Moon White Sliver of Shechina's Return

MOON: WHITE SLIVER OF SHECHINA’S RETURN
Part One: INTRODUCTION
One hundred years from now we will be certain that naming ceremonies for girls were
handed to Moses at Sinai.¹
The question is how do we begin to learn what do when a girl is born. Inevitably,
unless we are prepared to forego a welcoming ceremony for daughters altogether, we
must turn our attention to what happens when a boy is born. And no matter how much
it might be preferable to develop our welcome for daughters independently of that for
sons, this need to compare the two has been obvious from the very beginning.² In an
article entitled “Sarah’s Seed - A New Ritual for Women,”³ Mary Gendler raised the
possibility of performing hymenotomies on girls as a parallel to circumcision. Sometime
later, Sharon and Michael Strassfeld suggested full immersion for girls as the
appropriate ritual of welcome based on the Meiri who says that Sarah went to the
mikvah when her husband Abraham circumcised himself.4
We all know what to do when a boy is born. On the eighth day (counting the day
of birth as a full day), we call in the mohel and have a “bris.” We call this ceremony the
‫ברית מילה‬, the Covenant of Circumcision and it is there that we name the boy. Many
people believe that this is the moment when the boy becomes a Jew. Therefore, they
draw the conclusion that the absence of such a moment in the life of a girl means that
girls don’t get welcomed into the Jewish people until they become bat mitzva or, in a
more traditional environment, until they marry. To rectify this imbalance, they begin
looking for a ritual to parallel the circumcision and then try to build a ceremony around
it. The result is that, despite esthetic beauty and the opportunity to express deep
emotions of gratitude and joy upon the birth of a child, somehow these ceremonies do
not feel rooted in the flow of Jewish tradition. I believe that this is true for two basic
reasons. First, because these ceremonies emerged from ritual rather than content and,
second, because we are misunderstanding in a fundamental way what happens when a
boy is born.
It hardly needs repeating that circumcision has nothing to do with whether a boy
1
Statement by Lawrence Kushner in response to a question at a talk he gave at the conference of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, March 1990.
2
See, for example, the excellent effort by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, “B’rit B’not Israel: Observations on
Women and Reconstructionism” (Response, Summer 1973, No. 18), pp. 101-105. She begins with a careful
analysis of the power of the circumcision ritual in order to lay a strong foundation for her choice of
Shabbat as the covenantal symbol for girls. A notable exception is the ceremony developed by Daniel I.
and Myra Leifer which uses wedding imagery as the base for a naming ceremony without reference to
circumcision. “On the Birth of a Daughter” in The Jewish Woman: New Perspsectives (New York; Schocken
Books, 1976), pp. 21-25.
3
In Response, No. 24, Winter 1974-75.
4
“An Appropriate Ceremony for Daughters” in Sh’ma, December 23, 1983, pp. 27-28.
Moon/White Sliver p. 1
is Jewish. Membership in the people is automatic for boy or girl at birth provided that
the mother (or at least one parent) is Jewish. Naming a boy at a ‫ ברית מילה‬is done
primarily for convenience. Since a minyan is usually present and the boy has survived
the circumcision, we feel reasonably confident that he will live and therefore deserves a
name. The traditional Ashkenazic custom of naming a girl at the Shabbat service
following birth is the same principle, except that without the need for minor surgery
(and the possibility of hemophilia), we feel more confident of her survival and therefore
name her in the context of praying for the health and recovery of the new mother.
Syrian Jews have a variation on this custom. Though they also name girls at the
synagogue, the ceremony, called ‫( סדר זבד הבת‬Seder Zeved haBat), has its own brief
liturgy and a special blessing written only for the baby in which she receives her name.5
The most significant part of our misunderstanding is reflected in the name we give
this ceremony for boys, even in manuals for rabbis and otherwise carefully edited
siddurim. We glibly call it a ‫ברית מילה‬, and then proceed to translate it as the Covenant
of Circumcision, without asking ourselves what kind of covenant circumcision, or any
ritual, can possibly be. When it comes to Shabbat this is so obvious that we never make
this mistake, because the Torah is clear about it and the pertinent information is
contained in two consecutive verses (Exodus 31:16-17):
.‫ לֲעשוֹת את השׁבת לדוֹרתם ברית עולם‬,‫ישׂראל את השׁבת‬/ ‫ושׁמרוּ בני‬

‫ כי ששת ימים עשה ה' את השמים ואת הארץ‬,‫ביני ובין בני ישראל אות היא לעולם‬
.‫וביום השביעי שבת וינפש‬
Israel shall guard the Shabbat as a sign of an everlasting covenant between it and
God. By observing Shabbat we witness to our agreement that it is God who created our
world in two phases, one of work and the other of rest. By resting we are demonstrating
that we are still party to a covenant which places our people in a special relationship
with God. The covenant is the Covenant of Sinai, the sign of that covenant is the
Shabbat.
The same is true for circumcision. The physical act itself means nothing unless it is
accompanied by a reaffirmation of the actual covenant for which it stands.6 It is not the
“covenant of circumcision” but the “covenant whose sign is circumcision.” In fact, this
is exactly what it is called in the prayer which follows the circumcision (‫וצאצאיו חתם באות‬
‫ )ברית קודש‬and a circumcised penis is called the “sign of the holy covenant.”
The covenant itself is actually called the “Covenant of Abraham our Father.” This
is the conclusion of the blessing the father (or parents) traditionally recite(s) just after
5
Herbert C. Dobrinsky, A Treasury of Sephardic Laws and Customs (New York; Yeshiva University Press,
1988), pp. 3-4. For the liturgy itself, see David De Sola Pool, Seder ha-T’fillot (New York; Union of
Sephardic Congregations, 1960), p. 417.
6
Which is the reason why someone born circumcised, or a male convert who is already circumcised, must
still enter the covenant through a ceremony and ‫הטפת דם ברית‬.
the mohel has finished his work.7 The Torah tells us that God and Abraham (and Sarah)
entered into an agreement which involved the following:
1. Abram will be father to multitudes;
2. Abram’s name will be changed to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah;
3. God will be “God to you and to your offspring to come;”
4. the mother of Abraham’s covenanted offspring will be Sarah; and
5. the sign of this covenant is circumcision.8
The substance of this covenant is also recalled in the meditation which many
editions of the ceremony place just before this parental blessing and which really
constitutes the essence of what is taking place:
.‫ התהלך לפני והיה תמים‬:‫אמר הקדושׁ ברוך הוא לאברהם אבינו‬
The Blessed Holy One said to Abraham our Father: Walk in My ways and
be blameless.9
In other words, what is really happening when a boy is born is a ritual which
reaffirms the commitment of the Jewish people as a whole to live by this very early
covenant, one which predates Sinai and makes it possible. We affirm that we are still
doing our best to walk with God and be pure and so continue to merit divine protection
for our children. We mark that in the organ which connects men to women and through
which procreation is begun, and we do it at the earliest safe and least painful moment.
Where else could such a covenant which deals so directly with spiritualizing our
sexuality be marked?
The conclusion of this process is that, if we begin by looking at content rather than
ritual, then there is no reason to seek a ritual which in any way “parallels” circumcision.
This ritual is unique to this covenant, a covenant which is between God and the people
of Israel and which is carried and guarded especially by our men. It does point us in the
right direction, however. What we need to ask first is whether there is in our tradition,
either manifest or latent, another covenant which, while being between God and the
people Israel, is especially guarded and carried by our women. I believe the answer to
that question is yes. However, before proceeding directly to this covenant, please permit
a small but significant digression.
‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וצונו להכניסו בבריתו של אברהם אבינו‬7
8
Genesis 17:2-22
(‫ זמירוֹת ישׂראל )הוֹצאת "סיני" תל אביב‬9
Part Two: HALACHAH, Law or Way?
Rabbeinu Asher (Rosh)...said of the cherem of Rabbenu Gershon...that with it he

