Rejoicing When Enemies Fall

The seventh day of Pesach celebrates the defeat of the Egyptians, with the splitting of the Red Sea. Then Moshe and all of Israel, erupted in song and thanksgiving. They were now truly free.

This celebration is puzzling on two counts. The first is based on a Midrash that describes the rejoicing in Heaven by the angels, when the Egyptians were defeated. Hashem reprimands them, and reminds the angels that the Egyptians are also His children, and there was no place for such rejoicing.

(This is the reason why we only say a full Hallel on the first day of Pesach. Since the seventh day is holy, and we do not say Hallel on that day, it would not be appropriate to give Chol Hamoed more importance, so we do not say a full Hallel on these days, either.)

The second problem comes from a Mishna in Pirkei Avot. It says that we should not be happy when our enemy falls. So, if the angels were reprimanded, and we are not supposed to be happy when our enemies fall, why was the song at the Red Sea, deemed appropriate?

The answer is that we, as Jews, are allowed to give thanks and celebrate when enemies that threaten us, are eliminated. This is what Purim, Chanukah, and Yom Ha’atzmaut, are based upon.

However, the Mishna is speaking of a Jewish adversary, that has been causing us aggravation. If he falls, and is no longer in a position to harm us, we should not celebrate. We should pray that the tormentor should repent, and do Teshuva. There must not be hatred among Jews.

But on a Divine level, all human beings are G-d’s children. He is saddened when they use their free will, to choose to do evil. He is forced to punish them for their wrongdoings. This does not make Him happy.

At the Pesach Seder, we opened the door for Eliyahu and prayed, that Hashem would pour out His wrath on the nations that wish to harm. The ultimate rejoicing will come when our enemies are silenced for all time. This is the time of Mashiach.

Song of Songs

We read Shir Hashirim on Shabbat Chol Hamoed. The connection to the holiday of Pesach, is that it speaks of ultimate redemption for the Jewish people.

The book, known in English as “Song of songs,” was written by Shlomo Hamelech. It was only until the time of Rabbi Akiva, where there was a recognition of the depth and holiness of this book. Rabbi Akiva said that the other twenty-three books of Tanach, are holy, but Shir Hashirim is holy of holies.

He saw that the pure love between a husband and wife, is symbolic of the special love between Hashem and the Jewish people.

There is a story contained within the eight chapters of the book. It speaks of how all those that surrounded the two lovers tried to separate them, and doubted if their love was true. In the end, after a long separation, all realized and appreciated that their love was holy and pure.

The analogy is to Israel and the nations, and our long exile. The reunion of the two lovers symbolizes the ultimate redemption. This is why שיר השירים is read on Pesach.

The Rambam wrote that the goal in achieving absolute love of G-d is aided by having a relationship of absolute love between husband and wife. It is necessary to have a connection of faith, trust, and passion between two individuals, so that they will be able to have these same sentiments in their relationship with Hashem.

This was the deeper message that was seen by Rabbi Akiva, and why he saw Shir Hashirim as so special. It is a message of love, faith, and redemption, that epitomizes the Pesach holiday.

Cheerios and the Omer

The Sefirat Haomer is connected to a significant law that even has applications today. On the second day of Pesach, an Omer sacrifice was made using barley as its main ingredient.

This sacrifice signaled that permission was now granted to use what was called ישן, or, old wheat. This referred to what may have been a winter crop that was harvested before Pesach. The Halacha is that such wheat cannot be used until after the Omer sacrifice is offered. And since there is no such sacrifice today, we wait until after the second day of Pesach.

A few years ago there was an issue raised regarding eating Cheerios in winter. The fear was that the oats were planted in the fall, and harvested in winter. This meant that the Cheerios could have been available for purchase before Pesach. There were those who insisted that this cereal should not be purchased until after Pesach when the Omer sacrifice would have been offered.

It must be that a certain devout Jew was given the information that General Mills did plant winter crops. In any case, these rules called ישן and חדש, definitely apply in Israel. There is some debate as to whether it is also a Torah law outside of Israel.

It is important to be aware that Sefirat Haomer has agricultural rules attached to it. And this explains the apparent contradiction in the Torah that says Matza should be eaten for six or seven days. If we used permissible flour, harvested at the proper time, that would give us seven day Matza. But if we had to wait to use our harvest, when we begin counting the Omer, we would be left with six day Matza. This is an aspect of the Omer, that is not so well known, that needed some clarification.

