Upon awakening from sleep, we resume our life’s journey. From the moment that the holy Jewish soul is returned to the body, a fresh opportunity is presented to actualize our lifelong process of growth. How do we achieve this lofty goal?

The Rabbis (Chazal) explain that sleep is the period of time when our soul (the neshama) ascends to the supernal realms. The vacuum left behind causes a temporary influx of what we call – tum’ah – spiritual impurity. Upon awakening this tum’ah recedes to our hands with our sages giving us the knowledge of how to remove it by re-sanctifying our hands.

But even before we do that, t he first thing we do in the morning is say “modeh ani”, proclaiming our humble gratitude to our Creator for showing His confidence in us by restoring our soul to our body, giving us another day of life in which to fulfill Torah and mitzvoth. We surely appreciate that the renewal of our life each day is a gift — a fresh opportunity to actualize our lifelong process of spiritual growth.  How do we achieve this lofty goal in a practical way? We will look a bit more deeply into the spiritual connection between our voices (in which we start the day with “mode ani…” and our hands(that we wash in a uniaque fashion).

The Malbim explains that the hands represent the earthly power and might that lie within the domain of Yaakov Avinu’s brother Eisav; but the voice, which emanates from the realm of the soul lies within the domain of Yaakov.

When Yaakov approached Yitzchok for his brachos, Yitzchok touched him and felt the “hands of Eisav” but heard the “voice of Yaakov”, and thus made the immortal declaration:  “…hakol  kol Yaakov —- ve hayadayim yedai  Eisav.” (Toldos 27:  22)

Looking more deeply into these words, we come to learn that, according to the Malbim, Hashem desired that Yaakov be given both spiritual and material gifts and blessings, however, material blessings would come to Yaakov not by means of natural cause and effect, but only through hashgacha, through his voice – Torah and supplication (tefillah). If however, G-d forbid, Torah learning and tefillah were to be diminished then the flow of material blessings would also decrease.

Interestingly, the nusach of netillas yadayim, the first blessing of the day, provides a profound insight:  “Blessed ( or: The Source of all) are You, Hashem, our G-d King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us on the washing –“netillas yadayim” – of the hands. Notably, the Sages did not choose for this blessing the word “rechitza” meaning “washing” but “netilla” meaning “taking”, as  in the bracha of  the lulov  where we say “al netillas lulav,” on the taking of the lulov, Perhaps a deeper reason for the selection of this – nusach  is  that just as the mitzvah of lulov is accomplished through the  act of “taking hold” of  the lulov, so also do we achieve spiritual success with the use of our hands – our ma’aseh yadayim –  by  “taking hold of “ , i.e., controlling and directing  our actions toward the fulfillment of the will of  Hashem.  May we soon merit to raise our voices and hands together in a unison greeting the Moshiach and the final redemption soon in our days.

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. So many people today unfortunately caught up in this generational “tug of war”, are finding it more and more difficult to understand and appreciate their purpose and position in this world.

The Torah provides for us in this weeks Parsha Chayei Sarah an invaluable insight within the story of the (shiduk) engagement  between Yitzchak Avinu and his wife to be, Rivka.  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 (midos) character and good deeds (ma’asim tovim) through her altruistic act 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 with him special gifts for the kallah and her family to consummate this stage of the(shiduk) marriage proposal.

The gifts given over to Rivka were a golden ring called a nezem, and two arm bracelets (Chayei  Sarah, 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) our matriarch 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.

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 authority that is most effectively expressed in the absence of overt power – by innuendo rather than by confrontation.  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) kindness 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 (Shekina) Divine presence.

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