WRJ Voices: Pinchas

Parshat Pinchas is a very rich portion with a wealth of things to talk about. The Israelites have wandered in the desert for close to 40 years, Moses learns he is not going to the Promised Land, a successor needs to be chosen to guide the Israelites, another census needs to be taken (males only of course!), and rules for sacrifices that relate to current holidays are explained.

With all that, there is still the story of the five daughters of Zelophohed: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milccah, and Tirzah. These women feel that they should have their father’s land since he died in the wilderness and left no sons. The idea that land should only be passed on to a male descendant does not sit well with them. They go before Moses, Eleazer the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly outside of the Tent of Meeting in order to plead their case.

Their argument was, "our father died in the wilderness... and he has left no sons. Let not our father's name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father's kinsmen!" (Numbers 27:3-4). When we look at this in 2019, it may not seem like it was that big of a deal. But this was groundbreaking. The idea of challenging Moses, the priests, the chieftains, the whole and assembly- and God- well it was downright scary. How brave they were for standing up for what they believed was fair and just! I wonder if they really had any thought that they would actually win the argument or better yet, if they knew that this would change the status quo entirely. 

Not only does God let them have their father’s land, he changes the hereditary line for everyone from that moment on. If there are no sons, daughters come before other male relatives. This is proof that when women stand up for their rights in order to be treated fairly, they can make change. In “The Torah, A Women’s Commentary,” it states, “This case is important in showing (among other things) women who challenge community practices and who thereby bring significant modifications to existing legislation in order to meet changing social needs.” (p961)

The rights of women are under attack in 2019. I honestly can’t believe that we are moving backward as a society. The idea that the rights that I have taken for granted my entire life, are in danger of being taken away from our daughters and granddaughters keeps me up at night. At our recent Social Justice Conference in Washington DC, we gathered as a communal movement to learn about the social justice issues facing our society today and what we can do to bring about change.

Like the five daughters of Zelophohed: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milccah, and Tirzah, WRJ has been at the forefront of social change since our founding in 1913. Whether the topic was women’s rights, immigration rights, civil rights, religious freedom, or economic rights, WRJ has always taken a stand on what is important in our community.

Many of you have reached out to WRJ to share your concerns about access to reproductive health. WRJ is taking on this challenge and stepping up its efforts to secure this access. In partnership with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), WRJ is launching the Reproductive Justice Campaign to provide training, education, and resources to mobilize the Reform community.

Sign up today for a Brit Olam Cohort! The WRJ-led reproductive justice cohort will provide the organizing structure for Reform congregations, women’s groups, and individuals to take collective action. The cohort experience will include peer-to-peer learning, sharing successes and challenges, case studies, networking and engaging with Jewish texts and other resources. Learn more about the work of the Brit Olam and how your community can get involved.

With your help, we will mobilize our communities to secure our reproductive rights by training activists to be strategic and effective advocates. We will fight state and federal efforts that restrict access to abortion. And we will advocate for policies that restore health and dignity to women as moral agents of their own medical and health care needs.

Like the five daughters of Zelophohed: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milccah, and Tirzah, we can make change. We are thousands of women strong. This is what makes Women of Reform Judaism so powerful. We can do more together than any one of us can do alone. We are Stronger Together.

Denise Levine is a member of the WRJ Executive Committee and a past president of the WRJ Northeast District. She also serves as the chair of the New Affiliates committee. Denise is an active member of Sisterhood Congregation Kol Tikvah in Parkland, FL.