Jewish Unity

The Haftarah for Shabbat Chol Hamoed, comes from Chapter thirty-seven of the Book of Yechezkel. It speaks of the valley of dry bones.

The prophet describes the miraculous event of seeing lifeless bones, once again arise and become human again. The prophecy can be understood to be speaking of the period of the resurrection of the dead, which is a basic foundation of Judaism.

But it can also refer to a period of time such as ours, where there are countless numbers of Jews that are totally ignorant of their Judaism. Their knowledge of what it means to be a Jew, is very weak. These people that are almost dead to Judaism, will one day be revived, and they will have a Jewish awakening.

It is interesting to note that the continuation of that chapter, speaks of a prerequisite for this miraculous period to take place.

The prophet has a vision of two pieces of wood. One piece of wood has the name, “Efraim” on it, while the other has the name, “Yehuda.”

There will come a time when the two pieces of wood will become one. This represents absolute Jewish Unity, when we truly become one nation.

Divisiveness brings harm to our people from the outside. When the Jews stood as one people at Mount Sinai, they created a wall of protection, where no force on earth could harm them. In these troubled times, we must find a way to create similar Jewish Unity. Not only will we achieve Divine protection, but we might bring back to life our own “valley of dry bones.”

Educating Our Children

The section of the “Four sons” in the Haggadah is really meant for us to understand how serious the issue of educating our children, really is.

The famous verse from Mishlei, חנוך נער לפי דרכו, that we are to educate our youth according to his path, must be taken seriously. It appears that the challenge of the Haggadah, seems to focus on the middle two sons; the simple son, and the one who does not know how to ask.

The wise son doesn’t require much work. He is self motivated and doesn’t need much prodding for him to do the right thing. The wicked son is almost a loss cause. He does not see himself as part of Am Yisrael. Something dramatic must take place, to shake him up, and allow him to mend his ways.

Most likely our own situation involves the simple son, who displays great apathy towards religious practices. The one who does not know how to ask, is already so far away from his Judaism, that he doesn’t even know what to ask.

The book, “Off the Derech,” did a thorough study as to why once observant Jews, choose to separate from religious practices. The basic conclusion as to the major problem in keeping our youth committed to religious practices, was that there are simply too many choices of paths that one might take.

There are numerous lifestyles that might appear to be more attractive and less confining.

It is our task as parents and educators to be aware of this reality. There is a much greater burden placed on us in probably the most important area. That is, that the greatest educational tool that we have, is the example we personally set. Our children and students watch our every move. They are looking for consistency on our part, as well as living according to high ethical standards. If we are not setting such an example, where we show how much our Judaism means to us, we have lost the battle.

The enticements to lure away our children, are out there, and they are many. There are no guarantees as to which of the Passover’s four sons, ours will emulate. But if we have any real chance of influencing them, it will primarily come by the example we set. We may even be able to turn the wicked, apathetic, and ignorant, into the wise son!

Telling the Passover Story

Rabbi David Lau, the chief rabbi of Israel, spoke this past Shabbat about the obligation to tell the Pesach story at the Seder. This, and the Mitzva to eat Matza, are the two Torah laws we fulfill at the Seder.

Rabbi Lau questioned a quote from the Rambam, regarding the obligation to mention יציאת מצרים, the exodus from Egypt, every morning and evening. This is the reason why we read the chapter on Tzizit at night, when there is no obligation to wear Tzizit at night.

The Rambam explained that this chapter is added, because of its ending. We are told to remember that it is Hashem that took you out of Egypt. So we see that Egypt must be mentioned, morning and evening.

If we are obligated to mention Egypt every day of the year, what is this special obligation at the Seder? Rabbi Lau explained that our focus on Seder night is meant to be an affirmation of our faith in G-d.

The foundation of Judaism is based on the acceptance that the events in Egypt and Sinai, are real; they actually happened. We are to re-live these events to affirm our place as part of the Jewish nation. No nation ever began as a people, with signs and wonders, as we witnessed. The goal of a successful Seder, is that we walk away feeling stronger in our faith, and feeling all the more fortunate to be part of Am Yisrael.