established equality between husband and wife.10
We who are “new age,” Reform, Reconstructionist, and even secular, tend to
assume that the rigidity of many contemporary halachists is due to an inherent rigidity
in the system itself. We see that the operant philosophy is one of rejection of modern life
and an unwillingness to utilize halachah as a tool for improving the quality and texture
of the lives of the real people who are modern Jews. Instead, modern halachists insist
that it is the function of the world, or at least certain sub-communities within the world,
to adjust to suit the demands created by halachic decisions made in previous times and
locations. And since these people have labeled themselves “orthodox” or “orthopraxic”
and “Torah true,” it is easy to allow them to define the parameters and to place
ourselves in the opposition. Thus, it is common for many of us to begin our discussions
by saying that we are “not halachic“ or we are “post halachic.” While such a starting
point may appear to give us greater creative freedom, in other ways it compromises our
legitimacy in the larger discussions about Jewish life and, by our own admission, makes
what we have to say irrelevant in any halachic framework.
Such a position also reflects an unwillingness to, and sometimes even a prejudice
against, learning more about the positions we reject. Just as many Jews refuse to
acknowledge the progress being made by many Christians in re-evaluating and
repudiating the evangelical and intolerant attitudes of the Church and insist on judging
all Christians by the standards of modern fundamentalists and medieval doctrine,¹¹ so
also we who think we sit “outside” halachah ignore both modern thinkers whose
flexibility is more in keeping with traditional halachah and the datum that the current
“hard line” is itself a modern phenomenon and only one possible response to
modernity made by caring Jews.¹² We also tend to judge both traditional and modern
halachah by our own cultural standards and assume that anything that looks familiar in
fact is. Again, the result is that we take ourselves out of the framework of traditional
Jewish discourse and we are forced to develop a whole new language. Our Jewishness
becomes personally satisfying, perhaps, but our ceremonies appear shallow and
unrooted.
10
Cited in Eliezer Berkovits, Not in Heaven: The Nature and Function of halachah (New York; Schocken Books,
1984), pp. 45 and 102.
11
See, for example, John T. Pawlikowski, “Rethinking Christianity: A Challenge to Jewish Attitudes” in
Moment, Vol 15 No. 4, August 1990) pp. 36-39.
12
See, for example, Eliezer Berkovits, op. cit; Jewish Women in Time and Torah (Hoboken, NJ; Ktav
Publishing House, 1990); David Hartman, A Living Covenant, (New York; The Free Press, 1985); Irving
Greenberg “The Religious Argument Over Feminism” (National Jewish Resource Center [CLAL], January
1985), pp. 1-2.
While I too question the extent to which I can properly claim to be a halachic Jew,
even a very liberal one, I would still assert that halachah is the dynamic and flexible
process by which we determine how to respond to contemporary life in the light of
Sinai. There simply is no question that we have changed dramatically over the
centuries, creating new ceremonies where there were none before,¹³ establishing new
precedents, and even deliberately changing the explicit meaning of Torah texts to
conform to changed realities and values.
The very word halachah itself, deriving from the root ‫הלך‬, has more in common
with going than arriving, with process rather than conclusion.14 halachah is the path we
walk, and like any path (as opposed to a superhighway), follows the contours of the
land in order to arrive at its destination. It is definitely oriented toward a goal, but seeks
to reach that goal in a way which is appropriate to the terrain which must be covered.
The second point is that halachah is more the story of relationships than of entities.
We have come to view each person as a separate unit rather than as part of a network.
We therefore assume that any time a halachic statement appears to favour men over
women, it proves the male chauvinist bias of the rabbis. Yet, this is really more our own
cultural bias. As we will see in the sources analyzed below, the rabbinic concern was
focused more on why heterosexual relationships were organized as they were rather
than on which entity is superior.
Finally, the quote used to begin this section emphasizes something often
overlooked when we examine Judaism’s attitude toward women. The clear trend in
both aggadic and halachic literature is toward greater equality for women. At each stage
in the development of both general and Jewish society, there is change in the relative
status of women to men. Certainly, by our standards, the cherem of Rabbenu Gershom
did not create full equality between husband and wife.15 It left intact the principle that a
woman cannot initiate a divorce proceeding herself and therefore also left the problem
of the agunah unsolved.16 However, within the culture of that time and place, which was
Christian and monogamous, this ban was clearly a major step forward. It removed the
embarrassment of legally sanctioned polygyny, retained Jewish realism in allowing
marriages to dissolve in divorce, and added a new provision which permitted the
woman something which had been clearly forbidden until that point; the opportunity to
negotiate a reasonable settlement for herself.
13
Bar and later Bat Mitzva being only the most obvious.
14
The expression,‭ ‬‫הלכה כמוֹתוֹ‬
ֲ is translated as “what he says, goes.” (Alcalay, The Complete Hebrew-English
Dictionary, 1981, p. 533).
15
The herem, or ban, of Rabbenu Gershom forbade a husband to divorce his wife against her will and,
simultaneously, forbade the husband from taking a second wife before the divorce of the first was
complete. This made it possible for a wife to negotiate the terms of her own divorce at the time of the
marriage break-up, rather than having her father anticipate it when negotiating the ketubah.
16
The agunah, or anchored woman, is one whose husband has disappeared. Since it is not known whether
he is dead, she may not remarry lest he return and the children she has with her second husband be
declared bastards and she an adulteress. This situation can never totally disappear until we grant a
woman the right to initiate her own divorce in a Jewish court.
Even more significant is the fact that the statement was even made. What it shows
us is that achieving equality between the sexes is desirable. The Rosh may have
breathed his sigh of relief too soon, but it is crucial to appreciate that he sees equality as
a goal. Furthermore, the evidence which shows that his statement and feeling are
normative is really overwhelming. The k’tubah itself17 is an earlier step in the same
direction, as are the conditional clauses and pre-nuptial agreements being offered today
by the Conservative and Modern Orthodox movements.18
The famous principle that women are not obligated to perform positive, time-
bound commandments is another case in point. As Robert Gordis has pointed out, it is
likely that this observation was not intended as prescriptive but as generally descriptive
of what prevailed in Mishnaic times.19 Officially, the later commentators all saw this as a
prescriptive statement, i.e. women may not perform such commandments nor can they
ever become legally obligated to do so. Nevertheless, actual practice permitted both
men and women the right to take on the observance of commandments heretofore not
obligatory which would then become real obligations.20 The following examples will
illustrate this point in relation to women and observance:²¹
‫ וכל מצוֹת עשׂה שׁלא‬,‫ האנשׁים חייבין והנשׁים פטורוֹת‬- ‫וכל מצוֹת עשׂה שׁהזמן גרמה‬
(‫ )קידושין פרק א משנה ז‬.‫ אחד אנשׁים ואחד נשׁים חייבין‬- ‫הזמן גרמה‬
(‫ )שׁם פיסקא י‬.‫איזוֹ היא מצות עשׂה שׁהזמן גרמה? כגוֹן סוכה ולולב ותפילין‬
All positive time-bound commandments - men are obligated and women
are free; and all positive commandments which are not time-bound are
equally obligatory for both men and women. (Kiddushin Chapter 1 Mishna 7)
What is an example of a positive time-bound commandment: Sukkah,
Lulav, and Tefillin. (Tosefata, ibid., piska 10)
17
The ketubah, or marriage contract, is an innovation confirmed if not created by the rabbis of the Talmud.
Its purpose is to establish the cost of either a divorce or an inheritance settlement (should the husband
die). Since the Talmud does not challenge the husband’s right to artbitrary divorce (as does the herem of
Rabbenu Gershom), this was a way of encouraging him to seek a reconciliation and, if that failed, to force
him to buy back the ketuba before a court would authorize the writing of a bill of divorce.
18
I am thinking here of the so-called “Lieberman clause” inserted by the Conservative movement into the
body of the ketuba itself. This clause calls for binding rabbinic arbitration if either party refuses a Jewish
divorce after the completion of the civil one. Also, many modern Orthodox rabbis today provide a pre-
nuptial agreement which specifies fines for each day that either party witholds the Jewish divorce.
Neither of these solves the problem it addresses, but each represents a serious step to minimize it.
Perhaps if more of the Jews who now call themselves “non-halakhic” saw themselves as forceful halakhic
innovators, we might be able to construct a herem or takkana which would give women the right to
initiate their own divorce proceedings and so set in motion a process which would really solve this
problem once and for all.
19
“The Ordination of Women” in Midstream (Aug/Sept 1980), p. 136.
20
The mitzva to wash the hands before eating bread is such an example, since this was originally a
requirement only for priests while serving in the Temple.
21
The following three references are cited from Eliakim G. Ellinson, Ha-Isha v-ha-Mitzvot (Jerusalem; The
Jewish Agency, 1973), pp. 23, 49, 44.
In this earliest source, the Mishnah states the general principle. Examples of time
bound positive commandments which women need not perform are given by the
Tosefta.
,‫רוֹב נשׁים דידן מחמירוֹת לעצמן וזהירוֹת וזריזוֹת לקיים רוֹב מצוֹת עשׂה שׁהזמן גרמן‬
(‫השׁמטוֹת לסימן א‬,‫ )שׁו"ת ר' עקיבא איגר‬.‫ והוה קיבלו עליהן‬,‫כגוֹן שׁוֹפר ולולב‬
Most of our women are very strict and are careful and eager to observe
most positive time-bound commandments such as Shofar and Lulav and
it is treated as a case where they have accepted them as obligation.
(Responsa of R. Akiba Eger)
In this second source, which comes from 19th century Germany, Rabbi Eger’s
statement shows that women are now observing, as a requirement, precisely one of the
commandments which the Tosefta had said women need not observe (lulav) along with
hearing the shofar which, while not mentioned specifically in the Talmud, clearly falls
into the category of a positive time-bound commandment.
Finally, notice the progression in the following two sources with regard to the
requirement to recline at the Passover seder:
(‫ )פסחים קח ע"א‬.‫ ואם אשׁה חשׁובה היא צריכה הסיבה‬,‫אשׁה אצל בעל לא בעיא הסיבה‬
.‫וכל הנשׁים שׁלנו מקרי חשׁובוֹת‬
A woman having seder with her husband need not recline, but if she is an
important woman then she must recline. (Pesahim 108a)
All of our women are called important. (Rama on Orah Hayyim 472:4)
The result of the line of reasoning and the examples presented in this section is that
innovations which seek to correct imbalances and achieve equality between men and
women in Jewish community are entirely traditional. The results, forms and
ceremonies, may be new, but the process is time-honoured. By seeking a way to
celebrate the births of our daughters in a covenantal ceremony, we are following in the
footsteps of those of our ancestors who had the courage to innovate and implement
changes in harmony with ethics and with the over-all direction of halachah, our life path.
Part Three: METHOD, or Reb Zalman’s Paradox
I want us to know that we are a .‫חידוּשׁ‬
ִ A ‫ ִחידוּשׁ‬doesn’t mean that a thing is brand new. It
means that we have discovered a new way of looking at the old that suddenly takes
away the ‫שׁיוֹת‬ִ ‫ק‬, the difficulties that we have.
A second, and final digression, this time on method. In his address to PeRaH
members in July, 1989,²² Reb Zalman presented us with a significant and paradoxical
situation. On the one hand, he confirmed that the efforts we are making to renew Jewish
spirituality and create the liturgies necessary for that renewal are something new. On
the other, he spoke very strongly about the need to remember both that “new” can be a
fresh angle on something old and that we must know how to communicate with other
rabbis in the traditional Jewish language.
You need to know the words. I have a feeling that when you come to talk
with other rabbis the first issue that’s going to come up is do you know
how to use ‫ים‬C‫ ָלשׁוֹן ִלימו‬the right way....To be a rabbi, you must know how
to use the references and the right terminology.
To simply declare a change, create something entirely new, and hope that over time
it will find its own roots in tradition is really the last resort. It is preferable to locate
antecedents in the past, however latent, and by a process of extrapolation build that
new piece which is needed in our generation. In Reb Zalman’s words:
Every one of us discovers raisins in the cake, little gems in the sources,
and I would like to see a collection made of these gems. Reb Yaakov
Emden (18th century), has the following in one of his ‫ים‬E‫סָפ‬ ְ : A woman
gives birth to a baby girl while her husband is away at war or on a trip. In
order to name the girl, he suggested that a ‫ין‬G‫נ‬F‫מ‬ ִ should meet in the house
of the ‫ת‬I‫יוֶֹל‬, that the ‫ת‬I‫ יוֶֹל‬be called to the Torah, and that a ‫מי שׁברך‬
ִ should
be made afterward naming the child. You understand why I think we
need to have these things accessible to us? They give us roots in the past.
This is the approach taken in this article. I believe that there are precedents in
traditional sources and trends which legitimize the development of a covenant concept
for a welcoming ceremony for daughters. There is also a ritual component available as
well. And there is a path of interpretation which allows these sources to be woven
together in a way which produces a new fabric, one which honours the arrival of our
daughters as we have long honoured the arrival of our sons. Even more, it explains why
the development of a public welcoming for daughters deserves to be developed now,
22
PeRaH is an acronym for the P’nai Or Rabbinic Hevra which was a loose association of rabbis and
Jewish professionals who saw themselves connected to the movement for Jewish spiritual renewal and to
Reb Zalman in particular. Reb Zalman’s talk was transcribed and printed in issues number 4 & 5 of the
PeRaH newsletter and is available from Daniel Siegel. OHaLaH,: The Association of Rabbis for Jewish
Renewal, is the successor to PeRaH.
that in fact this is the moment for which the tradition has been waiting.²³ We could not
have been expected to take this step before this generation, nor can we postpone it
beyond our own time. Therefore, we can create something new while not losing touch
with what has gone before. Rather than challenging the limitations of our predecessors,
we honour their innovatedness with our own.24
23
We once named a baby girl with an Orthodox rabbinical couple present. He had received semicha from
Yeshivah University and she was a learned Kotzker Hasid. After the ceremony was over, she told us that
nothing in it save the use of one blessing felt inappropriate to her.
24
As another example, read the long introduction to the Zohar in which the claim is clearly and repeatedly
made that this “new” approach to biblical commentary is in fact not new, has always existed as part of the
Divine throne, and has only been awaiting its proper moment to be revealed. The ascription of the book
to the Talmudic sage, R. Shimon bar Yochai is yet another example of this same approach to innovation.
Part Four: GUARDING THE SACRED CYCLES
Welcome Woman-Child
Newborn guardian
of the sacred gift
of cycles and seasons.
Within and all around you
Be witness to the rhythms of
surrender and renewal
faith and love
Awaken intuition and knowledge
to the indwelling presence -‫שכינה‬
We welcome you
into the world
into your family
into your people
May you know from your early days

