Voices of WRJ: Parashat Acharei Mot

by Cherie Half At the core of Parashat Acharei Mot is the question of change. This week's Torah parashah discusses the foundation for laws affecting sexual relations and the separation of women, which is termed the "holiness" code of Leviticus. It was conceived in a culture of nomads. Are we living as nomads today? How can the Holiness Code of the Torah speak to contemporary progressive Jews? How pure or impure are the fluids of our life force blood and water? Does the concept of mniddah” (marital laws for sexual relations) evolve in relationships today? What aspects of mikvah give authenticity to spiritual renewal rituals? Growing up in Rhode Island, I looked on the laws of “niddah” as archaic. Why should a woman be unclean as her body readied itself for the cycle of life to begin? Blood is a life force and it seemed to me that the ancient rabbis were afraid of and with that fear came restrictions. Boundaries were set and the rabbis obsessed about them. Who could lie with whom, when, and how? Women were the property of their fathers and husbands and had limited rights. Women themselves were culturally indoctrinated in this vision. Today, the divorce laws that deal with obtaining a “get” (a Jewish divorce) speak to how these ancient nomadic laws have made women “agunot” (chained) in Israel. They are chained to a system that doesn’t recognize their personhood and is rooted in ancient paternalistic lore. As a Reform Jew finding her way from orthodoxy to a modern spiritual practice, Leviticus didn't speak to me personally because the laws of purity created a social world that compartmentalized the social order: male /female, animal/plant, or edible/not edible. It seemed so black and white and I wanted color with nuances, and an understanding of Torah that would add meaning to my life. In the almost twenty years since my adult bat mitzvah, I have seen so many changes that have given women a voice and presence. Sisterhood guided me along my journey with amazing resources. At Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, CA, we created our own Haggadah for our Women’s Seder, celebrate Rosh Chodesh monthly, added the names of our foremothers into the prayer service, and acknowledge Sisterhood leadership who had contributed to our community by having a YES Fund Tea each spring. Rituals that were anathema or unknown to me became honored and explored. Women were making rituals relevant again. Mikvah, the immersion in living waters, announces lifestyle milestones. An orange on the Seder plate recognizes those who in the past were disenfranchised. Simcha Bat welcomes a girl child into our community. The power and mystery of life is being acknowledged in positive perspectives for Jewish women in the twenty first century. WRJ’s “The Torah: A Women’s Commentary has opened a contemporary dialogue for all Jewish women. Anat Hoffman is making women’s voices heard in Israel at the Western Wall ass she and a mighty minyan meet each month to celebrate Rosh Chodesh. Anat has paid the price by being arrested and charged with wearing a tallit and singing at the Kotel. Our WRJ leadership, Rabbi Marla Feldman and Lynn Magid Lazar, rode buses in Israel that are trying to segregate women to the back of the bus, both literally and figuratively. WRJ has a point of view. We are standing up for change and progressive ideals and it is an on-going battle. So be strong... Hazak! Hazak! V’nithazek… We must continue to make our voices heard in North America, Israel, and around the world. Cherie Half is a WRJ Board Member and member of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, CA.