Chametz is Unique

There is another unique aspect to the prohibition of eating Chametz on Pesach. The penalty for such eating is “Karet”, which is one of the most severe punishments in the Torah. It is equal to the prohibition of eating on Yom Kippur.

There is a general principle related to Kashrut laws of בטל בששים, that a prohibited item is nullified if it became mixed with sixty times more of a permitted idea. The taste of the forbidden item is no longer felt.

This principle also applies to Chametz until Pesach begins. This is why there are many items that say, “Kosher for Pesach,” if purchased before the holiday. If there was a tiny amount of Chametz, it would be nullified by the sixty to one principle.

However, once Pesach begins, the Rabbis instituted the concept of חמץ אסור במשהו, that Chametz is forbidden with the slightest amount. This is the source of why we are so careful with our cleaning and our purchases.

There are two reasons given for this stringency. One is referred to as לא בדיליה מיניה, that people do not know how to separate from something they are used to using.

The second reason is that Chametz is referred to as a דבר שיש לו מתירין, something that will eventually become permitted. This refers to after the Chag, and items defined in this category are never nullified.

This gives us an idea of why Chametz is so unique, and the great care needed to be taken, to avoid its prohibition.

Bitul and Biur

The laws of Pesach include many Torah laws as well as Rabbinic laws. The Torah uses the word, תשביתו, as the instruction to get rid of our Chametz during Pesach.

There are two methods of disposing of our Chametz. The first is referred to as “Bitul,” or nullification. This is done by making a declaration that we no longer own any Chametz in our possession. It is “Hefker,” or ownerless. This intent is all that is necessary on a biblical level.

The second method of תשביתו, would be “ביעור,” or the burning of Chametz. The Chametz is destroyed to the point that no benefit can be derived from it.

The Rabbis require that we do both ביטול and ביעור. The reason for this, is the concern that one will not renounce his Chametz with a full heart, because of its financial value.

The custom to search for Chametz, known as בדיקת חמץ, and the selling of Chametz, מכירת חמץ, to a local rabbi, are both Rabbinical in nature.

The Challenge of Halacha

The Pesach holiday is challenging on many levels. There is a great deal of physical exertion in preparing for this special celebration. And there is also a financial challenge in getting rid of our Chametz and the added expense of purchasing Kosher for Passover products.

But a third challenge is where our Fear of Heaven, יראת שמים, is tested. There was once an information sheet handed out to members of a specific congregation, titled, “Do it right on Pesach night.”

It gave a detailed description as to how to fulfill each particular Mitzva during the Seder. It listed how much wine was needed in order to properly fulfill the drinking of four cups of wine. It also included the amount of Matza and Maror, Bitter Herbs, needed to be consumed in order to fulfill those Mitzvot. In short, the specifics were taught down to the last milliliter.

Some might not understand the necessity to be so picayune. Others may think it to be foolishness. But these details reflect an overall attitude as to how we view Halacha, Jewish Law.

A G-d fearing Jew understands and believes that the Oral Law was given on Mount Sinai. This is the power given to the Rabbis to implement Torah law. It has been codified primarily in the Shulchan Aruch, and these are the guidelines that observant Jews fulfill.

When one studies the Talmud, which is an analysis as to how these laws are formulated, he has a better appreciation for all of the details set forth by the Rabbis.

Therefore, when the Seder night arrives, the specifics are not viewed as a challenge, but a fulfillment of what their fear of Heaven demands of them.

Alacrity

It is interesting that Parshat Tzav often coincides with Shabbat Hagadol. By this time, we are heavily involved with our Pesach preparations, which can seem to be overwhelming.

Although Parshat Tzav continues to deal with the sacrifices, there is a clear message, to be learned. The Rabbis explain that although the word, “Tzav,” means, to command, it is also a language of alacrity. We are to fulfill the Mitzvot with enthusiasm and excitement.

The term in Hebrew for such alacrity, is זריזות. It is not enough to merely observe the commandments, but they need to be observed excitedly. And here lies the coincidence related to Pesach preparations. Regardless of how one gets ready for the coming holiday, there is a strong aspect of physical and even tedious labor. There is the cleaning, cooking and shopping. And there is also the process of “kashering” our pots, pans, and utensils. All of this is physical labor.

We are to remember the Mitzva aspect of what we are doing. We are fulfilling the command to remove Chametz from our home. The Chametz represents haughtiness and arrogance. For the duration of the Chag, it is to be substituted with Matza, the unleavened bread, symbolizing humility and modesty.

