B’not Zelophchad - The daughters of Zelophchad - Because they dared to demand their rightful due.
There are those who say: Tzalaph chad - a sharp shooter, for they knew the precises argument to state their just case.
There are those who say that we should say: that Zel’ pachad (in the shadows of fear); these daughters, fought the patriarchy despite their fear (According to Rivka Lovitz, 'Midrashei b'not Zelophchad').
This feminist story, and it can be added that this is the first Zionist story in the Bible, takes place in the book of Numbers in the Parasha of Pinchas. Moshe had experienced a series of threats against his leadership with dire results, and suddenly a delegation of five women who are five sisters come before him. They speak to him logically and are confident in themselves.
"Let not our father’s name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen! Moses brought their case before יהוה. And יהוה said to Moses: The plea of Zelophchad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them." (Numbers 27:6-9)
The daughters of Zelophchad ask for a portion in the Land of Israel, "because our father is dead and we have no brothers." This time Moshe decides to consult God directly!
"Yes, the daughters of Zelophchad are right"
This is the biblical version of the contemporary concept: "I hear you/I believe you", but it is more than "I am listening". God simply says that their statement is not just true and therefore it is also just and we must act for it.
The Midrash comments:
“The daughters of Zelophchad came near. When they heard that the Land of Israel was being divided among the tribes, they consulted one another. They said: Men (flesh and blood) are not as compassionate as the Holy one! Men are compassionate to men, whereas God is compassionate to ALL. As it says in the Book of Psalms 145:9 - God is good to ALL and Compassionate to all God’s creation”. (Sifri, Numbers 133)
Our Sages recognize patriarchy and the abrogation of women's rights by men, but God is not like that, and the proof: "God is good to everyone and has mercy on all God’s creations" (Psalms 145:9). How wonderful and simple and striking! And yet - to this day - we don't hear, we don't listen, we don't act with compassion or justice. And this is true for every person regardless of who he or she is!
Equality is a concept that was born during the Enlightenment. The founders of the United States engraved it on the Declaration of Independence in 1776 the saying that "all men are created equal". But in practice they applied this lofty idea only to white men. Yet, the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, which was signed in May 1948, it is written: "The State of Israel [...] shall establish complete equality of social and political rights for all its citizens without distinction of race, religion and sex." This wording included women as well as the different ethnic groups and religions.
How good and essential that this is a fundamental value of the State of Israel, on the basis of which quite a few laws were enacted that extended equality to other groups. And yet, there is still a long way to go, especially in regard to equality in religion and freedom of choice in matters related to the personal status of Israeli citizens. There remains a monopoly of the Chief Rabbinate in the field of life rituals; There is still discrimination and exclusion of women; racism continues to dominate our lives. Racism against Mizrahim, Arabs, the LGBT community, etc. On the other hand, there is more awareness in society of the existence of minorities and the dangers of majority control and limiting the rights of citizens.
I am anxious for our future and wish for us to walk in the light of the Declaration of Independence.
And these days, we must prove that there was sexual violence and rape committed against our women on October 7th and it is ongoing for those who are in the Hamas tunnels. Too many women's organizations and social justice organizations are unable to get the word out of their mouths: we hear you/we believe you!
We still have a government and a Knesset with pathetic representation of women. We must commit to women’s equal representation in every meeting, every seminar, every management, every leadership position etc.
Today more than ever and as activists, we must be focused (be a 'sharp shooter') and determined ('in the shadow of fear')! Unfortunately, we are fighting and fighting for changes we achieved in the past and today we are putting ourselves at the front of these struggles again: struggles such as women's rights, maintaining democracy, the fight against racism and hatred of the other.
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Rabbi Naamah Kelman has recently retired from the position of Dean at the Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem. Since making aliyah in 1976, she has promoted Jewish pluralism, Reform Judaism and feminism. She was the first woman ordained in Israel in1992.
There are those who say: Tzalaph chad - a sharp shooter, for they knew the precises argument to state their just case.
There are those who say that we should say: that Zel’ pachad (in the shadows of fear); these daughters, fought the patriarchy despite their fear (According to Rivka Lovitz, 'Midrashei b'not Zelophchad').
This feminist story, and it can be added that this is the first Zionist story in the Bible, takes place in the book of Numbers in the Parasha of Pinchas. Moshe had experienced a series of threats against his leadership with dire results, and suddenly a delegation of five women who are five sisters come before him. They speak to him logically and are confident in themselves.
"Let not our father’s name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen! Moses brought their case before יהוה. And יהוה said to Moses: The plea of Zelophchad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them." (Numbers 27:6-9)
The daughters of Zelophchad ask for a portion in the Land of Israel, "because our father is dead and we have no brothers." This time Moshe decides to consult God directly!
"Yes, the daughters of Zelophchad are right"
This is the biblical version of the contemporary concept: "I hear you/I believe you", but it is more than "I am listening". God simply says that their statement is not just true and therefore it is also just and we must act for it.
The Midrash comments:
“The daughters of Zelophchad came near. When they heard that the Land of Israel was being divided among the tribes, they consulted one another. They said: Men (flesh and blood) are not as compassionate as the Holy one! Men are compassionate to men, whereas God is compassionate to ALL. As it says in the Book of Psalms 145:9 - God is good to ALL and Compassionate to all God’s creation”. (Sifri, Numbers 133)
Our Sages recognize patriarchy and the abrogation of women's rights by men, but God is not like that, and the proof: "God is good to everyone and has mercy on all God’s creations" (Psalms 145:9). How wonderful and simple and striking! And yet - to this day - we don't hear, we don't listen, we don't act with compassion or justice. And this is true for every person regardless of who he or she is!
Equality is a concept that was born during the Enlightenment. The founders of the United States engraved it on the Declaration of Independence in 1776 the saying that "all men are created equal". But in practice they applied this lofty idea only to white men. Yet, the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, which was signed in May 1948, it is written: "The State of Israel [...] shall establish complete equality of social and political rights for all its citizens without distinction of race, religion and sex." This wording included women as well as the different ethnic groups and religions.
How good and essential that this is a fundamental value of the State of Israel, on the basis of which quite a few laws were enacted that extended equality to other groups. And yet, there is still a long way to go, especially in regard to equality in religion and freedom of choice in matters related to the personal status of Israeli citizens. There remains a monopoly of the Chief Rabbinate in the field of life rituals; There is still discrimination and exclusion of women; racism continues to dominate our lives. Racism against Mizrahim, Arabs, the LGBT community, etc. On the other hand, there is more awareness in society of the existence of minorities and the dangers of majority control and limiting the rights of citizens.
I am anxious for our future and wish for us to walk in the light of the Declaration of Independence.
And these days, we must prove that there was sexual violence and rape committed against our women on October 7th and it is ongoing for those who are in the Hamas tunnels. Too many women's organizations and social justice organizations are unable to get the word out of their mouths: we hear you/we believe you!
We still have a government and a Knesset with pathetic representation of women. We must commit to women’s equal representation in every meeting, every seminar, every management, every leadership position etc.
Today more than ever and as activists, we must be focused (be a 'sharp shooter') and determined ('in the shadow of fear')! Unfortunately, we are fighting and fighting for changes we achieved in the past and today we are putting ourselves at the front of these struggles again: struggles such as women's rights, maintaining democracy, the fight against racism and hatred of the other.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Naamah Kelman has recently retired from the position of Dean at the Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem. Since making aliyah in 1976, she has promoted Jewish pluralism, Reform Judaism and feminism. She was the first woman ordained in Israel in1992.