how we travel through the dance
of dark and light
slavery and freedom
wandering and revelation
planting and harvest
new moon and full moons
from the illumined place of now
the sanctuary in time - ‫שבת‬
(Hanna Tiferet Siegel)
Let us return, then, to the specifics of how we develop a ceremony in which we

welcome our daughters into the ongoing covenantal life of the Jewish people. Following
the logic of what I have written thus far, the procedure would be as follows:
First, we identify a covenant which exists between God and the Jewish people
which implicitly is already a part of our tradition. That covenant must be one which
involves the whole Jewish people but which is guarded in some special way by women.
The content of that covenant must then be made explicit and incorporated into the text
of the ceremony itself.
Second, a ritual must be created which expresses that covenant and is linked to it.
The behaviours performed must somehow be an obvious expression of the concept
inherent in the covenant, reinforcing its significance and committing the baby’s parents
to “teaching the child the meaning of the covenant which (s)he has entered this day.”25
Reb Zalman once told me that when a father brings his son to the mohel, it is the father
saying yes to his own circumcision.
Third, the ceremony must be assigned a time and place for performance which is
close to the actual time of birth, coherent with its own internal logic, and appropriate for
the addition of the naming itself. In other words, the naming becomes an addendum to
the covenantal ritual rather than the reason for the ceremony. In this sense, it parallels
the ritual for boys and gives the primary focus to the reaffirmation of a covenant.
Where, then, is the covenant between God and the Jewish people which is carried
and guarded especially by women and what is its ritual expression? I believe that the
covenant is encoded in the rabbinic responses to the story of the creation of the sun and
moon and the ritual confirmation is to be found in Rosh Hodesh, the New Moon.
What follows, then, is:
•a review and analysis of pertinent texts relating to the creation and
unequal status of the sun and moon;
•an analysis of the tradition’s response to this inequality;
•a review and analysis of the Rosh Hodesh holiday in midrash and
halachah; and
•some notes to introduce the text of the ceremony which Hanna and I
developed.
The discussion begins with the following account in the Torah:
‫ת ברקיע השמים להבדיל בין היום ובין הלילה והיו לאתת‬K‫ויאמר אלִהים יהי מֹא‬
‫ל‬L‫ויעש אלהים את שני המארת הגדלים את המאור הג‬...‫ולמועדים ולימים ושנים‬
(‫ ט"ז‬,‫י"ד‬:‫ )בראשית א‬.‫לממשלת היום ואת המאור הקטן לממשלת הלילה ואת הכוכבים‬
‫" שוים נבראו ונתמעטה הלבנה על שקטרגה ואמרה א"א לשני‬.‫"המאורות הגדולים‬
(‫ ט"ז‬:‫ בראשית א‬,‫ )רש"י‬.‫מלכים שישתמשו בכתר אחד‬
God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day
from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times -- the days and the
years.”... God made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the
day and lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars. (Genesis 1: 14, 16)
“The great lights.” They were created equal, but the moon was
diminished because she charged that it was impossible for two sovereigns
to share one crown. (Rashi, Genesis 1:16)
As is often the case, Rashi here provides the answer without specifying the
question. It is as though the Torah’s text contains an ellipse, for if these are “the two
25
A Rabbis’s Manual (New York; The Rabbinical Assembly, 1965), p. 11.
great lights,” then how can it be that all of a sudden one is greater and the other is
lesser? Something must have happened between the moment when they were created
and the following one when they were placed in their respective domains and in
relationship to each other. Rashi reports an abridged version of that story which appears
at greater length and with different nuances of meaning in three separate rabbinic
sources. Though I have arranged them to create a meaning pattern conducive to
achieving my stated purpose, it is possible that this sequence does represent the
development of rabbinic thought on the relationship between men’s apparent
dominance over women, each effort provoking the next level of response.
Before introducing these texts, however, let us look briefly at one other just to
establish that the story of the creation of the sun and moon is clearly understood as
parallel to the creation of the man and woman later on in the text.
".‫"ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו בצלם אלהים ברא אתו זכר ונקבה ברא אותם‬
‫ולהלן הוא אומר "ויקח אחת מצלעותיו וגו'" מדרש אגדה שבראו שני פרצופים בריה‬
(‫ רש"י‬,‫ כ"ז‬:‫)בראשית א‬ .‫ראשונה ואחר כך חלקו‬
‫וכן מה שאמר "זכר ונקבה ברא אותם" כי היתה הבריאה מתחלה מזכר ונקבה ונשמתו‬
‫כלולה בהם אבל היצירה היתה יצירה לאדם ובנין צלע לאשה כאשר יספר בסוף ולכן‬
(‫ רמב"ן‬,‫ )שם‬.‫הזכיר כאן בריאה ובפרשה של מטה הזכיר יצירה והמשכיל יבין‬
“And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.”26 Later on the text reads: “He took one
of his ribs, etc.” An aggadic midrash teaches that God created the human
as two faces in one creation and then divided it into two beings. (Genesis
1:27, Rashi)
About this phrase, “male and female He created them.” At first, the
creation was of male and female inclusive in one soul, but the actual
formation was of the man first and then of the building of the side into the
woman as will be described at the end. Therefore, here the Torah
describes the creation and in the later section the Torah describes the
formation and the wise will understand. (Ramban, ibid.)
Both Rashi and the Ramban are responding to the same question, asked long
before modern Biblical criticism began, which resembles the question asked about the
sun and the moon. According to Genesis 1:27, God created both the male and female
human beings at the same time, just as had been done with all other animals. However,
chapter two of Genesis describes that same creation as taking place in two separate
steps, the man being created in verse seven and the woman only later in verses twenty-
one and twenty-two. In the same way as the commentators want to know what it is that
26
All translations from the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) are taken from Tanakh: A New Translation of the
Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia; The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1985). Unless otherwise
indicated, all other translations are by the author. Changes in English font size represent additions to the
Hebrew original made in order to enhance readibility. Similar changes in the Hebrew represent the
completion of verse fragments. English translations of the Zohar follow the Hebrew of the Sulam.
happened between the apparently equal and simultaneous creations of the sun and
moon and then their immediately following inequality, so also they wanted to
understand why a creation of equal and simultaneous origin is later subdivided in a
way which implies an inequality and turns the woman into a derivative of the man.
In this case, both Rashi and the Ramban agree that man and woman began as
equals. Their explanations for the change are different, stemming as they do from the
different roots of their answers. For Rashi, the story is sequential. Man and woman were
originally created as a single physical being. For reasons which he does not delineate,
this unified being is then later on (in chapter two) divided into two separate beings.27
For the Ramban, however, this primal unity is a function of the level of reality in which
the story is reported. When we are talking about “creation (‫ ”)בריאה‬then the unity of
male and female is obvious. When the story shifts away from creation to the “forming
(‫ ”)יצירה‬of actual material entities, then the unity is hidden behind the veil of separation
required in a physical universe. In both examples, we are witnessing a response to the
same problem encountered earlier in the story of the sun and moon and solutions which
are strikingly similar.
‫ שנאמר "והיו למאורת ברקיע השמים‬.‫ר' ברכיה בשם ר' סימון אמר שניהם נבראו להאיר‬
".‫ויתן אותם אלהים ברקיע השמים להאיר על הארץ‬...‫להאיר על הארץ ויהי כן‬
‫ר' יודן בשם ר' תנחום ב"ר חייא ור' פנחס בשם ר' סימון אמרי מאחר שהוא קורא אותן‬
‫ "ויעש אלהים את שני המארת הגדלים את המאור הגדול‬.‫גדולים הוא חוזר ופוגם אותם‬
‫ אלא ע"י שנכנס בתחומו של‬.‫לממשלת היום ואת המאור הקטן לממשלת הלילה" אתמהא‬
‫ א"ר פנחם בכל הקרבנות כתיב שעיר עזים אחד חטאת ובר"ח כתיב שעיר עזים‬.‫חבירו‬
‫ שאני הוא שגרמתי‬,‫ אמר הקב"ה הביאו כפרה עלי שמיעטתי את הירח‬.'‫אחד חטאת לה‬
(‫ד‬,‫א‬:‫ פ' ו‬,‫ )בראשית רבה‬.‫לו להכנס בתחומו של חבירו‬
Rabbi Berachya in the name of Rabbi Seemon said: Both of them were
created to bring light, as it is written: “And they shall serve as lights in the
expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth. And it was so....And God set
them in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.”
Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Tanhum the son of Rabbi Hiyya and
Rabbi Pinhas in the name of Rabbi Seeman said: After God calls them big,
God goes back and reduces them. It sounds strange that “God made the
two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light
to dominate the night.” This happened because the one entered the
domain of the other. Rabbi Pinhas said: With all the sacrifices it is written
“and one goat for a sin offering”28 and on Rosh Hodesh it is written “And
there shall be one goat as a sin offering to the LORD ( Numbers 28: 15).”
27
For the reasons why this physical connectedness is severed, see the Zohar Bereshit 20a for a version of
this story told about the sun and the moon and also 47a and 48b for the same story told about the first
person.
28
e.g. Numbers 29:5, 19.
The Holy Blessed One said: bring an expiation for me because I
diminished the moon, since I caused him to enter the domain of his
friend.(Bereshit Rabba 6:1,4)
Returning, then, to the rabbinic sources which discuss the reasons for the
diminution of the moon, Midrash Genesis Rabba offers the reason that the moon caused
her own relegation by entering into the domain of the sun, that is, it was visible during
the day. Therefore, even though it was God’s intention to have both of them in the sky
to provide light for the earth, the moon lost its parity by seeking to expand its influence
into the day. This explanation is straightforward, moralistic, and male oriented.
However, the last section of the midrash suddenly reverses the responsibility and places
it on God, who now admits causing the moon to enter the domain of the sun. This
abrupt change is difficult to understand without reference to another source with a
slightly different version of this same story.
‫ כתיב "ויעש אלהים את שני המאורות הגדולים" וכתיב "את‬:‫רבי שמעון בן פזי רמי‬
‫ רבש"ע אפשר לשני מלכים‬:‫" אמרה ירח לפני הקב"ה‬.‫ואת המאור הקטן‬...‫המאור הגדול‬
‫ רבש"ע הואיל‬:‫ אמרה לפניו‬.‫ לכי ומעטי את עצמך‬:‫שישתמשו בכתר אחד? אמר לה‬ N
‫ אמרה‬.‫ לכי ומשול ביום ובלילה‬:‫ואמרתי לפניך דבר הגון אמעיט את עצמי? אמר לה‬
‫ זיל לימנו בך ישראל ימים‬:‫ אמר לה‬.‫מאי אהני‬29 ‫ מאי רבותיה דשרגא בטיהרא‬:‫ליה‬
‫נמי אי אפשר דלא מנו ביה תקופתא דכתיב "והיו לאותות‬30 ‫ יומא‬:‫ אמרה ליה‬.‫ושנים‬
‫" זיל ליקרו צדיקי בשמיך "יעקב הקטן" "שמואל הקטן" "דוד‬.‫ולמועדים ולימים ושנים‬
.‫ אמר הקב"ה הביאו כפרה עלי שמיעטתי את הירח‬,‫" חזיה דלא קא מיתבא דעתה‬.‫הקטן‬
‫והיינו דאמר ר"ש בן לקיש מה נשתנה שעיר של ראש חדש שנאמר בו "לה'"? אמר‬
(:‫ )חולין ס‬.‫הקב"ה שעיר זה יהא כפרה על שמיעטתי את הירח‬
Rabbi Shim’on ben Pazi pointed to an incongruity. It is written “God
made the two great lights” and it is written “the greater light...and the
lesser light.” The moon said before the Holy Blessed One: Master of the
universe, can two sovereigns use one crown? God said to her: Go and
diminish yourself. She said to God: Master of the universe, if what I said
to You was correct, why should I go and diminish myself? God replied:
Go and rule in the day and the night. She said to God: What gain is this?
Does a candle provide light at noon? God said: Go, and Israel will keep
track of the days and years through you. She said: It will be impossible
not to use the sun as well for keeping time, as it is written, “They shall
serve as signs for the set times -- the days and the years.” Go, God replies,
because the righteous will share your name, “Little Jacob,” Little Samuel,”
“Little David.” God saw that she was not appeased, so God said let them
bring an expiation for Me for diminishing the moon. This is what R.
(‫ נר בצהרים אינו מאיר )רש"י‬:‫שרָגא בטיהרא‬29

