| | Class 30 -Rachav: The Courage to Create a New Reality
Part 2 of 2 This week Women in Judaism continues to explore the life of Rachav and her enormous capacity to change. From our perspective, the prospect that a woman of her repute would turn her life around seems unlikely, but as we saw in Part One of this essay, this is precisely what she did.
How was Rachav able to manage such an accomplishment? Our sages tell us that any perceivable change is the culmination of a longer process of change that was internal. Over the past forty years, the world had been hearing about the Jewish Nation (see Part 1 of this essay). The news of their miraculous progress had a deeply personal impact upon Rachav, in spite of the pagan reality she inhabited. Considering Rachav had for the past forty years consorted with kings and heads of state, perhaps over time she recognized the emptiness of what some may consider "having it all".
Change is not simple for anyone. It is not easy to admit that we are not perfect and to embark on a journey into an unknown realm of self-growth. Nonetheless, the Torah tells us - as does our own life experience - that when a person makes the effort, when he really goes through the internal process that paves the way for change, God will send him a messenger - a person, a book or a turn in life circumstance - that will lead the way.
Rachav had the courage to proceed towards a new reality and, when she was ready, Hashem sent Pinchas and Caleb to help her along. As noted in Part One of this essay, chances were slim that two men of such high moral caliber would arrive at Rachav's establishment. But arrive they did, sent by Hashem to present her with the opportunity for change. From Rachav's point of view she received two guests who were angelic, in terms of their behavior and inner purity. These were people who lived according to the direction of their souls, not their bodies - the opposite of Rachav. In her guests she discovers the personification of the new reality she seeks. She risks her life to protect Pinchas and Calev, and then requests their assistance in seeing to her conversion to Judaism.
In addition, Rachav sets out to sanctify three physical trappings of her life, as it had existed, by using them to help Pinchas and Calev escape. These are: her window, the rope that hung from her window and the location of her house, attached as it was to the wall surrounding Jericho. Previously, Rachav's high-profile clients had used the rope to arrive and depart through her window unnoticed, and to leave the city precincts without passing through the central gates.
Our sages tell us that Rachav approached God and expressed her desire to rectify her deeds by using her window, rope and wall to help Pinchas and Calev escape from the authorities in Jericho. What she realizes with this gesture is that physical aspects of life are only tools, which we ourselves decide to use for benefit or detriment. In other words, Rachav understands that she can continue to use the rope attached to the window for her business purposes - or she can use for the sake of Hashem and in so doing become an exemplary woman. The principles behind Rachav's insight and her internal change indicate she has embraced a new reality.
Rachav's message to us is that no excuse should impede our ability to change. Whatever our life circumstances, we are free either to take responsibility or ignore opportunities for our own self-growth. Rachav decided to use the very same things she had used all along, in order to do the Will of Hashem, in order to create a relationship with him.
Rachav ultimately marries Yehoshua and our sages tell us that from her came eight high priests, who were also prophets - among them Jeremiah and Ezekiel. How did she merit such offspring, when in fact there have been others through history who saw God and committed to Him, yet did not merit such rewards? The answer lies in the fact that Rachav saw God in a situation where others might have asked, "Where is God?" Consider Rachav's position: she is attached to 31 kings and knows their secrets; she lives on the border the Jewish people are about to overrun; she has no idea whether the two men she hides will accept her. Nonetheless, she sees God's hand in these tribulations, and to this she commits everything.
Rachav understands that, good or bad, everything that happens points the way to God. To be in a difficult situation and make the best of it - to see God in the midst of uncertainty and chaos - is a quintessentially Jewish trait, whose foremother is the great Rachav.
| |   | | Women in Judaism, Copyright © 2008 by Mrs. Leah Kohn and Torah.org. |
Rebbetzin Leah Kohn, editor of Women in Judaism, is the Director of the Jewish Renaissance Center , a learning institute for women located in New York City. Please note that the current series of classes is an updated version of the previous Women in Judaism series. These past classes are available on Torah.org and each class will be replaced with the new version as it is released. | | Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing.
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