Miryam's Space

Haftarah for the Mothers, In Times of War.

There is much to be sad about in the world today, chief among them include the human proclivity and capacity for war. This sorrow and terror struck home for the Jewish communities around the world on October 7th of this year, and this sentiment perhaps could apply to any war throughout time. It has recently been veterans day, and it is stunning how many veterans there are, and I have known some, with PTSD, invisible injury in additional to the visible ones. The most heartbreaking are the broken hearts and bodies of children and their mothers. I have written this Haftarah to match the weekly Torah readings which connect to war or Biblical mothers and children Here is the recording in Haftarah trop. Haftarah is a selected reading from one of the Biblical books that were written later than the five books of the Torah, and this is written in the style of such Biblical books.

Some background: The Biblical mother Rachel, died in the month of Cheshvan in the Jewish calendar, which began this year in mid October. Rachel in Jeremiah is evoked as weeping for “her children” who have died. In the Midrash Rachel argues with G*d and evokes Divine sympathy for her children! Rachel is also associated with the Divine feminine/Malchut in the mystical sephirot.

Rachel Goldberg is the other Rachel referenced here, as the use of her name switches, based upon this video in which she tells her story at the United Nations on October 25th

It was in the days that Netenyahu ruled over Jerusalem that catastrophe befell 

And Rachel is weeping for her children, and she cannot be comforted.:

It was in the days when Hamas ruled over Gaza  that it happened the catastrophe

And mother Gaza is weeping for her children, and she can not find comfort.

Rachel told her pain to the gathering of the Nations,

My child kissed me good night and put on his backpack to attend a music festival

I love you, texted the child, I am sorry, and then  his phone went silent.

And the children took shelter from the onslaught

The Bedouin who was with them said, I will help, I will talk to them.

He went out to the attackers, and told them “we are all family, do them no harm!” And he was beaten the children that were left, bleeding were captured

Mother Rachel lifted him up, a ray/spark of hope in a broken world.

But Each day waiting brings her farther from life, shatters the heart a little more

Are you crying too? My child is bleeding and their bloods call to me from the earth.

And in the days to come, the mothers will find comfort and mother earth will be repaired , and usher in a day where children are reunited and none shall make them afraid

Speaking love to power: Avraham, Sarah and G8d

One of the most inspiring narratives of Torah is in this week’s parashah. You know the story of S’dom and Amorah, (Gemorah) The foundation of this inspiration is CHESED, loving kindness and Sarah, Abraham’s wife paves the way. So who are Abraham and Sarah really, and why do we care? Sefaria Source page

We care because we are the children of Avram Avinu (our father) and Sarah Imeinu (our mother). At the peak of the arc of the prayer service, the Amida, when we know we stand before The Holy One of blessing, we introduce ourselves – Hi G8d it’s me, I’m Avraham’s kid. The progressive Jewish movement has added Sarah’s name as well. I put these lyrics to the melody of Cuando el Ray Nimrod:

And Sarah is the model of faith and strength.

Sarah Imeinu, Madre Querida, Madre Bendicha, Emunah de Yisrael.

When Avraham was frightened, he said to Sarai his wife

Tell them you’re my sister, to save my very life

She spoke to kings and Pharoah, and held off their abuse

Whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her voice

A quick recap in our saga: Avram and Sarai are told, “Leave, Go and be a blessing – they go to Canaan and there is a famine, so they leave and go to Egypt. Sarai is stunning gorgeous, and Avraham is terrified. “Tell them you are my sister”. Pharoah takes Sarai to his Harem! Rashi says it was Sarai’s own strength that kept her from being abused. (He explains: על דבר שרי – means by the word of Sarai) — at her orders: she said to the angel “Smite” and he struck the Egyptians with plagues. (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 5).

The scenario repeats with another king. Midrash is very dramatic “Throughout that night Sarah was lying on her face and saying: ‘Master of the universe, Abraham departed with a promise, and I departed only on faith. Abraham departed outside the cage, but I am in the cage.The Holy One blessed be G8d said to her: ‘Everything I do, I do on your behalf.’ Sarai has the faith, that Avraham lacks. In Shoni Labowitz’s words Faith keeps a balance between wisdom and reason, intuition and logic, simplicity and confusion…the word for faith is emunah in Hebrew.

A covenant is made between G8d with Avraham AND Sarah – go outside count the stars, if you can, and Avram and Sarai become Avraham and Sarah What is the significance of the adding of the H/ Hey to their names? I want to focus on Sarah’s naming for a moment, Rashi explains לא תקרא את שמה שרי YOU SHALL NOT CALL HER NAME SARAI which means “my princess”— a princess to me and not to others — BUT SARAH, is more general: she shall be princess over all (Berakhot 13a)

All of these things lead up to one of the most remarkable scenes in the Bible or anywhere. And G8d says to G8dself: וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃

When The Holy One was planning to destroy
The wicked city of Sodom he sent an envoy
Avraham, G8d Said, what can you say

Great love can balance judgement

Argue for another way

Avram avinu Padre Querido, Padre bendicho luz de Yisrael!

Avraham represents chesed, loving kindness in the sephirot.

What is different about Avraham and Sarah? Consider: it is chesed, loving kindness, Pure compassion, infinite love. It is said that Avraham’s tent was always open to receive strangers and to be giving. In chapter 21, Avraham and makes a pact at Beersheva. we learn that Avraham plants an eshel., to the everlasting One. Eshel, an unusual word in the Bible, is usually translated as tamarisk, a type of tree. The Talmud characterizes it as almost a hotel, in which Abraham runs to get whatever the strangers love most. And indeed Vayera opens with three strangers appearing on the horizon, a elderly Avraham recovering from circumcision, in the heat of the day, runs to serve them and wash their feet. It turns out they are messengers of the most high, one of whom will lead him to a mountaintop overlooking the dead sea. Chesed, Loving kindness is why G8d chooses Avraham and Sarah.

I’m about to destroy S’dom, their outcry has reached me, says G8d. Rape and murder have been their rewards for kindness. G8d and Avraham knows they are bad news. The Holy One prays, according to Midrash for Their love to outweigh Their judgement, and today G8d needs Avraham’s chesed

And Avraham rises to the test, arguing to save the city if there are 50,45,40,30,20 and finally ten righteous souls – at risk of his own life, speaking love couched in justice, to power.

An answer comes – for the sake of the ten I will save the city. What messages does this text send? Chesed would win if there are even ten righteous people. Margaret mead famously said never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.

A midrash Avraham is travelling and sees a magnificent palace, and lit up and it’s on fire, a “birah doleket” Avraham sees the palace and asks Where is the master? It’s not possible that this magnificent palace has no master. And he’s also asking why is our world on fire?

Don’t paint with a broad brush, always give benefit of the doubt – there could be some good guys.

And if G8d and Avraham always wish for love to be stronger than judgement, shouldn’t we.

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