(‫ חמה )רש"י‬:‫יומא‬30
Shim’on ben Lakish said: Why is the goat of Rosh Hodesh different from
all the others in that it is offered “for God”? The Holy Blessed One said:
Let this be expiation for me for diminishing the moon. (Bavli, Hulin 60b)
In this version of the story, the reason why the sin offering of Rosh Hodesh is
different from all others is made very clear. Rather than faulting the moon for seeking
greater power, here God has “shot the messenger.” The moon has reported something
obvious: it is difficult for two beings of equal power to share the same domain. She only
implies that something should be done about it and in no way “deserves” to bear
responsibility for her suggestion. Even more, in this version there is no hint that the
moon “invaded” the domain of the sun. Rather, God offers to her the option of being
visible during the day as one of the “consolation prizes” for not being able to shine with
a light equal to that of the sun. Finally, after repeated efforts to justify the action of
diminishing her, God admits that this action has no justification and requires an
ongoing atonement - an admission that the current situation is in fact unfair, even if
necessary.
Applied to relationships between men and women, this text admits that there is a
deeper level of understanding, at least of behavioural psychology, in the feminine and
in women. It is often the one who notices the discrepancy who is asked to assume
responsibility for its rectification.³¹³² Thus, no feminine inferiority is implied here (as it
was in the previous source) and the moon is only making a (painful) accommodation to
the (masculine) sun who apparently never notices the potential for conflict in the
original situation.
It is, however, in the Zohar and Zohar Hadash that the story is told in its most
amplified form. Here too, one can see a pattern of development, but this time its starting
point is far beyond that of the midrash, both in terms of respect for the moon and the
obvious connections between this story and the way men and women relate. What
follows then, are three separate references to the same story:
‫ את שני‬.‫ ויעש רבויא ותקונא דכלא כדקא יאות‬,‫ויעש אלקים את שני המאורות הגדולים‬
,‫ רזא דא שמא שלים כחדא ידו"ד אלקים‬,‫ בקדמיתא בחבורא חדא‬.‫המאורות הגדולים‬
.‫אע"ג דלא איהו באתגליא אלא בארח סתים‬
‫ סיהרא אמרה "הגידה לי שאהבה‬,‫ דא אכסיף מקמי דא‬,‫לא אתיישב סיהרא לגבי שמשא‬
‫" שרגא זעירא אכדין צהיר‬,‫" שמשא אמרה "איכה תרביץ בצהרים‬,‫נפשי איכה תרעה‬
‫ כדין אזעירת‬,‫" אכדין אהחי בכסופא‬,‫יה על עדרי חבריך‬G‫שָׁלָמה אהיה ְכֹעִט‬
ַ " ,‫בצהרים‬
‫ דכתיב "אם לא תדעי לך היפה בנשים צאי לך בעקבי הצאן‬,‫גרמה למהוי רישא לתתאי‬
31
As I have learned in committee work: whoever calls attention to something that needs to be done, chairs
the sub-committee.
I am grateful to Prof. Arthur Hertzberg for checking this text with me and confirming my suspicions that
the translators either were using different versions or were disturbed enough by what the text actually
says that they rearranged it in order to provide a more conventional message.
32
Meaning, be a separate entity providing wisdom for the “lower” worlds, known as foxes, which need it.
.‫" א"ל הקב"ה זילי ואזעירי גרמך‬,‫עים‬K‫יֹך על משכנוֹת ה‬/‫ת‬P‫ֹי‬C‫ורעי את ג‬
‫ אזעירת‬,‫ לבתר‬,‫ דבקדמיתא הוו יתבי כחדא בשקולא‬,‫ בר משמשא‬,‫ומתמן לית לה נהורא‬
‫ בר‬,‫ דהא לית אתתא בריבויא‬,‫ אע"ג דאיהי רישא עלייהו‬,‫ בכל אנון דרגין דילה‬,‫גרמה‬
,‫ סוף כל דרגין‬,‫ "ואת המאור הקטן" אלקים‬,‫ "את המאוֹר הגדול" ידוד‬.‫בבעלה כחדא‬
,‫ את רביעאה דיליה‬,‫ באתוון דשמא קדישא‬,‫ תא אתרשים איהו לעילא‬.‫סופא דמחשבה‬
.‫ לאתקרי בשמא דאלקים‬,‫ולבתר אזעירת גרמה‬
(.‫)זהר בראשית כ‬ ...‫ סלקא לכל סטרין‬,‫ועם כל דא‬
God made the two great lights: “made” means that everything was as it
should be in terms of size and correctness. “The two great lights.” At first
they were bound together as one [i.e. equal, and therefore they did not
need each other]. This is the hidden meaning of the two names of God
(YHVH and Elohim) taken as one, even though this is not revealed but in
a hidden way.
(I have translated this first paragraph following the Hebrew translation
given in the ‫סולם‬. However, he clearly changes the text of the second
paragraph and the Soncino translation rearranges the order of the text.
What follows then, is my own translation of this text:³³)
“The moon was not comfortable in relation to the sun, each was
embarassed by the other. The moon said,
”Tell me, you whom I love so well; where do you pasture your
sheep?” (Song of Songs 1:7)
The sun said,
”Where do you rest them at noon?” (Ibid.)
How can a small candle give light at noon?”
(The moon said:) “Let me not be as one who strays beside the flocks of
your fellows.” (Ibid.)
How can I be in hiding (or so embarrassed)!
So, she diminished herself to become first among those below, as it is
written: “If you do not know, O fairest of women, Go follow the tracks of
the sheep and graze your kids by the tents of the shepherds.”
God said to her: “Go and diminish yourself.”
From then on she had no light, except from the sun, even though at the
beginning they were connected to each other as one. Afterwards, she
33
Another text, also from the Zohar Hadash, makes this equality more specific:
,‫ ולהשתמש בהם הבריות‬,‫ להיות ממשלה על הארץ‬,‫ והניחם בזה הרקיע‬,‫ עשה הקב"ה שני מאורות‬,‫א"ר יצחק‬
?‫ מה עשה הקב"ה‬.‫ אין לך להתנהג בשני כתרים בשוה‬,‫ רבש"ע‬,‫ אמרה הלבנה‬.‫ נתנו אורם שניהם בשוה‬,‫וכשבראם‬
(‫ טור א‬:‫ דף י"ד‬,‫בראשית‬,‫ )זהר חדש‬.'‫ שנאמר בו לה‬,‫ והיינו הכפרה של שעיר ר"ח‬,‫המעיט אותה‬
diminished herself, at all of her levels, even though she remains at their
head, for she no longer has significance apart from her husband. “The
great light,” this is the Divine name YHVH, “And the small(er) light,” this
is the Divine name Elohim, the last of all the levels, at the end of the
thought. At the beginning the feminine was inscribed above with the
letters of the Holy Name, particularly the fourth letter of the Name, but
afterwards she was diminished and called by the name Elohim.
Nevertheless, she (the feminine) continues to shine from all sides (that is,
from above as well).(Zohar Bereshit 20a)
What is crucial in this somewhat ambiguous section is that, at first, the sun and
moon were of equal stature, each complete and independent of the other. Yet, there was
something disturbing about this equality, apparently in the way it affected their love for
each other. The question she asks of him is less clear than the condescending way in
which he responds. She seems to want to know where he spends his nights (hoping to
spend them together?) and he clearly is annoyed by her seemingly irrelevant presence
during the day. It disturbs him that even a second dim light would share his time on
centre stage. Feeling devalued, she diminishes herself, retaining her fundamental power
but choosing to express it in a way which avoids confrontation with her lover and
competitor. And, it is God who then confirms the correctness of her response to the
situation. In this version, however, we are now seeing the suggestion that diminution in
the power of the moon (i.e. the feminine) is only apparent and not real.
‫ בקדמיתא תרין‬,‫" ויברא אלהים‬.'‫ "ויברא אלהים את שני המאורות הגדולים וכו‬,‫כתיב‬
‫ דאינון תרין נהורין‬,‫ ואוקימנא‬.‫ כמא דאוקמוה חברין‬,‫נהורין הוו שקולין דא לקביל דא‬
‫ כמה‬,‫ לאתקרי תרוייהו גדולים‬,‫ והוו בשיקולא חדא‬,‫ דבוקים כחדא‬,‫הוו ברזא חדא‬
.‫דאוקימנא‬
‫ אלא דבכל זימנא דסיהרא קיימת בשמשא ברזא‬,‫לאו דהוב סיהרא בקדמיתא רב ועילאה‬
.‫ ואריה אתקרי‬,‫ אריה איהו‬,‫ זנבא דאריה‬.‫ איהי אתקריאת בהדיה גדולים‬,‫ בגיניה‬,‫חדא‬
‫ אלא דא‬.‫ אפשר למלכא חדא דלשתמש בתרין כתרין כחדא‬,‫אמרה סיהרא קמי קב"ה‬
.‫ ו ד א ב ל ח ו ד ו ה י‬, ‫ב ל ח ו ד ו ה י‬
‫ דהא אע"ג‬,‫ זילי ואזעירי גרמיך‬.‫ דרעותך למהוי ראש לשועלים‬,‫ חמינא בך‬,‫אמר לה‬
.‫ אזעירו אית לך מכמה דהוית‬,‫דאת תהוי רישא להון‬
‫" איכדין אפשר לך‬,‫ "הגידה לי שאהבה נפשי איכה תרעה‬,‫ודא איהו דאמרת סיהרא‬
‫" דהא סיהרא לית היא כדאי‬,‫ "איכה תרביץ בצהרים‬.‫ בתרין כתרין כחדא‬,‫לאנהגא עלמא‬
‫ דהא סיהרא מה‬,‫ בשמשא ובסיהרא‬,‫ ואי אפשר לך לאנהגא בתרין כתרין כחדא‬,‫לאנהרא‬
.‫ אי אפשר לך לאשתמשא בתרין כתרין כחדא‬,‫ בג"כ‬.‫נהורא אית לה בצהרים‬
‫ כד נהירו ותוקפא דשמשא‬,‫" אכדין אהא אנא מתעטפא בצהרים‬,‫"שלמה אהיה כעוטיה‬
‫ ואנת‬.‫ ולא איכול לשמשא למך‬,‫ הא אנא מתעטפא בכיסופא קמיה‬.‫להוי אזיל ואתקיף‬
.‫איך תיכול לאנהגא ולאשתמשא בתרין כתרין כחדא‬
",‫ "אם לא תדעי לך היפה בנשים‬.‫ זילי ואזעירי גרמיך‬,‫ הא ידענא ביך‬,‫אמר לה קב"ה‬
‫ ותיהוי‬,‫ זילי ואזעירי גרמיך‬,‫ דאי אפשר לי לאנהגא עלמא בתרין כתרין כחדא‬,‫דאמרת‬
.‫רישא לשועלים‬
,‫ ורעי לון‬.‫" פיקי והוי רישא לאינון אוכלוסין וחיילין דלתתא‬,‫"צאי לך בעקבי הצאן‬
‫ והוי שלטא‬.‫ ואנהיגי לכל חד וחד כדקא חזי ליה‬,‫ והוי מלכא דכולהו תתאי‬,‫ואנהיגי לון‬
,‫ טור ד‬:‫ דף ע‬,‫ שה"ש‬,‫ )זהר חדש‬.‫ והכי אתחזי לך‬,‫ ואזעירי גרמיך‬,‫ ודאי פוקי‬.‫בליליא‬
(‫ טור א‬:‫דף ע"א‬
It is written: “God made the two great lights, etc.” “God made.” At first,
the two lights were equal to each other, as the friends said. And we said
that these two lights were bound one to the other in a single secret
meaning. They were weighted equally, so that both could be called
“great,” as we already said.
This is not because the moon was any greater in significance then than she
is now, but rather that all the time that the moon existed in this unity with
the sun then, because of him, i.e. the sun, then she is called with him
“great.” The tail of a lion is the lion and is called lion.
The moon said to the Holy Blessed One, “Can one sovereign use two
crowns as one? Rather, each one needs to be separate.”
God said to her: “I see that you would rather be a head for foxes.34 Go and
diminish yourself, because even though you will become their head, in
diminishment you will still be more than you are now.
And this is what the moon meant by citing the verse, “Tell me, you whom
I love so well; Where do you pasture your sheep?” How can you lead
your world using two crowns at once? “Where do you rest them at
noon?” The moon is not worthy of giving light under those
circumstances, and it is impossible to lead the worlds using two crowns at
once, the sun and the moon, because the moon has no light at noon.
Therefore, it is impossible for You to use two crowns as one.
The Holy Blessed One said to her: I understand you, so go and diminish
yourself. “If you do not know, O fairest of women,” since it is you who
said that it is impossible for me to lead to world using two crowns as one,
go and diminish yourself and lead the foxes.
“Go follow the tracks of the sheep.” Go out and lead those camps and
hosts below. Shepherd them, lead them, and be sovereign over everything
below, and lead each one in the way appropriate to him/her. Rule at
night. Definitely go out, diminish yourself, that is right for you. (Zohar
Hadash, Song of Songs 70:4ff)
34
Which are usually associated with ‫נוקבא‬, the feminine.
At one level, this text seems to say that the only reason the moon was ever called
great was because it was tied to the sun. Regardless of its relative significance to the
whole, a part of the whole is still known as the whole. Still, the Zohar does say that they
were valued equally, even though the moon somehow gains through being the “head of
the foxes.”35 And it is also the case that the moon’s argument is an interesting one: why
use two forces to accomplish a single end? Why not institute a division of labour which
gives each force a sphere of its own? Here again, the diminishment of the moon is more
apparent than real and seems to be easily negotiated between God and the moon. The
sun, consistently, never plays a role in these discussions. Again, there is the ascription of
some greater level of understanding and sensitivity, even a special harmony with the