Perhaps the reason why Parshat Tzav falls before Pesach, is to place a further request on us. The work we are doing can be exhausting, and the clock is ticking closer to Seder night. These preparations can become even more meaningful if done with enthusiasm and זריזות. The reward will be greater and the Seder and holiday, will be all the more enjoyable and meaningful.

Shabbat Hagadol

This week we celebrate Shabbat Hagadol. It represents our declaration of freedom from bondage, and the exodus from Egypt.

This took place on the tenth of Nissan, which meant the Jewish people left their slavery on Thursday. The first ever Pesach Seder, took place on Wednesday night. This year, our Seder will also take place on Wednesday night.

Some refer to this coming Shabbat as שבת הנס הגדול, the Sabbath of the great miracle. The word, “great” is added because the Jews tied their lambs to their bedposts, and told the Egyptians, they would be sacrificing and eating their objects of worship. The miracle was that there was no protest by the Egyptians.

Another reason for the word, “Gadol,” comes from the Haftarah from the Prophet Malachi. He spoke of the “great day that was coming,” when all evil would be destroyed. And Hashem would send Eliyahu Hanavi to announce the final Redemption.

We are living through a time of turmoil, where there is a lack of clarity, as to what is taking place all around us. We should be comforted in knowing that all of this was predicted in the Talmud and the Zohar.

Before the final Redemption, there will be great disrespect in the world. People will not seek the word of G-d for direction. There will be chaos created by scoffers and non-believers. But when this cloud of confusion clears, significant, positive changes will take place for the Jewish people.

Just like all attempts to undermine the sanctity of the Jewish people, has failed in the past, it will fail again. Holiness and goodness will reign, and the Hashem will again be acknowledged as the King of Kings. The Prophet Yechezkel described what awaits us, when Hashem said, “And you will be my people, and I will be your G-d.”

Owning Chametz

There is a fascinating statement in the Talmud in Baba Kama 29b. Rabbi Yishmael declares that there are two things that are not in the possession of an individual, and yet, he is responsible for them.

The Torah taught that they are still viewed as though, they are in his possession. This refers to a pit that was dug in a public domain, and Chametz after the sixth hour and onwards.

One cannot declare ownership on property belonging to the public. Nevertheless, if one creates a hazard by misusing public property for his personal use, he would be liable for damages. He does not own the pit, but he is responsible.

The case of Chametz is more complex. The Gemara observed that one cannot be considered the owner of an object, when he has no benefit from it.

The Torah forbids the eating of Chametz, or leaven, from the sixth hour, which would be midday. Therefore, if one did not remove his Chametz from his home, or sell it to a non-Jew, he bears responsibility.

He cannot be considered the owner of the Chametz after the sixth hour, because he is not allowed to benefit from it. But he is still liable for two negative commandments. “You may not see,” and “you may not find.” This is the Torah’s expression of giving a penalty for possession of a foreign substance in the holiday of Pesach.

It is my desire to share with you the brilliance of Talmudic scholars. And it is also my desire to teach some of the laws of Passover.

Don’t Help the Thief

There is another positive commandment, that is learned in the beginning of Vayikra. This refers to the instruction to return a stolen object to its rightful owner.

The Talmud notes a redundancy in the wording of that particular verse. The Torah says that one must return the stolen article, “that he stole.” It would seem to indicate that which would appear to be obvious. If one has a stolen object in his possession, he must be the one that stole it!

The Talmud is teaching us that we must see to it, that the stolen object be returned to its rightful owner, even if we did not steal it.

There are even laws forbidding us from purchasing articles from a known thief. If nobody ever bought that which the thief chose to steal, he would have no reason to steal.

The laws related to theft are very numerous. The Torah levies a monetary penalty of paying double the amount stolen, as long as the object is still in possession of the thief.

A society must not tolerate wrongfully taking what does not belong to someone. I recall my teacher, Rabbi Starr, of blessed memory, telling us about his own childhood memory. He lived in a “Fiddler on the Roof” type town where everyone knew everyone else. One day, they caught a robber, and held him in custody. The entire town stopped working because they were all curious to see what a thief looked like!

Disrespecting the property of others, represents a breakdown of society. The fate of the generation of the Flood, was sealed when they were guilty of stealing.

