JEWELRY AND THE JEWISH WOMAN

                       

                                                                               

            Over the past several decades the roles of
both men and women in contemporary society have shifted dramatically leaving both
genders in the midst of  an identity crisis
that simply did not exist in earlier generations.  Today unfortunately many are confounded by
this role confusion and are finding it more and more difficult to understand
and appreciate their purpose and position in this world.   There
is a solution.

Three gifts were given  to Rivka when she became engaged to our
forefather Yitzchak,  She received a
golden ring called a nezem, and two arm bracelets (Genesis, 24:22.),
therefore there is to endeavor to deepen our understanding of the profound
symbolism that lies within these gifts.    Since our Torah is an eternal document for
all times and all places, these pieces of jewelry are as much a gift for the
Jewish woman of today, as they were for Rivka Imainu in that they are capable
of offering insights that can help to rejuvenate and revitalize each women’s
connection with her proper role even in the midst of  our spiritually troubled and discordant
times.

In  Parsha
Chayei Sarah which tells the story of the engagement of our forefather Yitzchak
and Rivka, we are given an approach toward the solution of this dilemma.  It came to pass that our forefather Avraham Aveinu
sent his servant  Eliezer to Avraham’s
relatives seeking a wife for Yitzchak.   Hashem 
guided  Eliezer and  gave him the opportunity to observe Rivka’s
extraordinary character (midos)  and good
deeds (ma’asim tovim) through her altruistic acts of chesed. It was her very
selfless act of kindness that allowed  Eliezer to understand that he had found that
unique neshama who would be the appropriate bride for Yitzchak. In anticipation
of this eventuality, Avraham had sent special gifts for the bride- to -be and
her family to consummate the engagement.  
  

The words and actions of  righteous Jewish woman emanate from the neshama,
the soul which is rooted in a very pristine place deep within.   Is it then any wonder that the gift for
Rivka was a – nezem – a ring which was used in the place which is the gateway
for the entry of the soul – the place where the Creator breathed the soul of  life into Adam  (Bereishes 2:7).

Our Holy Torah, through this parsha, takes this
opportunity to realign material and spiritual values thereby closing the gap
between them, teaching each women the secret of seamlessly blending within
herself a life of holiness that incorporates softness and strength, kindness
and discipline, generosity and restraint. It is not the radiant heat of the sun,
but the cool white light of the moon which in its gentle sincere manner changes
the course of tides and of man.  It is authority
that is most effectively expressed in the absence of overt power – by innuendo
rather than by direct statement.  For all
its subtlety don’t think for a moment that it lacks purpose, direction or
strength.  It is the antibiotic
camouflaged in the spoonful of ice cream. 
It is  pure empathetic compassion,
objectified, tempered by practicality, seasoned by good judgment and used for
the purpose of  nurturing and healing those
 souls given over to her care.

 This ring has
within it a further message that connects the past with the present in that it had
the weight of a beka–  a half –shekel–
and that too is significant.   Each Jew
was required to give a half shekel gift,  a one time gift for the building of the  Mishkan as well as a yearly donation of this
amount to be used for the communal sacrifices. (Ki Sisa: 30:13; Shekalim, 1:1;
Megillah 29b).

The gift of the half shekel was one that every Jew
was required to contribute toward the building of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.  It  was
dedicated to the adonim — the silver sockets that held the boards which formed
the walls of the Mishkan.   These sockets
are the foundation of the walls of Mishkan, where we made our home with
Hashem, even as the woman  is the foundation
of the home she establishes with her husband.     

  Eliezer
also gave Rivka two arm bracelets weighing ten golden shekels.  The two arm bracelets represent the two
tablets of the law; and their weight of ten shekels symbolizes the Ten
Commandments. (Chaya Sara, 24:22, Rashi). 
The ring and the golden bracelets are both, being circular, suggestive
of  the fact each woman is able to
complete the connection of the Torah with this world through becoming a conduit
using her unique energy that is provided by her holy soul and binding it with
the performance of good deeds and acts of 
kindness. Through these works of chesed 
every woman is able to greatly rectify this world as a emissary of
Hashem through her home and hearth thereby allowing a holy dwelling place for
the Divine Presence (the Shekina).

 

© Rabbi Yehoshua
Binyamin Falk 2007

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

Stars of the Heavens or the Sand of the Seashore

We are all familiar with Hashem’s oath to Avraham Avinu after the Akeidas
Yitzchak – or are we? “The angel of Hashem called to Avraham a second time from
heaven. And he said, ‘By myself I swear – the word of Hashem – that because you
have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one, that I
shall surely bless you and greatly increase your offering like the stars of
the heavens
and like the sand on the seashore and your offspring shall
inherit the gate of its enemy. And all the nations of the earth shall bless
themselves by your offspring, because you have listened to My voice.’” (Vayeria
– 22:15-17), What is the nature of this promise? After all, if we are likened
to the lofty, exalted multitude of stars, what is being added by the words that
compare us to the minuscule sand on the seashore?

