Shabbos Parshas Breishis:
The Superior Wisdom of the Jewish Woman
Although our prayers and our Torah studies frequently call on our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, the greatness of our mothers and Jewish women, in general, is spoken softly. But her greatness is apparent regarding Jewish lineage. It is the woman, and only the woman, who transmits the holiness of the Jewish soul to her children.
If you read between the lines, however, you will see that the wives of our forefathers existed on a higher spiritual plane and with greater prophecy.
Sara, for example, had the foresight to see that Avraham's son,Yishmael, was not a good influence on their son Yitzchok. Avraham, who represents the aspect of chesed, kindness, did not want Yishmael to be sent away despite Sara's request.
Hashem, Himself, resolved the dispute by telling Avraham,"Whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her voice”. (Genesis 21:12) Avraham was to defer to Sara's greater wisdom. The Lubavitcher Rebbe added that this applies to all Jewish women.
Yitzchok's wife, Rivka (Rebbecca), also showed greater prophecy than Yitzchok. Yitzchok, it says, was blind because of the smoke Asif (Esau) sent up to foreign gods. Asif, being the oldest son, was the one to receive the spiritual legacy and blessings of Avraham.
Through prophecy, Rivka was certain it was Yaakov who was destined to receive Yitzchok's blessing. Rivka ordered Yaakov to dress in the clothes of Asif to trick Yitzchok into giving him the blessing. After giving the blessing to Yaakov, Yitzchok trembled. He realized, at that instance, the damage that would have occurred if Asif would have received the blessing. Rivka's superior vision changed the course of Jewish history.
The feminist statement that behind every great man is a great woman is consistent with Torah knowledge.
So what does this have to do with Breishis, with the story of Adam and Chava (Eve)? Jews don't believe in the concept of "original sin". We believe in the concept of "original purity" as all souls have a direct connection to G‑dliness.
But didn't Chava sin by eating of the Tree of Knowledge? Some commentaries will say that yes, she definitely did, inadvertently bringing death and hardship in the world.
But this is not the only interpretation. In the Jewish mystical tradition, not only did Chava not sin but, in fact, she did what was needed to do in order to purify the physical world. She is the heroine of the story.
Adam and Chava were created as an androgynous being, facing back to back. When Adam prayed for a mate, the two were separated and began their lives.
It's important to the story to recognize that, in Gan Eden, Adam and Chava had no yetzer hara (evil inclination). Because they had no evil inclination, it would be impossible for either to sin! They were in touch with both G‑dliness and the natural world. There were no distractions from spirituality.
When Chava spoke with the snake, she considered his words, "On the day that you eat thereof, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like angels, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5) Unlike what is normally taught, Chava was not seduced by the words of the snake. She saw in them a way to fulfill the mission that Adam and Chava had been given: to purify the physical world.
In Gan Eden, there was nothing to purify, no free choice. Adam and Chava were like angels, fulfilling G‑d's will effortlessly.
And while angels are spiritually closer to G‑dliness, man is exalted over the angels. Angels have no free will. Nor did Adam and Chava in Gan Eden.
Through her encounter with the snake, Chava realized that there was a lower physical world and that this lower world was the place where Adam and Chava's mission, and the mission of all mankind, would be realized.
Chave ate from the fruit of the tree and gave a piece to Adam to eat. As soon as they tasted the fruit, they fell down into this lower physical world. They immediately were embarrassed that they were naked and found leaves to cover themselves.
They entered a world of hardship, grief, and death. Their needs were no longer provided for them. They would need to toil with their hands to plow fields and to provide food and shelter.
The yetzer hara entered them, and while this may sound like a tremendous fall, nightmarish even, it was only through this fall that they were given the gift of free will.
And it is through this gift, Adam and Chava could begin to fulfill their mission, and our mission, of purifying the physical world, through kindness, prayer, tzedaka (charity), loving our neighbors, and the spiritual cleansing achieved through our study of the Torah and the performance of mitzvos.
And this was Chava's greatness. She was the one with the vision to choose a 1ife of hardship, over an angelic existence, to bring G‑dliness to the lowest of worlds.
In mystical sources, Jewish women, born circumcised, are considered on a higher spiritual level than men and we can see this throughout the Torah.
And it's time for Chava to be elevated to her proper status as a visionary.
This article is dedicated to the memory of Esther Aidel bas Yisroel, a"h, whose yahrzeit is the 24th of Tishrei. Esti was a young mother who passed away due to complications of pregnancy several years ago. Esti was a shy, kind girl, who had a smile for everyone she met. Her gentle spirit is missed by all who came into contact with her. May her memory be a blessing for the Jewish people and all mankind!