Divine will, to the moon, the feminine and, by extension women. This last text from the
Zohar for this section completes this reasoning and makes it obvious.
‫ בגין כך אנון נהורין דסלקי‬,‫ ודא מאור‬,‫" דא מאור‬,‫"ויעש אלקים את שני המאורות‬
‫ דאנון דרגין‬,‫ ואנון נהורין דנחתו לתתא אקרון מאורי אש‬,‫ אקרון מאורי אור‬,‫לעילא‬
‫ דהא אתיהיב לון‬,‫ וע"ד כד נפיק שבתא מברכין על שרגא‬,‫ ושלטי כל יומי דחול‬,‫לתתא‬
.‫ר ש ו ל ש ל ט א ה‬
‫ כל חד וחד על‬,‫ ומאורי האש שלטין‬,‫ דלא אתגליין‬,‫ גניזין מאורי אור‬,‫וכד נפיק שבתא‬
‫ וע"ד אצטריכו לאתנהרא מההוא‬,‫ במ"ש עד מעלי יומא דשבתא‬,‫ אימתי שלטין‬.‫דוכתייהו‬
(‫ )שם‬.‫שרגא במ"ש‬
“God made the two great lights,” this was a light and that was a light
(which means that the sun and moon were equally lights unto themselves
and this equality is not really affected by the diminishment of the moon).
Therefore, those lights that remained above are called ‫מאוֹרי אוֹר‬, the lights
of light, and those which descended are called ‫מאוֹרי אשׁ‬, the lights of fire
(which are the attributes of binah, tiferet and malchut which descended
into the feminine, and now ‫נפין‬F‫ְזֵעיר א‬, “the miniature presence,” here
meaning the masculine, raises them back to him, together with the
feminine, and they are called the lights of fire....You must understand that
the meaning of this is not that the masculine is then confined only to the
two spheres of keter and hokhma, nor is the feminine limited to binah,
tiferet and malkhut, but they are both inclusive of each other.) These
qualities which descended rule during the six days of work and therefore,
when Shabbat ends we make a blessing over a candle because that is
when they have permission to rule. (Which means that on Shabbat the
masculine and feminine are coupled in the greater way, face to face...and
as the Shabbat ends and the great coupling , face to face, of the masculine
and feminine stops, then the feminine is permitted to reveal her lights of
35
See also Zohar Ber eshit 34a (“Rav Yitzhak said”) which cites the same verse.
fire.)...And when Shabbat leaves, the lights of fire are hidden, are not
revealed, and the lights of light rule, each one on its place. When do they
rule? From Saturday night to Friday night, and therefore they must
receive their light from that fire at the end of Shabbat. (ibid.)
Here, what was latent before is now manifest. Each body was a light unto itself,
and the moon is no less for having been “diminished.” The lights which have
descended into our reality, particularly the qualities of ‫ מלכות‬,‫ תפארת‬,‫( בינה‬Binah, Tiferet
and Malkhut36), have not in reality separated from the “higher,” masculine qualities but
are rejoined and indeed each is included in the other. Their lights shine together always,
even if it seems that it is the “masculine” light shining by itself. This truth becomes
manifest each Shabbat, when masculine and feminine unite and then appear to separate
again at Havdalah. It is at that moment, symbolized by the multi-wick candle, that we
appreciate how the energy of the doer is possible only through the equally important
presence of the field. The “lights of light” can only shine as they do because of the
“lights of fire,” which empower them. Masculine and feminine, sun and moon, men and
women, subject and field, all are one. The Genesis story of an unequal partnership
between the energies is a chimera, smoke and mirrors which allow the duality of this
world to come into being only to be reintegrated into a supernal harmony and unity.
The major difficulty in accepting these texts is that they still justify a role for the
feminine, and women, which is hidden. This retains a conventional Jewish effort which
rationalizes the role of the women as powerful, but invisible, people who manipulate
from behind the curtain. If these were the only available sources, then they would not
go far enough to lay a foundation on which we could build something appropriate for
our own time and we would be forced to create something new without reference to our
tradition and its values.
Fortunately, however, this is not the case. There exist at least three sources which
indicate that the explanations given to the apparently unequal nature of the masculine-
feminine relationship are to be understood as explaining only why the current situation
has existed thus far. They suggest that the explanations are not be to be taken as
absolute, but as intermediate steps on the way to a radically different future.
The first of these combines a biblical verse with a rabbinic commentary as follows:
‫ים כאוֹר שׁבעת הימים ביום ֲחֹבשׁ‬/‫ת‬P‫שְׁבָע‬
ִ ‫והיה אור הלבנה כאור החמה ואור החמה יהיה‬
(‫כ"ו‬:‫ )ישעיהו ל‬.‫שֶׁבר עמו וַּמַחץ מכתו ירפא‬
ֶ ‫ה' את‬
(‫ מצודת דוד‬,‫ )שם‬.‫ תבהיק אורה כמו אור החמה‬.‫כאור החמה‬
And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the
light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days,
36
The word ‫ אחד‬appears twice in the verse from Zechariah which the Zohar sees as pointing to a unity
between opposites. The use of the word ‫ אחד‬to label day one, when duality first appears, as opposed to
saying the “first” day, reinforces the idea that two is only another manifestation of unity.
when the LORD binds up His people’s wounds and heals the injuries it
has suffered. (Isaiah 30:26)
“As the light of the sun.” Her light will shine like that of the sun. (M’tsudat
David, ad locum)37
This vision for the end of days is expressed in a different way in the conclusion of
the following passage from the Zohar:
‫ ציורין‬,‫ נהרין בההוא "רקיע השמים וכו'" לאצטיירא לתתא‬,‫נהורין עלאין דקא מנהרין‬
",‫ "ולמשול ביום ובלילה‬,"‫ דכתיב "ויתן אותם אלקים ברקיע השמים וגו‬,‫כדקא חזי‬
.‫ דא איהו שלטנו כדקא חזי‬,‫שלטנו דתרין נהורין‬
‫ ורזא דא מהכא שלטנותא דדכורא‬,‫ מאור קטן שלטנו בליליא‬,‫מאור גדול שלטנו ביממא‬
,‫ כיון דעאל ליליא‬,‫ ולאעלא ביה טרפא ומזונא‬,‫ בכל מה דאצטריך‬,‫ למלאה ביתיה‬,‫ביממא‬
‫ דכתיב‬,‫ דהא כדין שלטנו דילה‬,‫ לית שולטנו דביתא בר דנוקבא‬,‫ונוקבא נקיט כלא‬
‫ ממשלת‬,‫ ממשלת היום דדכורא‬.‫ ולא הוא‬,‫"ותקם בעוד לילה ותתן טרף לביתה" היא‬
.‫הלילה דנוקבא‬
,‫ אית ביה תרי עשר שעתי‬,‫ ואית ביה תרין עשר פתחין‬,‫ דא הוא שמשא‬,‫מאור גדול‬
‫ ושלטא על‬,‫ ודא סיהרא‬,‫ אית ביה תרי עשר פתחין‬,‫ מאור קטן‬,‫ושמשא שליט על יומא‬
",‫ ועל דא "ביום ההוא יהיה ה' אחד ושמו אחד‬,‫ וליליא אית ביה תריסר שעתי‬,‫ליליא‬
‫ ליל סיהרא ותריםר פתחין ואתעבידו‬,‫שמשא ותריסר פתחין אתעבידן י"ג מכילן דרחמי‬
‫ הה"ד "ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום‬,‫ ואתעבידו שמשא וסיהרא חד ויום ולילה אחד‬,‫י"ג‬
(:‫)זהר בראשית כ‬ .‫" ורזא דא לעילא‬,‫אחד‬
All the supernal shining lights, shine in this “expanse of the sky” in order
to form the appropriate images below. As it is written: “And God set them
in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, to dominate the day and
the night.” The rule of these two lights, this is the rule as it should be.
The great light rules by day, the small light rules at night. From this we
learn this secret, that the masculine dominates during the day, to fill the
house with everything that is needed, meat and grains. When night falls,
the feminine takes everything, and only the feminine dominates in the
home, since this is her time to rule, as it is written: “She rises while it is
still night, and supplies provisions for her household (Proverbs 31:15),”
she and not he. The masculine rules by day, the feminine by night.
“The greater light” - this is the sun, and it has twelve gates and twelve
hours, and the sun has dominion over the day. “The lesser light” - it also
has twelve gates and is the moon whose dominion is at night which also
has twelve hours. Therefore it is said: “In that day there shall be one God
with one name (Zechariah 14:9).” The sun and his twelve gates become
37
Nosson Scherman, The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Sefard) (Brooklyn; Mesorah Publications, 1985), p.
652. The last verse quoted in the section is from Hosea 3:5.
the thirteen attributes of mercy. The night, (which is the) moon, with her
twelve gates also make thirteen. Sun and moon become one, night and
day become one, and that is why it is written “And there was evening and
there was morning, a first day.”38 The secret of this unity occurs only
above (beyond duality). (Zohar Bereshit 20b)
Finally and most directly, is the following selection from the liturgy for ‫קידושׁ הלבנה‬,
the monthly sanctification of the new moon:
‫ויהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהי ואלהי אבותי למלאות פגימת הלבנה ולא יהיה בה שום‬
‫ ויהיה אור הלבנה כאור החמה כאור שבעת ימי בראשית כמו שהיתה קודם‬.‫מיעוט‬
'‫ ויתקים בנו מקרא שכתוב "ובקשו את ה‬.‫מיעוטה שנאמר את שני המאורות הגדולים‬
.‫אלהיהם ואת דויד מלכם" אמן‬
May it be Your will, Adonai my God and God of my ancestors, to fill the
flaw of the moon that there be no diminution in it. May the light of the
moon be like the light of the sun and like the light of the seven days of
creation, as it was before it was diminished, as it is said: ‘The two great
luminaries.’ And may there be fulfilled upon us the verse that is written:
‘They shall seek Adonai, their God, and David, their king.’ Amen.39
This liturgy is found in every traditional siddur in this form. Almost
unconsciously, the idea entered the mainstream that an indication of the messianic
future arriving is the resumption of a publicly visible equality between men and
women. It is plausible to assert that there exists a powerful stream within Jewish
tradition which recognized the imbalance between men and women as temporary, a
transitional step between early innocence and a redemption which would restore a
pristine harmony.
We are now on the verge of understanding the special covenant carried by Jewish
women on behalf of us all. There is an understanding we have with God that certain
conditions which were envisioned at the beginning of creation but were unable to come
into immediate existence, will indeed manifest as this phase of history nears
completion. Part of this promise is the re-emergence of a visible equality between men
and women, just as other parts of this promise envision a new harmony among peoples,
an end to war, and universal recognition of God. Our usual expression of this aspiration
is the daily remembering of the Exodus, the miraculous beginning of our own
redemption which leads to the universal redemption. The special way in which we give
this focus is through the observance of the pilgrimage festivals whose dates are set by
observance of the new moon.
‫ "עשה ירח למועדים שמש ידע מבואו‬:‫" ר' יוחנן פתח‬.‫"ויאמר אלהים יהי מאורות‬
38
As is implied both in Psalm 66 and in the first of the two blessings recited prior to the Sh’ma each day.
The sun shines on the righteous and wicked equally and is a function of a Divine mercy which is
available to everyone.
39
Cited from Getsel Ellinson, ‫האשה והמצוות‬, p. 93
‫ א"כ למה‬.‫" א"ר יוחנן לא נברא להאיר אלא גלגל חמה בלבד‬.(‫י"ט‬:‫)תהילים ק"ד‬
,‫בראשית רבה‬....) ‫ כדי לקדש בחשבונה ראשי חדשים ושנים‬.‫ למועדים‬.‫נבראת לבנה‬
(‫א‬:‫פרק ו‬
“God said, “Let there be lights.” Rabbi Yohanan began: “He made the
moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set. (Psalm 104:19).”
Rabbi Yohanan said: Only the sun was created to bring light. If so, why
was the moon created? For the seasons, so that the months and years will
be sanctified on her cycle....(Bereshit Rabbah Ch. 6:1)
Rosh Chodesh
The sun provides daily light and warmth. Yet this light shines day after day
without a particular spiritual significance.40 The moon, on the other hand, guides the
sanctification of time. Its phases provide the benchmarks which allow us to schedule
our sacred observances, marking the cycles which take us around the year, spiraling
through history from darkness to light and from slavery to redemption. We are
