I hope you've had a good week. Here's a thought to go into Shabbat with - Miriam the Prophetess, the older sister of Moshe and Aaron, passes away in this week's Parsha. Miriam was an incredible woman and it was very much due to her acts of courage, faith and kindness over the years, that in her merit the Jewish people survived the slavery in Egypt and their subsequent 40 year journey through the desert. The Yalkut Shimoni (Midrashic anthology on the Torah) teaches that the name Miriam is connected to the word, 'mar' which means bitter, because at the time of her birth the Egyptians embittered the lives of the Jewish people. The fact that Miriam was born during such a terrible period in Jewish history, played a central role in defining the person that she became. She could easily have been bitter, unhappy about the desperate situation that she was born into. It certainly would have been understandable if she did not develop a great love of life, given all the pain and suffering surrounded her. Yet Miriam's opposite reaction to her situation teaches us a new dimension in her greatness. Miriam recognized the inherent value of life and kept faith in G-d that He would save the Jewish people from their dire situation. It was this persistent optimism and faith that enabled her to persuade her parents to remarry, which resulted in the birth of her brother Moshe, the great leader of the Jewish People. It was through her profound courage, that she refused to obey Pharaoh's decree to kill all Jewish baby boys, and instead assisted mothers in giving birth to healthy children and then in her deepest kindness, ensured her baby brother Moshe would be nursed by his mother after being taken from the Nile river. As a result we are taught, that the miraculous supply of water that sustained the Jewish people in the desert, was in her merit. This is a great life lesson, particularly in our current situation of uncertainty. It's easy to succumb to despair, frustration and apathy, yet Miriam reminds us how even in the darkest of times we remain positive and optimistic. We honour her legacy by focusing on living life, providing life and celebrating life. A meaningful way to act on this message is by supporting an incredible volunteer life-saving organisation in our community, Hatzolah. Please scroll down for more details. Shabbat Shalom and a wonderful week ahead! |