We just returned from spending Shabbat and the weekend in Philadelphia. I did my undergraduate work in Philadelphia (actually the Philly suburbs), so in a sense, I experienced a lot of déjà vu. The bar mitzvah was very nice and it was terrific seeing our San Diego friends. On Sunday, as we began the 9+ hour drive home to Toronto, the discussion turned to the inevitable. Our eleven year old daughter will have a Bat Mitzvah sometime this summer and early fall. We are still designing the whole bat mitzvah concept. We are planning a trip to Israel, I have started learning text with our daughter specifically Hilchot Tzeddakkah – the Laws of Charitable Donations. Our plan is to have an informal get together on this continent so she can share with us what she has learned as well as to have a type of Siyyum for her completion of this course of study. While so many details need to be worked out, we are all in agreement that our daughter needs to speak, she needs to share with us what she has learned as well as to explain how she has incorporated the learning into some type of mitzvah project.
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shira (Shabbat of Songs) because of the "songs" or prose in both the Parsha, Beshallach, and in the Haftarah. In the Parsha Beshallach, B'nai Yisroel finally leaves Egypt. Pharaoh sends them out and they hurriedly leave. Three days later, B'nai Yisroel arrives at the Yam Suf, the Reed Sea, which is along the Mediterranean coast. With Pharaoh's army behind them, and the Sea in front, B'nai Yisroel is trapped. Then the sea opens up, B'nai Yisroel crosses through and arrives safely on the other side. The Egyptian army gets caught in the sea - bed as the waters comes crashing down. Out of joy and relief, B'nai Yisroel composes Shirat HaYam, the Song of the Sea. No sooner are they finished celebrating, then they begin complaining about the lack of water and food. God provides water and Manna. However, B'nai Yisroel is still not safe. Now they are attacked by the indigenous tribe, the Amalakites. B'nai Yisroel must put aside its hunger and thirst and fight for their lives. They do, and they are victorious. The Parsha ends with God commanding Moshe to blot out the very existence of the Amalakites.
When we read and study Torah, we notice that there are not a lot of narratives about women. When woman are mentioned it is in a context that is somewhat tangential to the main story line, i.e. Dinah, Tamar, Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt, Leah and even Rachel. The mention of women is either associated with the birth of children or in the context of someone or something else. Even when we read the genealogies we should notice that it is traced through the man. However in Parsha Beshallach we read about Miriam and B'not Yisroel in a very different context. They are not mentioned in the context of childbirth, nor are they are not mentioned in the context of marriage. V'Tikach Miryam Hanavi Achot Aharon et Hatof B'yadah-Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her drum in her hand, Va'Teithenah Chol Ha'Nashim Achareha B'Tupim U'Vimcholot- and all the women went forth after her with drums and dances (Ex 15:20). Miriam is being mentioned in her own right and not within the context of someone else. Miriam is mentioned in the framework of the story. B'nai Yisroel finishes the crossing. They sing their song. The waters swallow up Pharaoh’s army. Miriam leads the women in celebratory song and dance. V'Ta'an Lahem Miryam Shiru L'Adonai Ki Ga'oh Ga'ah Sus v'Rochvo Ramah VaYam - Miriam spoke up to them "Sing to G-d for He is exalted above the arrogant, having hurled horse with its rider into the sea (Ex 15:21). Miriam is given a public voice. She is given a forum for public expression. Except in the Haftarah, when another prophetess named Devorah has a similar forum, nowhere else do we read of a woman given such a public voice and public expression. How empowering this moment was for Miriam. She not only led women but La'hem (to them) refers to both men and women. She spoke to and convinced everyone to sing praises to God.
Our perception of Miriam is that of a strong female character. Our perception of Devorah is that of a strong character. Our perception of the matriarch Rivka is that of a strong female character. Miriam and Devorah had occupied a very public forum for their voices. Rebecca's forum existed in the confines of the family. All three spoke out, all three were listened to. All three were given a voice in the Torah. From this we learn just how vital it is for woman to have voice, to have opinion, to have a forum and a means to express their voice.
As our daughter prepares for her bat mitzvah, I have already noticed a change in her voice, a change in how she deals with life and voices an opinion. She is starting to be a little more thoughtful, a little more insightful, and a little less superficial. Her voice has started to get stronger and with that, we have started to add more responsibility to her plate. Hopefully, by the time of her Bat Mitzvah she will have discovered her voice and a way for us to hear it in the young adult she is soon to become.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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