covenanted with God to walk in purity for the sake of our children, to observe halachah
in acknowledgment of creation, and to celebrate both in memory and in anticipation of
redemption. The gateway to these sacred cycles linking past and future is Rosh Hodesh,
the new moon observance and celebration.
‫ ִאם אני אומר להם תנו לי כסף וזהב מיד הם‬:‫ אמר‬.‫דן אהרן דין בינו לבין עצמו‬
:‫ שנאמר‬,‫ אלא הריני אומר להם תנו נזמי נשיכם ובנותיכם ומיד הדבר בטל‬,‫מביאים‬
‫"ויאמר אהרן פרקו נזמי הזהב אשר באזני נשיכם בניכם ובנותיכם והביאו אלי" )שמות‬
.(‫ב‬:‫לב‬
‫ לעשות‬:‫ אלא אמרו להם‬.‫שמעו הנשים ולא רצו ולא קבלו עליהן ליתן נזמיהן לבעליהן‬
‫ נתן להם הקב"ה שכרן בעולם הזה שהן‬.‫עגל ותועבה שאין בו כח להציל לא נשמע לכם‬
‫ ונתן להן שכר לעולם הבא שהן עתידות‬,‫משמרות ראשי חדשים יותר מן האנשים‬
.‫להתחדש כמו ראשי חדשים‬
‫ מה עשו? עד אותה שעה היו‬.‫ראו האנשים שלא שמעו הנשים להן ליתן נזמיהן לבעליהן‬
,‫ פרקו את נזמיהם אשר באזניהם ונתנו לאהרן‬.‫הנזמים באזניהם כמעשה הערביים‬
‫ אשר באזני נשיהם‬-- (‫ "ויתפרקו כל העם את נזמי הזהב אשר באזניהם" )שם ג‬:‫שנאמר‬
(‫ )פרקי דרבי אליעזר פרק מה‬.‫ אלא אשר באזניהם‬,‫לא נאמר כאן‬
Aaron thought to himself. If I tell them to give me silver and gold, they
will immediately bring them. Instead, I will tell them to bring me the
earrings which belong to their wives and daughters and the whole matter
will end. As it is indicated by the way the verse is written: “Aaron said to
them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your
sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me’” (Exodus 32:2).
The women heard, didn’t agree and refused to give their jewelry to their
husbands. Rather, they said to them: We refuse to obey you if your
purpose is to make a calf (idol) and abomination which has no power to
save. God then gave them their reward in this world in that women guard
the new moons more than men, and God gave them a reward in the world
to come that they will be renewed as are the months.
The men saw that the women were refusing to obey them and give their
earrings to their husbands. What did they do? Until that moment the men
were wearing earrings like Arabs. They took the earrings from their own
ears and gave them to Aaron, as it is written: “And all the people (men)
40
Eliahu Kitov, Sefer Hatoda’ah, (Jerusalem, “A” Publishers) p. 175 (translation mine).
took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron”
(ibid. 3).-- it doesn’t say here the rings in their wives’ ears, but in their
(own) ears. (Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer Ch. 45)41
This well known midrash provides the link we have been waiting for. If the
holidays represent our commitment to a future different than our now, and rosh hodesh
represents the gateway to those holidays, then here the special relationship between
women and rosh hodesh is established. An observance which was to have been given
equally to men and women is now given over more to the women than the men. While
the covenant itself remains the property of the entire people, its gateway ritual is now to
be guarded primarily by the women.
In this context it is interesting to note the following in relation to Hannukah:
At that time, in the days of the Hasmoneans and shortly thereafter, the
essence of Hannukah was in the celebration of the miraculous military
victory, in the destruction of the wicked and the repeal of their decrees
against Shabbat observance, against sanctifying to the new month which
leads to the loss of the holidays. and against circumcisions.42
Here, the three covenants mentioned are all included. The one, circumcision,
which is carried by men; Shabbat, which is to be guarded equally by men and women,
and rosh hodesh, which has the special connection to women.
Nor is this transfer limited only to a midrash, a homiletic text. The observance of
rosh hodesh by women as a special day, a holiday for them but not for the men, is
codified in halakhic sources.
‫ואיתא נמי‬43 ‫( ר"ח אינו אסור בעשיית מלאכה‬:‫גרסינן בפרק אין נערכין )מס' ערכין י‬
‫בפרק קמא דמ"ק ר"ח יוכיח שיש בו קרבן מוסף ומותר בעשיית מלאכה והא דאיתא‬
‫(ושאין בו ביטול מלאכה לעם כגון ר"ח וחולו של מועד אלמא שאסור‬:44 ‫במגילה )כב‬
‫ תקנו להוסיף אחד‬.‫בעשיית מלאכה דקאמר מפני שאין בו ביטול מלאכה אם ישהו בב"ה‬
‫ולקרות ד' בתורה ההיא לנשים קאמר מפני שהנשים בטלות בו ממלאכה וה"נ איתא‬
‫בירושלמי הני נשי דנהיגי דלא למיעבד עבידתא בריש ירחא מנהגא ואיתא בפרק מ"ד‬
‫מפרקי דר' אליעזר לפי שלא רצו נשים ליתן נזמיהם לבעליהן במעשה העגל לכך נתן‬
‫להן הקב"ה שכרן שיהו משמרות ר"ח יותר מהאנשים ושמעתי מאחי הר"י טעם לדבר‬
"‫שׁ חג‬TS‫ת‬R‫ ראש חודש דאיקרי מועד לימא לא איקדיש בעשיית מלאכה דכתיב "השיר יהיה לכם ֵליל ִה‬:‫ זה לשון הגמרא שם‬41
‫לילה המקודש לחג טעון שירה ושאין מקודש לחג אין טעון שורה‬
‫ ושאין בו ביטול‬,‫ קורין שלשה‬- ‫ כגון תענית צבור ותשעה באב‬,‫ כל שיש בו ביטול מלאכה לעם‬:‫ זה הכלל‬:‫זה לשון הגמרא שם‬42
.‫ שמע מינה‬,‫ קורין ארבעה‬- ‫ כגון ראשי חדשים וחולו של מועד‬,‫מלאכה לעם‬
43
The exact quote reads as follows: “But what of the New Moon which is called a festival, let the complete
Hallel be said on it? - [New Moon] is not sanctified as to [prohibition of] labour, as it is written: Ye shall
have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed (Isaiah 30:29), i.e. only the night sanctified towards a
festival requires a song, but the night which is not sanctified towards a festival does not require a song.
(Soncino translation, Kodashin, Vol. 3, p. 57).
44
In fact, this reference is incorrect. Its significance is discussed in the Bet Yosef and the Bayit Hadash. The
correct source is Hagigah 18a (see below).
‫וי"ב ראשי חדשי השנה שגם הם נקראים מועדים‬...‫לפי שהמועדים נתקנו כנגד אבות‬
.‫כנגד י"ב שבטים וכשחטאו בעגל נטלו מהם ונתנו לנשותיהם לזכר שלא היו באותו חטא‬
(‫ הלכות ר"ח‬,‫ אורח חיים‬,‫)טור‬
We read in chapter two (of the tractate Arakhin) that it is not forbidden to
work on Rosh Hodesh45 and this is reiterated in the first chapter of Mo’ed
Katan46 that Rosh Hodesh demonstrates that there can be both a Musaf
sacrifice and permission to work on the same day. In the tractate Megillah
(22a) we find that Rosh Hodesh and Hol Hamo’ed are referred to as
examples of days when the people do not miss work. This implies that it
is forbidden to work on Rosh Hodesh since it says that they don’t miss
work by staying longer in the synagogue. They did decide to add one
(aliyah) and call four to the Torah. This change was instituted because of
the women, since women do not work on that day. And this we find also
in the Yerushalmi, “The custom for those women who do not work on
Rosh Hodesh is to be honoured.” It is also found in Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer,
Chapter 45 that since the wives refused to give their jewelry to their
husbands in the episode of the Golden Calf, therefore God gave them
their reward that they guard Rosh Hodesh more than the men. And I
heard a reason for this from my brother Rabbi Yehudah, that since the
holidays (the set times) correspond to the patriarchs...and the twelve new
moons which are also called holidays (or are known as set times)
correspond to the twelve tribes and when they sinned with the calf they
were taken from them and given to the(ir) women as a reminder that they
did not participate in this sin. (Tur, Orah Hayim, Hilkhot Rosh Hodesh)
‫והוקשה לרבינו מדקאמר ושאין בו ביטול מלאכה לעם כגון ראשי חדשים אלמא דר"ח‬
‫אסור בעשיית מלאכה ותירץ דההיא לנשים קאמר שהן בטלות ממלאכה אבל האנשים‬
‫מותרים במלאכה וברייתא ה"ק יום שאין בו ביטול מלאכה כל כך כגון ראשי חדשים‬
‫שאין הנשים עושות מלאכה בהם וכן פירש"י והביא ראיה שאסורות בו במלאכה‬
‫מדכתיב "ויאמר לו יהונתן מחר חדש חנפקדת כי יכקד מושבך ושלשת תרד מאד ובאת‬
‫יט( ותרג' יונתן‬-‫יח‬:‫ פרק כ‬,‫אל המקום אשר נסתרת שם ביום המעשה" )שמואל א‬
‫ביומא דחולא והתם גבי ר"ח קאי דקאמר ליה מחר חדש וקרי ליה לערב ר"ח יום‬
‫המעשה אלמא ר"ח לאו יום המעשה הוא וגם התוס' כתבו שם שר"ח מותר בעשיית‬
(‫ בית יוסף‬,‫ )שם‬.‫מלאכה לאנשים אבל נשים אסורות במלאכה וכ"כ המרדכי‬
45
lit “on the day of the incident” (JPS, p. 451)
46
The complete texts of the Rashi and Tosafot are as follows:
,‫ומקרא מסייעו‬....‫ שאין הנשים עושות מלאכה בהן‬,‫ אין בו ביטול מלאכה כל כן‬- ‫ ראשי חדשים‬:‫והנה לשון רש"י במגילה כב‬
",‫ דקאמר ליה "מחר חדש‬,‫ והתם נמי גבי ראש חדש קאי‬.‫ ביומא דחולא‬:‫דכתיב "אשר נסתרת שם ביום המעשה" ותרגם יונתן‬
.‫ ראש חדש לאו יום המעשה הוא‬:‫וקרי ליה לערב ראש חדש "יום המעשה" אלמא‬
(‫א‬,‫ דהא בפרק "אין דורשין" בחגיגה )יח‬:‫ וקשיא‬- ‫ ושאין בהן ביטול מלאכה כגון ראש חדש קורין ארבעה‬:‫וזה לשון התוספות שם‬
‫ אבל‬,‫ דודאי מותר הוא בעשיית מלאכה לאנשים‬:‫ שיש בו קרבן מוסף ומותר בעשיית מלאכה! ויש לומר‬,‫ ראש חדש יוכיח‬:‫אמרינן‬
.‫ לפי שלא פרקו נזמיהן במעשה העגל‬,‫נשים אסורות במלאכה‬
There is a difficulty for our rabbi since he quoted the section in Megillah
that Rosh Hodesh is a day when the people do not lose work time by
remaining longer in the synagogue, since it would follow then that work
should be prohibited. He resolved this difficulty by limiting the
prohibition on work to women but that men may work. The Baraita
quoted in Megillah should really read “a day when there is not so much
work time lost, such as Rosh Hodesh on which women do not work.”
This is how Rashi understood this text and he brought a proof text that
women are forbidden to work on Rosh Hodesh from the verse “Jonathan
said to him, ‘Tomorrow will be the new moon; and you will be missed
when your seat remains vacant. So the day after tomorrow, go down all
the way to the place where you hid the other time (I Samuel 20:18-19).”
The Aramaic translation of Jonathan for “the other time” is “on a
weekday.” There, this is referring to Rosh Hodesh since he said to him
“Tomorrow will be the new moon” and he is calling the day before the
day of Ma’aseh (activity). Therefore I say that Rosh Hodesh itself is not a
day of activity. The Tosafot also write there in Megillah that men may
work on Rosh Hodesh but women are forbidden to work. The Mordechai
also agrees.
It is especially interesting to note the final words quoted above, those of the
Tosafot. They state openly that while men are permitted to work on Rosh Hodesh,
women are actually forbidden to work on that day!
‫ברית שׁוֹמרות המחזוֹרים‬
Women are the guardians of the covenant of sacred cycles as men are the
guardians of the covenant of our survival. The ceremony Hanna and I developed, which
borrows elements from some which preceded ours, is based on this assumption. It is
meant to be celebrated at home, in an evening during the waxing of the moon (and
perhaps in conjunction with havdala). It begins with an invitation to Elijah the prophet
to join us now as he has traditionally been present at circumcisions. It’s narrative is the
story of the creation of the sun and moon, used, as we have seen, as a metaphor for the
relationship between men and women. It rejoices that we have finally arrived at the
moment for the revelation of the feminine. Its ritual is not limited by the procreative
focus of the Brit of Avraham and so we speak of the awakening of the five senses, of the
entire body, mind and soul, which must function in harmony in order to truly guard
and celebrate the sacred cycles of body and people. We wash the baby’s hands in rain
water, which connects heaven and earth. And we conclude with a naming whose form
is ancient, part of the Sephardic ‫סדר זֶבד הבת‬, the order of the joy of (welcoming) the
daughter, and with a song. The ceremony is gentle and, being without physical
discomfort, can often take much longer than the welcome we give a boy. It is almost as
though the extra time, the slower pace, is a lingering in a present too long denied.
‫ברית שוֹמרות המחזוֹרים‬
GUARDIANS OF THE SACRED CYCLES
A WOMEN’S COVENANT AND NAMING CEREMONY
This ceremony is an expression of the ever-unfolding song and spirit of woman,

