Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Woman's Role in Bringing the Redemption

By Naftali Silberberg

Our sages tell us that "in the merit of the righteous women our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt" [Talmud, Sotah 11b].  It was the women who never despaired of G‑d's redemption. In fact, while the men had lost heart and were dejected and had no desire to procreate, not wanting to subject their children to the hardships of slavery, the women were upbeat—confident that a better day was soon to come. They seduced their husbands in the fields, and raised a generation of children who witnessed G‑d's miraculous salvation.

The souls of the final generation before Moshiach's arrival are reincarnations of the souls of the generation of the Exodus. After the sea split, both the men and the women sang songs of praise to G‑d. From the Torah's description of the episode it is clear, however, that only the women's song was accompanied by musical instruments. Why? The Midrash explains that the women, while still in Egypt, were so confident that they would be redeemed, that they prepared tambourines for the day when they would sing a song of thanks for their redemption! [Rashi on Exodus 15:20, from the Mechilta]

According to the master-kabbalist the Arizal, the souls of the final generation before Moshiach's arrival are reincarnations of the souls of the generation of the Exodus [Shaar Hagilgulim, Hakdamah 20].  Just as then it was in the merit of the women's faith that the Israelites were redeemed, so, too, it will be in the merit of the righteous women of our generation, and their unwavering belief in the Redemption, that we will be redeemed once again.

Source: Chabad
Relevant: Why are so many geula bloggers women

"All salvation comes by virtue of women." [Alter Rebbe]

5 comments:

Tidbits of Torah said...

are you sitting down?

smiling ever so big this way

Our son, Yosef, turned a year old יגShevat. I bought him a tambourine! And he marches around the house banging it quite nicely and then he gives to me to shake.

Leah said...

Awwwwwwww. Mazel tov! How sweet!

Devorah said...

So cute. Mazeltov ToT.

Leah said...

My brother passed on 18 years ago and he was a drummer. I have saved his drum sticks and taped them together so that they should not be played by another person. I (imirtze Hashem) will give them to him when Moshiach arrives so that he may beat a drum, and I may shake a tambourine. May we see the fulfillment of: Ki mi'tzion tetzei Torah udvar Hashem m' Yerushalyim in our days this year!!!!!

Jewish/Mystical-Teachings said...

And the Arizal explained: "Also know, that all of the holders of the Torah in this generation [16th century] now, are themselves the aspect [reincarnation] of the men of the generation of the desert/Exodus [all the more so today!]..." and upon them it is stated: [Devarim 31:16] And the Lord said to Moses: "Behold...and this nation will rise up and stray after the deities of the nations of the land...And they will forsake Me and violate My covenant which I made with them." והאריז"ל הקדוש הסביר בזמנו ש... "גם דע, כי כל הבעלי תורה אשר בדור הזה עתה הם בחינת [גלגולם של] אנשי דור המדבר [באלף ה-16, וכל שכן היום!]..." שעליהם נאמר: כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות, וכמבואר אצלינו בפסוק [דברים לא,טז] ויאמר יהוה אל משה הנך שכב עם אבתיך וקם העם הזה וזנה אחרי אלהי נכר הארץ אשר הוא בא שמה בקרבו ועזבני והפר את בריתי אשר כרתי אתוAnd this is the reason for which their "WIVES GOVERN THEM," because in their days the EREV RAV [mixed multitude] created the Golden Calf and they "DID NOT OBJECT TO IT." But the WOMEN did not want to give their GOLDEN RINGS to the CALF, so therefore they "GOVERN OVER THEM" at this time... -Shaar HaGilgulim, Hakdamah 20 וזהו הטעם שנשותיהם מושלות עליהם, לפי שבימיהם עשו הערב רב את העגל ולא מיחו בהם, אבל הנשים לא רצו לתת נזמי הזהב לעגל, ולכך הם מושלות עתה עליהם נשיהם. ~שער הגלגולים, הקדמה כ

FROM:
http://jewishteachings.blogspot.com/2010/04/three-whos-lives-are-not-life.html