Parshas Yisro
The Key to Jewish Continuity
Rabbi Pinchas Avruch
As the Jewish nation approached Mount Sinai, with the climax of their
departure from Egypt imminent, G-d officially offered them His treasured
Torah as the crux of an eternal covenant. G-d instructed Moshe to present
the offer, "So shall you say to the House of Jacob and relate to the
Children of Israel." (Shemos/Exodus 19,3) The apparent repetition of means
of conveying the message to the Jewish people would violate the Torah's
maxim against extraneous expressions. But Rashi explains that "the House of
Jacob" refers to women and "say[ing]" is a softer form of speech, suited to
their compassionate, maternal instincts, while "the Children of Israel" are
the men and the more forceful "relat[ing]" is consistent with the legal
minutiae and related punishments that men must confront.
By instructing the men and women separately, and, furthermore, directing the
women first, the Torah is clearly emphasizing a special role that women play
in the acceptance of the Torah on behalf of the entirety of the Jewish
people. But what is that role?
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986; Rosh Yeshiva/Dean of Mesivtha Tifereth
Jerusalem in New York City; the leading Halachic/Jewish legal decisor and
foremost leader of Jewry of his time) elucidates that the giving of the
Torah at Sinai was a one time event, one that would need to last for all
generations throughout eternity. But the continued transmission of Torah,
the continuity of the Jewish people, is contingent on one simple premise -
the education of the next generation of children. Rabbi Feinstein dismisses
the notion that this can systematically be done with adults, because by that
point, all the habits of adulthood are ingrained and the great majority
would have too great a challenge to uproot those habits that are
antithetical to Torah. Rather, the education must begin when they are young
children.
This charge, concludes Rabbi Feinstein, is primarily that of the mother, who
simultaneously provides for the children's physical needs and spiritual
development. And even though the children eventually go to school, the large
share of their daily influence continues to come from the mother. Thus,
women are of primary mention in the acceptance of the Torah because it is
ONLY through their action that the success of Torah transmission, and with
it Jewish continuity, for all generations is assured. They are uniquely in
the position to instill in the children the tenets of Jewish faith and
pursuit of G-dliness, character elements essential for their success in
Jewish adulthood.
Have a good Shabbos!
Copyright © 2002 by Rabbi Pinchas Avruch and Project Genesis, Inc.
Kol HaKollel is a publication of the Milwaukee Kollel Center for Jewish
Studies 5007 West Keefe Avenue; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 414-447-7999