as she reclaims her space within the rituals and practices of the Jewish people.
(An honored person brings the child in as everyone says:)
‫ברוכה הבאה בשם יי‬ B’roochah hah-bah’ah b’shaym Ahdonai
Broochah Hah-bah’ah
Welcome Woman-Child
Newborn guardian
of the sacred gift
of cycles and seasons.
Within and all around you,
be witness to the rhythms of
surrender and renewal
faith and love
knowledge and intuition
as you awaken
to the indwelling presence of Shekhina
We welcome you
into the world
into your family
into your people
May you know from your early days

how we dance through the spiral of
dark and light
slavery and freedom
wandering and revelation
planting and harvest
new moons and full moons
returning always to the luminous now
within the timeless refuge of Shabbat
Elijah the Prophet, ‫אליהו הנביא‬, is known as the guardian of young children and his spirit is
welcomed at the covenant whose sign is circumcision, at the Pesah Seder, at the weekly Havdalah
ceremony, and today, at the covenant of sacred cycles. The presence of Elijah at this ceremony
bids us look through the life of one child to the continuity, hope and fulfillment of creation.
(An empty chair with a pillow on it is set aside for Elijah the Prophet.
The child is placed on the pillow.)
‫זה הכסא של אליהו הנביא זכור לטוב‬