The simple command to return to its rightful owner, stolen objects, carries with it, far greater ramifications than we realize.

Obligation to Testify

In Verse one of Chapter five of Vayikra, there are instructions regarding giving testimony. There is a command to testify about what one hears.

The Torah uses the words, ושמעה קול אלה, translated according to Rashi, as referring to one who heard of admission of guilt by one of the parties.

If one refuses to state in court, what he heard, he has committed an offense. The Rabbis go even further in saying that if one could have made a difference, but remains silent, and because of not having his testimony, the guilty party gets away with his crime, it’s as if he committed that very crime.

We see how the Torah addresses every aspect of human life. One may feel that it’s better for him not “to get involved,” but the Torah seems to be saying the opposite.

This is a law like any of the other 613. It is listed in the Sefer Hachinuch as Mitzva number 122. It is a positive commandment to give testimony.

The details of this Mitzva are somewhat complex. There is a difference if we are dealing with money matters or capital cases. Nevertheless, the message is clear. Jews must get involved and not give in to apathy.

There are various causes that we are presented with. Some involve the giving of charity, while others ask that we donate our time. On certain occasions, the correct thing to do, might be to drop everything and protest.

It is clear that one day, when we reach 120, we will be confronted with the following question. Did we do all that we could, when our input could have made a difference? Hopefully, the answer will be a resounding, “Yes!”

Two Are Better Than One

Regarding the laws of Shabbat, if one wishes to avoid a Torah violation, he can have a friend participate in what he is doing.

For example, it is forbidden to carry from a private to a public domain on Shabbat if there is no Eiruv. However, if two people carry together something that could be carried by one person, they are exempt from the severe penalty of Shabbat violation. The act would still be rabbinically forbidden.

This is learned from a Pasuk in Vayikra that speaks about accidental transgressions. The Torah says that if a person sins accidentally, when he violates one of the commandments. The word for, “when he does” a transgression, is, ״בעשותה״. The Talmud in Masechet Shabbat points out that this word is intentionally written in the singular.

It is to teach that there is a violation if one person does the act, and not two. This is called, “ זה יכול וזה יכול. This implies that each could do the act by himself.

However, if it is a situation of זה יכול וזה אינו יכול, where one could have done the act by himself, and the other cannot, this would not remove the status of inadvertent Shabbat violation. The transgressor would need to offer a חטאת, a sin offering, to achieve atonement.

It is interesting how one word, בעשותה, could have such far reaching implications. This is but another proof that we must study the Torah in greater depth, to truly understand its teachings.

People Make Mistakes

Parshat Vayikra deals with the various types of sacrifices offered on different occasions and in different situations.

After enumerating these sacrifices, the Torah goes on to discuss the reality that people do make mistakes and are capable of sinning against Hashem.

There is even the very real possibility that individuals in high positions, will sim inadvertently. The Torah begins with the transgression of the anointed Kohein, an error made by the Sanhedrin, the highest court, and the Nassi, a head of one of the tribes.

In each instance, there is a special sacrifice offered to atone for this unfortunate error. However, the language regarding the Nassi, is quite telling. The wording is, אשר נשיא יחטא, “When the Nassi will sin.” If we notice that the first letter of each of these three words, is אני, which is a hint to selfishness, or, “It’s all about me.”

The Torah is making a subtle warning that “power corrupts.” And when people are in positions of power, they get carried away into believing that they have a strong sense of entitlement. This will ultimately, get them into trouble.

It has been said that one of the proofs of the truth of Judaism, as opposed to other religions, is that Judaism acknowledges the fallibility of its leaders, while other religions, do not. Moshe Rabbeinu and King David sinned, and still achieved greatness. Perfection belongs to G-d, not man.

Because “messing up” and making bad decisions, happens to everyone, the Torah offers remedies, to atone for such transgressions. It is also a reminder that no matter how far we may have sunk, there is always room for repentance.

Sacrifices

This week we begin the Book of Vayikra, the third book of the Torah. One of the major topics discussed, was the offering of sacrifices.

Aside from the daily sacrifices offered in the morning and evening, there were individual sacrifices offered for various reasons. The various types of sacrifices were categorized as either קדשי קדשים, holy of holies, and קדשים קלים, lighter holy offerings.

