pope visit Israel and commit the billion-member Roman Catholic Church to the importance of Israel as the Jewish state. That is a significant achievement.
Benedict’s voyage also demonstrates the continuity of the Church’s commitment to enhance relations with the Jewish people. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he was Pope John Paul’s chief theologian and, therefore, the many positive improvements in Jewish-Catholic relations over the past three decades were done in consultation with him.
I found it fascinating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Pope Benedict XVI to speak out against the anti-Israel rhetoric from Iran's president. I don’t ever remember an Israeli leader asking the Pope to speak out to the world against an agitator who has called for Israel’s destruction. Bib met privately with the pope on Thursday for about 15 minutes in Nazareth and the talks "centered on how the peace process can be advanced."
Afterward Netanyahu said "I asked him, as a moral figure, to make his voice heard loud and continuously against the declarations coming from Iran of their intention to destroy Israel,". "I told him it cannot be that at the beginning of the 21st century there is a state which says it is going to destroy the Jewish state, there is no aggressive voice being heard condemning this."
Netanyahu said that in response, the pope said that "he condemns all instances of anti-Semitism and hate against the State of Israel -- against humanity as a whole -- but in this case against Israel."
On the other hand, this was the day after the pope made an emotional appeal in the West Bank for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland -- a concept Netanyahu has not yet publicly endorsed.
According to Abe Foxman, there are a series of outstanding serious issues challenging the Vatican-Jewish dialogue, including the recent troubling regressions in Catholic theology and liturgy about Judaism. Israel and the Vatican also have complicated property and tax issues to resolve.
"the focus on this trip should be in recognizing the positive contributions of the current pope. Benedict has pledged to keep strengthening Catholic-Jewish relations and reaffirmed the Church’s unqualified repudiation of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. He has taught that Christians should gain a new respect for the Jewish interpretation of the Old Testament. And he has asserted that God’s Covenant and promises to the people of Israel are alive and irrevocable, further demonstrating his belief that the Jewish people “are beloved brothers and sisters.”
While we believe that Jews must remember and honor the past, we cannot change it. What we can do is create a future where Catholics and Jews deepen and expand our dialogue and work together with mutual respect and understanding in the interests of tikkun olam."

and to these words I heartily agree.

Our Trip to Washington DC

Many people think I am crazy for wanting to take a group of teenagers to different cities for youth group trips, but honestly, I love it. First of all, we have a great group of kids who are very responsible and follow directions. Secondly, I like visiting cities and seeing great sites. Thirdly, the chance to have real conversations and develop friendships happens on these types of trips. Our trip to DC was no different.
Friday morning we met to travel in mini-van convoy to Buffalo for our flight to Washington. Our travel was so smooth that despite a delay in our flight, we actually made it to our hotel earlier that I expected. We decided to head downtown and walk around before our scheduled dinner at 6th and I synagogue for Shabbat. Not being an expert on the DC subway system it took us some time to figure out the ticket system. Its not a flat fee, you pay based on time of day and distance. Also you have to use your ticket to enter and exit the system. But the subway was so clean, even carpeted, it was a pleasure to ride. With some trial and error we figured it out and made our way downtown. As we exited on Pennsylvania Avenue we realized we were in the heart of DC. To our left we could see the Capitol, to our right, the White House. We started walking and noticed to our delight the Canadian Embassy. Surely they would love to see some Canadian teenagers. That was our first lesson in this post 9-11 world of extra tight security. We couldn't even walk in the door before we were told to go through the x-ray machines and produce picture ID, just to enter the lobby. They told us the embassy was closed but we did get to sign our names in the Visitors book. We started heading towards the Mall to see the sights and on the way found the most amazing President Obama souvenir store, where everyone picked up a t-shirt, shot glass or bobble head for their collection. There is such energy and excitement about the new President, his face and slogans adorn shops all over town. We then walked for another hour to the synagogue.
6th and I is an old synagogue that was active over 50 years ago but as Jews moved to the suburbs, had been abandoned. It was bought by a Church who used it for 50 years then they too decided to move and it was left empty once again. It was going to be razed, when a group of Jewish investors decided to purchase and refurbish it. Its a gorgeous builiding with high ceilings and beautiful painted murals and stained glass. It is an active Jewish community now, with different groups coming in for worship services and events all the time. On this particular Friday night, it was a special 20-30's night Shabbat dinner and Shwarma dinner. Luckily they invited us to join, as over 250 people were in attendance. The night began with light snacks and cocktails. The service at 7 pm was led by Rick Recht, one of the most prolific Jewish songwriters of the GenX. There was a band and excellent music and everyone was singing. After services we had an incredible dinner and we filled up the social hall. There was such energy in the room, they only expected around 100 people but it was packed. We savored our dinner and then headed back to the hotel for a late night swim.
Saturday was our busiest day. We began with a tour of the Capitol again with security checks. We walked through gazing at the beautiful murals and statues, and listened to the "whisper spot". Afterwards we took the subway to the White House. This tour is so hard to get you have to have a congressperson arrange it, luckily the congressional office in Florida where I used to work helped us out. We arrived at the gate but our names weren't on the list. Apparently we were on a different list. We patiently waited for almost an hour until they straightened it out. Finally we were in and got to walk through 2 floors of this gorgeous house, it was the highlight of the whole weekend for most of us. I was particularly interested in seeing the dining room table where President Obama hosted the very first White House Passover seder this past April.
After the White House we got lunch at 5 guys burgers, known as one of the best burgers in town and we were not disappointed. We went to the Smithsonian Luce Center for American Art to see some masterpieces. We then took the subway to the Ballston Mall for some free time and dinner At night we saw the comedy sports improv show, which was excellent and kept us all laughing. by 10 pm we were exhausted but we had to end Shabbat with havdallah, and where else but at the Lincoln Memorial. The guards there was somewhat apprehensive but we lit the candle and sang the prayers under the watchful eyes of Abraham Lincoln.
Our last day began with a visit to the Holocaust Museum. Its a self guided tour that mixes history and narrative with memorials. Its a difficult but important museum that everyone should visit at least once. We continued afterwards to visit the other memorials on the Mall including the Washington Monument, the WW2, Korean War and Veitnam war memorials, each powerful displays of the countless wars of the past century. We took the subway back to the hotel, got some lunch and headed back to the airport.
Everyone had a great time, and Fonda and I had it easy as chaperones. Next year, another trip, maybe Chicago or Boston or Montreal - we'll see what happens.

Rabbi Wise