Hi,

Happy birthday!

Today we become a People.

The Jewish People finally arrive at Mount Sinai.

We receive the Torah.  And are given our mission.

G-d tells Moshe to speak to the “house of Israel”. (Exodus, 19:3)

… The Talmud tells us, who is the “house of Israel”?

The Jewish women.

G-d tells Moshe to address the women first.

Why?

Because their passion and enthusiasm for Torah is crucial!

… And the Talmud says something else.

They take us all the way back to the Garden of Eden.

When Adam and Eve sinned.  And ate the forbidden fruit.

Eve was the one who ate first.  And she gave some to Adam.

But in the rest of the Torah, we see a totally different pattern.

… Think of some of our major failings when we were in the desert.

The Jews made a golden calf.  And worshipped it.

Right?

Wrong!

It was the men who made the golden calf.  And the men who worshipped it!

And the women?

They said, “Are you guys crazy”?

And we have the story of the spies.

G-d told us to go to the Land of Israel.  That’s where we’ll fulfill our mission.

And the Jews said, “We want to see it first”! 

And they sent spies to check it out.  And didn’t have faith in G-d.

Right?

Wrong.

The men didn’t have faith.

And the women?

They said, “Are you guys crazy”?

… The Talmud wonders, what happened to Eve?

The Talmud’s answer?

God told Moshe, “You know why Eve failed?

Because I didn’t speak directly to her. 

I told Adam not to eat the fruit.  And Eve heard it second hand.

So this time?  At Mount Sinai?

Speak to the women.  And speak to them first.

And then you can count on them”!

All the best,