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The Daughters of Tzelophehad were Right

07/25/2024 01:21:00 PM

Jul25

This week’s portion includes two very different models of advocacy. Pinhas, the grandson of Aaron, sees people violating the Torah in an egregious way, and takes the law into his own hands with murderous violence. God ultimately approves of his actions, offering him a blessing of peace and a permanent legacy of the priesthood. The sages are less positive- they note that if he had asked for permission, it would have been denied, and if his victims had killed him instead, they would have been found innocent on grounds of self-defense. In contrast, near the end of the portion, we read about five sisters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, who bring a complaint to Moses and the entire leadership. The note that inheritance of the land of Israel was to be assigned through the male line, but their father, Zelophehad, had died leaving no male heirs, leaving them no place in the promised land. They ask to be able to take their place among the male Israelites in having an inheritance.  Moses asks God, and God responds that their plea is just, and they are to receive a portion in the land. In my time at B’nai Torah, I have sought to emulate the caution and consideration of Moses in the latter story, rather than the reactivity of Pinhas. This week, we are announcing a change in ritual practice that follows this trend.

Over the past 20 years, the modern daughters of Zelophehad (and others who support  them) have come forward from within our community, asking that women be allowed to share fully in our ritual inheritance, and not rely on having the men our congregation be the ones who represent them before God. The steps that we have taken to engage women as full participants and leaders in our services community have been very measured, out of respect for the culture of our community. The most recent request, to provide the option of adding the Imahot to the Amidah, was one that I had not been prepared to accept until recently, but after reviewing the latest writing on the topic, I had to concede that “their plea is just.” 

The biblical story of Zelophehad’s daughters does not end this week. In two weeks, we will read that as the land was actually being allocated, their male cousins had additional concerns that allowing these women to inherit land could lead to land being lost from their tribe. Moses consults with God and provides instruction to uphold the law, albeit with modifications to ameliorate these concerns. If you read the detailed document describing our modern decision, you will see that it reflects a great deal of philosophical and practical thought by rabbis and lay leaders. Still, is possible that, just as Moses did in Numbers, we may return for holy consultation as we see the results of our implementation.

Looking far beyond the realm of ritual or even our congregation, to the world at large, we live in a time of uncertainty and upheaval. It is very tempting, whether one is advocating for change, or reacting against it, to take up the methods of Pinhas: to take the law into one’s own hands, without respect for rules or process. However, in our tradition, Pinhas is notable as the exception rather than the rule. While his approach sometimes achieves the desired effect, just as often it can boomerang, breaking down the very structures it is trying to preserve. The approach of the daughters of Tzelophad, of appealing to core values and creating consensus in community, is more measured but also more treasured.


A message from our rabbis, president, and VP ritual:

After much study and discussion, our congregation will offer the option of including the Imahot, the names of the Biblical matriarchs, as part of the public recitation of the Amidah prayer at our services. On June 10, the Ritual Committee and the rabbis agreed that this was the most appropriate choice for our congregation, and asked Rabbi Heller to prepare the summary of the reasons for the decision and details of its implementation, which you will find when you click here. We have approved a specific version of the text which includes the matriarchs in the body of the blessing but retains the traditional conclusion of the blessing, avoiding any of the halachic objections that might have otherwise been raised.

We recognize that for some members of our community, this will be a powerful opportunity to see themselves in the liturgy, while for others, the variation from the familiar may be jarring at first. Making it an option will allow our leaders to choose the version that is most meaningful to them, and individuals may still choose their preferred language in their personal prayer.  

We are grateful to the Ritual Committee and members of the congregation for their thoughtful and sometimes passionate engagement in this question. It is important that as a community we engage deeply in not just the form, but the meaning of our sacred liturgy, and that we continue to show respect for each other as members of a diverse community, united by a respect for our traditions and a commitment to see them continue through future generations.

Again, more specific information from Rabbi Heller on the logic behind the decision and details of its implementation can be found here

Rabbi Joshua Heller
Rabbi Hillel Konigsburg
Rabbi Elizabeth Breit
Steve Skor, President, Board of Trustees
Jeremy Wohlberg, Ritual Chair, Board of Trustees

Sat, February 8 2025 10 Shevat 5785