Nasso The Power of Women & Our Enduring Covenant: Preparing for Shavuot

As we approach the sacred days of Shavuot, a time of profound spiritual elevation, I invite you to find a moment for some enriching "food for thought." This message is designed to help us enter the special atmosphere of preparing for Kabbalat HaTorah – receiving the Torah.

I dedicate this message leilui nishmat my unforgettable Rebbetzin, Chana Chaya Schloss zt"l, whose yahrtzeit is tonight. She was a woman of extraordinary courage, a Holocaust survivor brought to England by my dear father. Her life's purpose was to inspire fellow Jews to grow closer to Torah.

This message is also dedicated to Sarah Leah bas Chaim a"h, our dear friend Leah Teitelbaum from Antwerp, who passed away many years ago. Her fresh smile and vibrant Simchat Chaim (joy of life) remain a vivid inspiration to all who knew her.

Parashat Nasso: A Deeper Dive into Torah

For those in Eretz Yisrael, we are reading Parashat Nasso this week. For those in the diaspora, it will be read next week. This timing is significant. Chazal teach us that after accepting the Torah, it is most meaningful to demonstrate our appreciation and eagerness to learn. That's why Parashat Nasso, the longest Parasha in the Torah, is often read immediately after Shavuot (in the diaspora).

However, in Eretz Yisrael this year, Parashat Nasso is being read before Shavuot as a preparation. It's as if we are saying, "We are willing to immerse ourselves in learning as much as possible before Kabbalat HaTorah, so that our Na'aseh Ve'Nishma (we will do and we will hear) on Shavuot will be even more meaningful." We show Hashem, "Look, we've learned so much, even this longest Parasha, as a preparation for Yom Tov!"

The Significance of the Number Three

Interestingly, the number three is profoundly significant in Parashat Nasso:

• Three encampments in the desert: Machaneh Shechinah (Divine Presence), Machaneh Leviyah (Levites), and Machaneh Yisrael (Israelites).

• Three specific mitzvot: Gezeil Hager (stolen property), Sotah (the woman accused of infidelity), and Nazir (the Nazirite vow).

• Birkat Kohanim: The Priestly Blessing is also threefold:

  • "Yevarechecha Hashem VeYishmerecha" (May Hashem bless you and guard you) - referring to material blessings.

  • "Ya'er Hashem Panav Eilecha ViChuneka" (May Hashem illuminate His countenance upon you and be gracious to you) - connected to the blessing of Torah and its light.

  • "Yisa Hashem Panav Eilecha VeYasem Lecha Shalom" (May Hashem lift His countenance toward you and grant you peace) - a blessing for positive and meaningful social relationships, finding grace in the eyes of others.

The number three also holds deep meaning for Kabbalat HaTorah:

• The Torah is Meshulash (tripartite): Torah (Chumash), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).

• The Oral Law (Torah She'Ba'al Peh) also has three main components: Mishnah, Gemara, and Halacha.

• The Torah was given in the third month, Sivan.

• The Torah was given through Moshe Rabbeinu, the third of his siblings.

In Halacha, something that occurs three times acquires the characteristic of a chazakah – a permanent, established status. The repetition of "three" emphasizes our desire to make Torah the most enduring and central element of our lives.

The Indispensable Role of Women in Torah

As we prepare for Kabbalat HaTorah, we commit to living a life according to Torah She'Bichtav (the Written Law). As Chazal teach, the Torah is the very foundation of the world – the blueprint by which Hashem created existence. The world only gained stability when Am Yisrael declared, "Na'aseh Ve'Nishma" – "We will do and we will hear."

We also commit to Torah She'Ba'al Peh (the Oral Law), which has been transmitted from generation to generation through our sages, beginning with Moshe Rabbeinu.

My father, Zichrono LeVaracha, always stressed the importance of reading Megillat Ruth on Shavuot. Among the many reasons, it highlights Torah Lishmah – Torah learned for its own sake – and how its main ingredient is chesed (kindness) to others. Ruth, a young woman who selflessly cared for her elderly mother-in-law, embodies this. The Megillah also teaches us that true commitment to Torah is revealed when we cling to mitzvot even in times of extreme poverty and challenging circumstances.

The Oral Law and the Exclusion of Moabite Women

A crucial point brought out by Chazal, and explained in Megillat Ruth, concerns the Halacha: "Lo Yavo Amoni U'Moavi B'Kehal Hashem" – "An Ammonite or Moabite may not enter the congregation of Hashem." The Oral Law clarifies that this exclusion applies only to Moabite men, not women.

This distinction is vital. When Boaz sought to marry Ruth, there were significant debates during the time of Shmuel HaNavi regarding the validity of a Moabite woman's conversion. Had Ruth's conversion not been accepted, the entire lineage of King David and Mashiach would have been nullified. The Megillah's writing by Shmuel HaNavi specifically clarified that Moabite women were exempt from this prohibition because, unlike the men, they were not obligated to offer bread and water to the Jewish people in the desert.

This teaches us the profound importance of Torah She'Ba'al Peh and Emunat Chachamim (trust in our sages). We cannot simply rely on the written text; we must embrace the interpretations and rulings of our tradition.

Ruth and the Mother of David: Inspirational Women of Torah

On the Day of Kabbalat HaTorah, two women stand out as immense inspirations:

1. Ruth the Moabite: Finding Preciousness in Unexpected Places

The verse, "Matzati David Avdi" – "I found My servant David," seems to imply a surprising discovery. Chazal tell us Hashem "found" David in Sodom, through Lot's daughters, from whom Moab and Ammon descended.

What does it mean that such precious souls emerged from Sodom, a place of ultimate immorality and egoism? Hashem teaches us: Never give up on anyone! Even in the most depraved society, if a person has high moral and spiritual aspirations and yearns to cling to Torah, the Torah can transform them and elevate them to the highest levels. This is Ruth's story.

Despite her origins in a corrupt, ungrateful nation, Ruth embodied gratitude and devotion. Her greatness, my father would say, can be summarized in two words: "VaTe'ametz Atzmala" – "She made a special effort, and she strengthened herself."

• Unwavering Determination: When climbing a difficult mountain, it's easy to give up. Ruth's courageous spirit meant she never abandoned her commitment to the truth she had found.

• Sacrifice and Humility: Despite being a princess, pampered in her youth, she was willing to give up everything. She walked barefoot, gleaned in fields with the poorest, unrefined people. She simply said, "I don't care. This is the truth, and I will cling to it, no matter how hard it may be."

Ruth teaches us that Kabbalat HaTorah involves Na'aseh Ve'Nishma – not just intellectual acceptance, but the willingness to make extraordinary efforts (VaTe'ametz Atzmala) to keep the mitzvot, even when circumstances are challenging.

2. The Mother of David HaMelech: The Power of Silent Humility

The mother of David HaMelech, Nitzvat bat Adael, is not widely known, yet her story is profoundly connected to Ruth's and our understanding of Torah She'Ba'al Peh.

Due to the ongoing debate about the Lo Yavo Amoni U'Moavi law (which some thought applied to women), Yishai, David's father, a great Talmid Chacham, had doubts about the full Jewish lineage of his existing sons. He sought to have another son with a servant whom he could properly convert, ensuring an unquestionable Jewish lineage. However, his wife, Nitzvat, intervened, taking the servant's place in the dark to conceive with her husband. She kept her secret, choosing not to shame him, even as her husband believed she was the servant.

When David was born, a redhead (uncommon in their family), and his parents had not been living together, the entire family was scandalized. His brothers despised him, assuming he was illegitimate. Nitzvat remained silent for 28 years, enduring public humiliation for her son and protecting her husband's honor. David was sent to be a shepherd, denied meals with his family, and despised by his brothers. This period, however, allowed him to forge a deep spiritual connection with Hashem and develop immense physical strength, defending himself from wild animals.

When Hashem sent Shmuel HaNavi to anoint the next king, after Shaul's sin, he came to Yishai's house. After seeing all seven of Yishai's other sons, whom Hashem rejected, Shmuel insisted there must be another. David was called from the fields. His mother, Nitzvat, accompanied him, determined to protect him.

When David, at 28, entered the room, Shmuel initially hesitated, seeing a redhead, fearing he possessed Esau's negative traits. But Hashem commanded Shmuel to anoint him. In that moment of immense public vindication, Nitzvat cried out, "Even Ma'asu Habonim Hayeta LeRosh Pinah!" – "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!" Chazal interpret this as "the one despised by all the other sons" will build the future of the Jewish nation.

Nitzvat's 28 years of silent suffering and humility, her refusal to shame her husband or fight for her son's honor, instilled in David HaMelech a profound quality: humility. He states in Tehillim, "Kagamul Alai Imo" – "Like a weaned child with his mother," meaning, "I am solely dependent on You, Hashem, not on my own strength or pride." This true royalty, rooted in humility, came from his mother's silent mesirat nefesh.

Kabbalat HaTorah: Total Commitment and Enduring Hope

On the day of Kabbalat HaTorah, as we speak of Na'aseh Ve'Nishma and total commitment, we remember:

• The Power of Effort: Na'aseh involves Ve'ametz Atzmala – always being willing to make the extra effort, even when things are challenging.

• Absolute Reliance: We are Kagamul Alai Imo – fully reliant on Hashem.

• The Strength of Silence: Often, we must be quiet in challenging moments, enduring injustice without responding in kind.

• Hashem's Unwavering Care: No matter the challenges, "Even Ma'asu Habonim" – Hashem will always take care of us and turn seemingly negative situations into positive outcomes.

May you have a restful and inspiring Shabbos and Shavuot. May this be a moment of true Kabbalat HaTorah and genuine commitment. Gute Yom Tov! All my love from Yerushalayim to you all.