   To add to this quandary, the Midrash Or
HaAfelah informs us that this pasuk teaches us the inevitable consequence of
our momentous choices:  When the Jewish
nation complies with the Creator’s will, we will resemble the stars of the
heavens, whom no nation can dominate, however when the Nation is defiant, then
it will resemble the sand of the seashore that is trampled by every oppressive
foot. The Medrash suggests that this promise to Avraham is not exclusively a
blessing, for it also contains an admonition. Since we are told that this
promise is Avraham’s reward for the Akeidah: – “. . .  because you have listened to My voice”, how
can we properly understand this Midrash?

       Perhaps we can find a solution to the implication
of this Midrash, in the pasukim, by considering two well known but seemingly paradoxical
paths in the service of Hashem that are actually complementary to each other.  One path is to serve Hashem, like the stars
of the heavens, by seeing the gadlus haBorei — the majesty of the Infinite
Creator, while the other path is achieved through seeing oneself, like the sand
of the sea, through

 the lens of shiflus atzmo – our
relative minuteness. Through learning Torah we can come to see the gadlus haBorei
in every facet within the creation, whereas our tefillos are designed to aid us
in reaching a place of equanimity through humbly recognizing our total
dependence on the benevolence of the Creator. Just as the waves of the sea
wash over the sand constantly purifying it, so do the “waves” of our nusach in
tefillah flow through us constantly purifying and realigning our “attitudinal
coastlines” according to the will of Hashem.

              Furthermore, perhaps we
can surmise that even though being compared to the sand of the seashore
contains an admonition, there is also imbedded within it a blessing for just
like sand when trampled upon maintains its unique resilience and unity, so how
much more so is the grandeur of our holy Jewish nation has demonstrated time
and time again its resiliency in weathering throughout our shifting historical
galus the political, theological and social “storms” that that, have tried to
erode away our idealism and solidarity
”. Fortunately the blessing given to
Avraham Avinu and his descendants to be like the sand of the sea assures us
that even though some of the nation has drifted away from the service of our
benevolent Creator, soon refreshing “tides of holiness”, captained by Malcus
David, will float everyone back to his or her place within the nation so as to
be in position to usher in the final geula and rebuilding of our holy Temple. We
see expressed in the Min Hameitzar of Hallel as it is said: – “You pushed me
hard that I might fall but Hashem assisted me” and then the Hallel continues
with the inspiring expression: “The stone despised by the builders has become
the cornerstone.”

            Another wondrous moshal that can be culled
from our being compared to the sand of the seashore; just as grain of sand
that becomes imbedded within a oyster can be miraculously become the catalyst
for the formation of a precious pearl, how much more so can we, the Jewish
nation, that has been swallowed up within the troughs of galus, use this challenging
opportunity to reveal the “pearls” of our potential
.

             May we also soon merit
the words at the conclusion of the blessing promised to Avraham Avinu: “And all
the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your offspring, because you
have listened to My voice.”

                             

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

INFLATION

                         

           Experiencing the
crunch of inflation is very uncomfortable feeling but learning to reframe ones
attitude can greatly alleviate the stress that can accompany it. No doubt,
needing more money than we have or expect to receive is very uneasy and
disturbing, so let us ask if there anything on the practical level that can
mitigate the detrimental emotions that often accompany it?   

             Everything in
life being relative, let us start by learning to see our challenges in
perspective. However, before we begin we will clearly point out that this
article and these suggestions are not being expressed in any way to minimize
the seriousness of ones personal challenges but only in order to hopefully
reevaluate and thereby avoid or alleviate the ominous prognosis and even
perhaps transform it into a positive productive experience. (This subject is
financial but the same type of reframing can be done with any stressful issue.

              It was written
in the news recently that there is a country named Zimbabwe whose inflation rate has
become the highest in the world, surging past the whopping – 1,000 – one
thousand per cent mark. This crises of inflation has caused the prices of goods
to increase to the point that products are now eleven times more expensive as
they were only twelve months ago. The entire country is suffering from food,
fuel and foreign currency shortages. Their money has devaluated so much that
believe it or not – 110,000 Zimbabwe
dollars equals only seventy-nine U.S. cents. Yes you saw right, this is not a

printing error. A carton of orange juice costs about 500,000 Zimbabwe
dollars which is equivalent to about three and one half U.S. dollars. To make
matters worse two-thirds of the population are unemployed and impoverished with
no sign of economic recovery.

            Now after reading
these heartrending facts let us return to our reaction to our own problems
during these times of inflation. Oh, we are now saying: what problem? Yes,
after reading or hearing of such a heartrending national dilemma, our problems
seem to pale in relationship to the hardships of others. What then should be
our attitude in life toward financial concerns? It is stated in the Torah that
Mine is the – cesef – silver, Mine is the – zahav – gold says Hashem. Perhaps a
lesson that we can learn from here is by “deflating” our (material)
expectations and “inflating” our (spiritual) aspirations in achieving a level
of becoming – “samach bi-chelko” – satisfied with our lot, we can greatly “en-rich”
ourselves and the whole world with the true “current-cy” that being “In G-d we really
trust”. May we all merit to always feel “plentiful” thereby being able to “share”
this “abundance of positive feelings” with others.              

 

 

 

                                                                                              

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia