Oy Vy Vayera
Warning: Politically Incorrect Post.I usually don’t cover the Sedra, nor do I dip my cute little toesies into racially biased waters, but today, I shall.
For me, Parshas Vayera answers many questions, none of which are about missing socks and the dryer.
That’s another post entirerly.
I have always felt that the stories related in the Torah are not mere folklore like Aesop’s Fables, but rather a factual guide to show us our potential as Jews; our strengths and gifts as well as our weaknesses. In short, I believe that they were real people illustrated by the Torah to show us what is in our DNA; so we can learn from our designer genes.
They serve as a reflection of what was in order to shape us for what will be.
Well that’s a load of malarkey, you might be saying.
Oh, what?
I’m not allowed to have a deep thought once in a while?
Oh, get over it.
Anyhoo, back to my barkings.
Now, where was I?
Oh, yeah. Vayera.
Here we have the saga of two mothers, both vying for the position of mother to the nation of Israel, both representing diametrically opposed characteristics of motherhood.
On one side, you have Sara;
longstanding wife of Avraham.
Knowing she was barren, she was altruistic enough to voluntarily offer to raise another woman’s child as her own in order to fulfil her husband’s destiny. She knew she was destined to be mother of Israel, and didn’t mind if the child wasn’t genetically hers. She was a prophetess, who had such clear vision that even Hashem had to tell Avraham to listen to her.
On the other corner, sits Hagar;
Pharaoh’s daughter and Sara’s maidservant. Upon her subsequent marriage to Avraham and immediate pregnancy, she demeaned Sara and became very condescending towards her, in her mistaken and arrogant belief that she was greater than Sara because of her ability to conceive Avraham’s child.
Sara, realising that Yishamael, the offspring of Hagar was a bad influence on her son Yitzchak, sent Hagar away.
We can learn a lot of the power of this gift of clarity that Sara had. It is well known that Sara had her name changed from Sarai to Sara. And many schoolchildren learn that the yud that was removed from Sara’s name went before the Almighty and complained about its expulsion from a righteous woman’s name. Hashem then responded to him that he would have the Zchuss to be the first letter in a Tzaddiks name, to change Hosheya to Yehoshua.
Dayan Simons tells us that the time that Moshe bestowed the yud to Yehoshua’s name is also significant. Moshe gave it to him right before Yehoshua was set to go with the other spies to scout out the Land of Israel. This shows us that even the yud of Sara’s name contained clarity and lucidity that Yehoshua needed in order to resist peer pressure and ascertain the truth about the Holy Land.
This gift of clarity is something Sara infused in each and every mother among us.
This gift makes us Jewish mothers who know just what is best for their children.
Okay, you waited long enough, here’s the controversial bit:
(Pause for effect)
Hagar, on the other hand is another kettle of fish and a stinky one at that.
She and her son Yishmael get chucked out of Avraham’s house, with enough food and drink for the journey.
On the way, Yishmael gets sick and there is only enough water left for one person.
What should she do?
What did she do?
Well, she takes her sick child, and like a sem girl’s used wad of chewing gum, dumps him under a tree and runs from him like a tourist at Pamplona. She thinks he might die so she takes the last bit of water with her. After all, it would shame to waste good water if he’s gonna die, isn’t it?
After all, dead people don’t drink do they?
That is a ‘mother’?
So, here’s my point:
In the same way that the Jewish mother knows what is best for her children and nurtures them until the soul is forced from her body, is the same way there is something intrincally wrong with the maternal instinct of the Arab woman.
They will nurture their offspring, love them, and look after them, to a point.
Then they will strap explosives on them and point them in our direction.
And this my dears, is my point.
posted by kasamba @ 11/10/2006
26 Comments:
First off THis is one my favorite parshiyos in the Torah, you can learn it forever and never learn it all.( I know they say that about all of them but this one even regular people like me can do it with.
Great point but what do you expect from a woman who is told in last weeks parsha
יב וְהוּא יִהְיֶה, פֶּרֶא אָדָם--יָדוֹ בַכֹּל, וְיַד כֹּל בּוֹ;
And he shall be a wild ass of a man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him;
AND THIS MADE HER HAPPY
Wow!
KAS - you're deep this week, Honey...
Not that you aren't always...thou who hides beneath humor - :-)
But this was great!
I think even those 'mothers' wouldnt argue your point
Hmmm testing the waters of serioussness...?
How does it feel?
It's interesting..that we are used to the concept of there being this "inborn" maternal instinct..and yet in the animal world u find thats often not the case and..in the news u read so many stories of abuse and neglect.
How lucky we are to have the DNA that we do..
Good Shabbos
HAHAHA, NIIIIIIICE
What a great drash! I had never thought of it before, but you are absolutely right!
kasamba,
you said what the rest of us have been thinking...and can't bring ourselves to say, because, G-d forbid we say something that isn't politically correct! *gasp shock horror*....of course I can think of examples of Muslim women who love their children fiercely, but I dare anyone to find a Jewish mother who could make their child into a suicide bomber. great post, as always!
shabbat shalom!
Is it an English things to call Rabbonim 'Dayan'?
wow... that is quite a statement.
interesting take, never quite thought of it that way.
thanks for sharing.
shavua tov!
amazing how many have
'never thought of it that way!'
shocked actually
i'm more with 'hilahoney' who said most of us havent 'dared'...
amazing how many have
'never thought of it that way!'
shocked actually
i'm more with 'hilahoney' who said most of us havent 'dared'...
I have been telling my wife that i would like to emulate Avraham and Yaakov and she should be like Sarah, Rachel and Leah.
She says I still can't sleep with the maid.
lol southernyid:-D
Kasamba- you hit it on the button, no the nail, no.. it's the button that hits the nail..BBOOOOOMMMM!!!
Haha- I crack myself up (didya get the 'joke' at least???)
anyway, what mother laughs at her sons death?
You definitely should keep going with the Divrei Torah... Not politically correct, no. (Didn't expect you to ever be;-)
But not universally correct either:
Palestinian Arab women are by and large very uninvolved in the decision-making surrounding the life of their children, beyond the rites-of-passages. Don't forget that for every mother you see on BBC after her child has died/been killed/blown himself up proclaiming him a martyr for Al-Aqsa, there are ten more who the camera didn't catch who are bereaved, grief stricken and beside themselves like any other parent.
http://www.theparentscircle.com/Pages.asp?page_id=8
whoa this was really intense. I don't think I ever expected something like form your blog. I'm not sure if that came out right lol. I say kudos to an excellent post.
Nice, I really liked this one (as I always enjoy all the rest of your posts)
Way to go Rebetzin Kasamba, what does one have to do to come to your shabbos table and hear all of your shabbos drashas?
Great post love the way you extracted that only you would think of that lol.
no kasamba chai!
:-D
great view on the matter.
It's amazing how several thousand years of history have changed nothing.
Hagar can be proud of herself!
Kasamba,
So what time does the Tish Friday night start next week???
Southern Yid:
So true!!!!
Towik:
Thanks, luv!
Limey:
(shock, horror)
Not my Harrods card!
David:
I guess so- but I still like narishkeit!
Bagel:
Thaaaaaanx!
Amishav:
Glad you liked!
Hilahoney:
Thank you for that!!!
Nemo:
He actually IS a Dayan!!!
Sarah:
Thanks sweets!
Southernyid:
LOL!!!
OOOh beeeehave!
Workingema:
You crack me up!
Tafkapp:
even one out of eleven are odds you won't find on this side of the fence!
Sara with no H:
Why thanks luvvie!
Chassidishe Shaigetz:
You're always welcome!
Socialworker:
Oh, you're so sweet!
Moiy-rah:
Yeah! Kahana Chai!!
Prag:
True!
Ivnsm:
Ta!
Also a Chussid:
Well, Shabbos is early this week, so.....
I like a serious kasamba-- interesting and powerful-- and so true
It's great!
Why am I not surprised?
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