Parshas Vayakhel - Pikudei
March 12th-13th, 1999
25 Adar, 5759

This week's issue was written by Rabbi Dovid Frost

WISDOM OF THE WOMEN

This Shabbos, we complete the Book of Shemos - Exodus - with the construction of the Mishkan, this microcosm of the spiritual world by means of which we brought Hashem into our midst.  The Jewish people showed themselves to be devoted servants of Hashem in their generous donation of materials for the Mishkan, and in their enthusiastic willingness to participate in the actual building.  To use the Torah's own oft-repeated expression, their "hearts stirred them up" to the task.

The women were in the forefront in this endeavor.  The Torah states, "All the women whose hearts stirred them up with wisdom spun the goat hair."  (35, 26)   One may wonder what need there is to tell us this in a separate verse, since the previous verse mentions the other work the women did (including spinning): "Every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands; and they brought the spun yarn of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and the linen."  Why didn't the Torah combine it all into one verse?

Later in the parsha, we see mention of another special contribution of the women.   "And he (Betzalel) made the basin of copper and its base of copper, from the mirrors of the assembled women who gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting."   (38, 8) Why was the water basin, from which the Kohanim washed before performing the sacred service in the Temple, made from--of all things--mirrors? 

To answer our second question first, Rashi explains that these mirrors were used by the Jewish women in Egypt to beautify themselves, and entice their exhausted and demoralized husbands to have relations with them...thereby continuing the chain of generations of the Jewish people.  Through these mirrors, myriads of Jews were created; it was only through the foresight of these brave, wise ladies that the Jewish people survived the Egyptian exile.  

This is one type of wisdom that the women--with their special "hearts of wisdom"-- demonstrated: to care for their people, and act on their behalf. 

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch beautifully notes the inner connection between these copper mirrors and the basin which was made from them:

"It is deeply significant that the vessel of the Sanctuary which was to represent 'the moral keeping holy of one's acts and efforts'...was made out of the women's mirrors.  Mirrors are articles which lay stress on the physical bodily  appearance of people being an object of consideration.  So that it was shown that the physical, sensual side of human beings is not merely excluded from the sphere which is to be sanctified by the Mikdash [Tabernacle/Temple], but that it is the first and most essential object of this sanctification."  (Commentary on the Torah: II, p. 692)

The women, by means of the mirrors, sanctified the sensual by elevating it to serve the noblest of purposes: the preservation of the Jewish people.  Therefore, they serve as the material for the basin, from which the Kohanim sanctified their hands and feet through a daily ritual washing--a  constant reminder to them to elevate all their "acts and efforts" to the level of godliness.      

Another type of wisdom was displayed by the women who spun the goats' hair, special enough to earn them mention in a separate verse (to return to our first question).  Again, we turn to Rav Hirsch: 

"While the other skilled women rushed to work the beautiful materials required for the curtains and hangings, these, their wiser sisters, chose to make the more modest material for the goats'-hair covering.  This, after all, was the essential part which held the whole together, was the real actual ohel [tent, habitation] and the making of an ohel is where the quintessence of womanhood is concentrated, so that in this they displayed both careful  thought and their sense of true womanhood, their chochmah (wisdom). (Commentary on the Torah: II, pp. 677-678) 

These women showed unusual skill in the method by which they spun: they were able to spin the wool from right off the goat's back.  Moreover, they showed the special chochmah of choosing a task that perfectly expressed their modest nature. 

It is no exaggeration to say that we are all here today thanks to the greatness of the Jewish women.  Time and again in our history, they remained steadfast in their faith and devotion...even as the men were giving up hope or going off track.  Remember that the ladies didn't participate in making the Golden Calf.  They didn't slander the Land of Israel in the incident of the meraglim (spies).  They were the first to donate in the making of the Mishkan. (And, since it's the season, how can we forget mentioning that they are the ones who usually bear the lion's share of the Pesach cleaning!)  Although we men have to keep our heads covered, we take our hats off to you, ladies--figuratively speaking. 

May the deep understanding, foresight  and wisdom of the Jewish women help us all become wise, and help lead to the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days.

GOOD SHABBOS!!!

Insights Into Genesis
Insights Into Exodus

Rabbi Yosef Edelstein is Director of the Savannah Torah Education Project (STEP). Phone: 912-355-0157;
fax: 912-354-9923; e-mail: Yosef18@aol.com

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