The first group, קדשי קדשים, were either offered completely on the altar, as in the case of the עולה, or burnt offering. The other sacrifices in this category were the sin and guilt offerings. These were partially offered on the altar, with the other part, eaten by the Kohein, in the Temple, and in a state of purity.

The קדשים קלים group, could be eaten by non-Kohanim, provided that they were in a state of purity. They could be eaten within the walls of Jerusalem.

These included free will offerings, known as נדבה, as well as thanksgiving offerings, known as תודה. There was also the holiday sacrifice, known as חגיגה, and the most famous sacrifice of all, the Pesach sacrifice, or קרבן פסח.

The process of preparing these animals for sacrifice, was meant to make an impression on the one offering them. When the fats were burned on the altar, it represented how one must not be “fat” in his outlook on things. He was not to be complacent, and assume that everything was coming to him.

One of the beautiful features of these sacrifices, was also the offering of the קטורת, or incense. If you lived in Jerusalem, you were fortunate to be able to enjoy the sweet fragrance of the incense, that was felt all over the city.

It was a constant reminder of Divine protection, and it allowed the people to feel Hashem close to them. How we long for those days!

Forgetfulness

Just as remembrance is a positive character trait, forgetfulness is a negative trait. There are both practical and spiritual reasons for this.

On a practical level, we might forget debts or obligations that we might have to someone. We might forget to honor commitments that we may have made. And we might forget kindnesses done to us by others, and not show appreciation for such kindness.

On a spiritual level, it is wrong to forget how we have turned away from G-d. We must not minimize sins that we have committed, for otherwise, we will not learn from such mistakes.

By conveniently forgetting how we acted wrongly, we may choose to only remember positive things we have done. We will pat ourselves on the back and rationalize that overall, we are pretty much okay.

It is a very natural human tendency to be forgetful. The Orchot Tzaddikim suggests that we first must acknowledge that this is something we must overcome. We should provide for ourselves simple reminders if we owe someone money, for example. One should erect formidable fences so that he not forget the Torah.

Part of our daily routine should be to remind ourselves how fortunate we are to be part of the Jewish nation. We must not forget where it all began on Mount Sinai. We heard G-d speak as we accepted to live in an ethical and moral way, that would be an example for the world.

Forgetfulness can be very harmful. This awareness of its potential dangers, should motivate us to overcome it.

The Trait of Remembrance

The Rabbis speak a great deal about how one should work on correcting his character. This is meant to be a lifelong task to always work at self improvement.

One must work at overcoming pride, in order to achieve humility. One must learn to love rather than hate. One must learn generosity and compassion and overcome cruelty and miserliness.

The Orchot Tzaddikim speaks of a trait that might be among the most important of all. He calls this the trait of remembrance.

He explains that people have a tendency to get off track and become frustrated or depressed because they forget the proper way of thinking. He lists no less than thirty things that are important to remember each day. This will allow us to stay focused and not let the difficulties of life, get the better of us.

We must always remember to have G-d opposite us at all times. This allows us to be aware of His kindnesses, and to appreciate His abundant blessings. Even when things aren’t going so well, if we remember Hashem’s loving kindness, then we learn to embrace the hardships. We understand that everything is for our ultimate good.

The trait of remembrance allows us to put things into perspective. We remember what is truly important, and what might be an annoyance that is getting the better of us. It is a way to stay focused and appreciate the beauty of life. Self improvement has many benefits. The greatest benefit is that it helps us to be positive, upbeat, and happy to be part of this world.

Righteous Women

When the Torah gives a summary of all that was involved in the construction of the Mishkan, there is also an acknowledgement of the role of women.

There is a reference to the generosity of the women in their donation of copper for the Mishkan. They donated the backs of their mirrors to show spirituality rather than vanity.

They kept up the morale of their husbands during the bitter period of slavery. They encouraged them when they came home exhausted from their hard work. They kept them focused on the bright future of the Jewish people. They continued to bring in as many children as they could into the world.

It is told that they did not participate in the sin of the Golden Calf. And their love for Israel was unparalleled. This could be seen in the incident with the daughters of Tzlophchad, who longed for a share in the Land of Israel.

It is understandable what the rabbis said when they wrote, “Because of the righteous women, the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt.”

It is most appropriate to show appreciation for Jewish women, as we give our review of what brought the Jewish people to the dedication of the Mishkan.