Jewish Musings Monday, April 29, Passover day 7

[hollygail]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.

Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Frieda (hopefully)?
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[hollygail]

One of my favorite parts of the Torah includes the Song of the Sea, which is being read today both in Israel and in the Diaspora. After the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, Torah says Moses and the men did the Song of the Sea, and at the end of that section, Torah goes on to say that Miriam and the women sang (and the first part of what Moses and the men did is repeated in Hebrew).

See Exodus 15:1 (and as far as you want to go; the "song" ends at verse 19; then come the following two verses:
20: Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, took the drum [some translations say "timbrel"] in her hand, and all the women followed her with drums and dancing.
21: Miriam led them in the response, 'Sing to Adonai for God's great victory, horse and rider God has cast into the sea.'

Chapter 15 verse 1 includes the "Sing to Adonai for God's great victory..." so at first glance it seems like the women sang only the first part of the song.

Some scholars say that the women also sang the entire Song of the Sea and that the reason every verse isn't repeated in the scroll is that everyone knew it. I'm not sure whether I buy that, since in many other sections of Torah the repetition of what each tribe brought as an offering is exactly the same... however, whatever the reason may have been, the reality exists that women are a big part of what went on. Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin says, "Women have their own voices in Judaism. Those voices have always been important and cherished, even when it has seemed that they are barely audible. That is the lesson of Miriam’s involvement in the Song at the Sea."

What's your take, either on the Song of the Sea itself or the difference in the Torah verses between when Moses did it and when Miriam did?

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.

Re today's topic: I think Judaism has been more progressive for women than many other religions/movements, but there is still room for improvement.

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[peachymom1]

I agree with Rabbi Salkin that women have their own voices in Judaism, but I also agree with Lee that there's room for improvement. I love to hear the Song of the Sea, and I wish I were going to shul today, but I'm going with DH to the doctor instead. There are some concerns about his bloodwork, and I want to be there to ask questions, about the bloodwork and a few other things too. I'll go to shul tomorrow -- I'm reading Torah, so I have to be there. :+)

[gazelle18]

Regarding the matza lasagna discussion yesterday, I had my first ever matza lasagna this past weekend, and I loved it!

Re: women in Judaism, I think any really really old religion is going to be sexist, and at least some Jews have the good grace to try to correct that inequity. I would personally have a hard time as an observant Jew, since the gender differences there are particularly stark.

[louise]

I never thought of this as Moses and the men singing but rather as Moses and the Israelites singing. I take "b'nai" Yisrael to be inclusive rather than male. I always thought of Miriam then adding to the joy with the other women and their instruments. Amazed that leaving Egypt in a rush and all Miriam thought to take her tambourine (or whatever) with her! There is also a midrash that God asked the angels not to join in the song because although this was a celeration for the Israelites many of God's other children perished. Also, interestingly, this is the first time since creation that anyone sang God's praises. They offered sacrifices, yes, but not songs of praise. Very rich.

I was excited to hear of the proof of life videos Hamas released this weekend. One of the men shown, Omri Miran, is the hostage my synagogue has a chair for on our bimah. The other one, Keith Siegel, is the husband of the released hostage I got to meet when I was in Israel a couple of months ago.