Zeh hah-keesay shel Eliyahu hah-nahvee zahchoor lah-tov
This is the seat of Elijah the Prophet, whose presence opens the gates of blessing.
A ‫ ברית‬is a covenant, a promise, an agreement between human beings and God. It is usually
marked by a symbol that reminds us of this agreement. Every time we see a rainbow in the sky
we remember that God promised Noah not to destroy the earth by a flood again. God’s covenant
with Abraham and Sarah, regarding the holiness of procreation, is marked by circumcision. And
the women’s covenant of the sacred rhythms of life is represented by the moon-white sliver of
Shekhina’s return.
In the beginning, sun and moon were created equal, two great lights in the sky.
But the moon was diminished,
to receive and reflect the radiance of the sun.
The Holy Ancient One promised that one day
the fullness of the moon would be restored.
There is a very old story that

when the Children of Israel left Egypt,
God gave them a gift -
no longer slaves,
they could observe the moon cycles
and celebrate the sanctity of time.
Rosh Hodesh Song Exodus 12:2 Hanna Tiferet
‫ה ח ו ד ש ה ז ה ל כ ם רא ש ח ד ש י ם‬ Hah-chodesh hah-zeh lah-chem rosh chodahsheem

‬ ‫ראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה‮‬ Reeshon hoo lahchem l-chodshay hah-shahnah
I give to you the circle of the seasons ‘round the sun

And by the cycles of the moon you’ll know which month has come.
You can make time sacred when you measure it with care.
Tell your stories, sing your songs, and gather close in prayer
‫ניסן אייר סיון תמוז אב אלול‬ Nisan Iyar Sivan Tamuz Av Elul
‫ תשרי חשון כסלו טבת שבט אדר‬Tishri Cheshvan Kislev Tevet Sh'vat Adar
But when they stood at the mountain of Sinai
after seeing sounds
and hearing vision
“the men took off the gold rings that were in their ears” (Ex. 32:1-3)
to make a calf of gold.
So the moon watch of Rosh Hodesh
was entrusted to the women
for all time.
By observing the new moon festival,

women became guardians of sacred time.
As they watched the light of the moon
expand and diminish,
in harmony with the ebb and flow
of the cycles within their own bodies,
they welcomed Shabbat and holydays
with light,
ever mindful
of the gifts of heaven and earth
Today we announce the birth of our new daughter (and sister),

welcoming her into the covenant that our mothers have guarded for so long.
(The parents recite the traditional Sheheheyanu blessing:)
.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם שהחיינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה‬
Bahrooch ahtah Ahdonai Elohaynoo melech hah-olahm
shehecheyahnoo v-keey’mahnoo v-heegee’ahnoo lah-z’mahn hah-zeh.
Let us bless the Source of All who has given us life, sustained us,
and brought us to this wondrous moment.
AWAKENING OF THE FIVE SENSES
The ritual part of the ceremony honors each of the five senses, to awaken the child to the
simple and precious experiences of dwelling in physical form. Each element is accompanied by a
‫( ברכה‬blessing) or ‫( פסוק‬verse) to connect it to the Creator. May her parents guide her and
remind her that everything comes from God.
1. SIGHT:
Jewish women have been guardians of the light, kindling the spiritual flame for home
and community since ancient times. With every Shabbat and holy day we remember the
spark of spirit within and manifest its beauty and wonder through lighting the fire of
enlightenment, love, and peace.
1. (If the ceremony is being done as part of Havdalah, the mother lights a
multi-wicked candle before the ceremony and when the time comes says
the following blessing:)
.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מאורי האש‬

Bahrooch ahtah Ahdonai Elohaynoo melech hah-olahm boray m’oray hah-esh.
Let us bless the Source of All who creates the lights of the fire.
2. (When we name a baby on Shabbat, we light two 24 hour candles on

Friday in the room where the ceremony is to take place. Instead of a
blessing, the mother says the following verse from the morning service:)
‫ ודבק לבנו במצותיך‬,‫והאר עינינו בתורתך‬

V-hah’ayr aynaynoo b’torhatechah v-dahbayk libaynoo b-mitsvotechah
“May your eyes be enlightened by the Torah and your heart be drawn to kind deeds.”
3. (When we name the baby on Rosh Chodesh, the mother lights a special
candle and says or sings the candlelighting blessing for the new moon.)
Rosh Chodesh Candlelighting (words by Marcia Falk, music by Linda Hirschhorn)
‫אור חדש מאור קדמון‬ Or chahdahsh, mah’or kahdmon New moon, ancient light
‫תנשא נפשי אליך‬ tinahsay nahfshee aylechah may my spirit rise to you
( ‫ב ש מי ח ו ד ש ) ש ם הח ו ד ש‬ bi-shmay chodesh (name) in (name of month)’s sky.
4. (When we name the baby on a weekday the mother lights two candles
and says the following blessing:)
‫ברוכה את שכינה‬ Broochah aht Sh’cheenah You abound in blessings, Sh’cheenah

‫א ם כל ח י‬ aym kol chai Mother of all Life
‫אשר קרבתנו‬ Ahsher kayrahvtahnoo who has brought us near
‫אל לבבך‬ el l’vahvaych to Your heart
‫והזמנתנו‬ V-hizmintahnoo and invited us
‫להדליק נר‬ l-hahdleek nayr to kindle the lights
‫של ש מ ח ה‬ shel Simchah of Simchah.
2. TASTE:
The fruit of the vine is a symbol of abundance and joy. We share wine at every holiday,
savoring the sweet taste and wishing each other a ‫( לחיים‬l’hayyim), a good life.
(The baby is given a taste of wine or grape juice and the following is said by the father
or close relative:)
.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן‬
Bahrooch ahtah Ahdonai Elohaynoo melech hah-olahm boray p’ree hahgahfen.
Let us bless the Source of Life, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Kos Miriam is a new tradition that was begun in a women’s circle in

Boston. We designate a special cup for pure spring water from the well of
Miriam and honor the basic element of life. We also dedicate ourselves to
preserving our environment so that our children’s children will have pure
water to drink.
‫זאת כוס מרים כוס מים חיים זכר למעשי בראשית‬
Zot kos Miryam, kos Mahyim Chahyeem zaycher l-mah’ahsay v’raysheet
This is the Cup of Miriam, the Cup of Living Waters.
Let us remember the wonders of creation.
‫נברך את עין החיים שנתנה לנו מים חיים‬

N’vahraych et Eyn Hah-chahyeem she-nahtnah lahnoo Mahyim Chahyeem
Let us bless the Source of Life who has given us living waters.
‫ברוך אתה הי אלהינו מלך העולם שהכל נהיה בדברו‬

she-hahkol nih’yeh bi-d’vahro
Let us bless the Source of All by whose word everything is created.
3. SMELL:
The sense of smell unifies us with our breath and reminds us of the soul.
As we breathe in, we receive the gift of life and inspiration. As we breathe
out, we relax and let go so that we can receive again and again.
(The child is offered fragrant flowers to smell and this blessing is said:)
.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם בורא עשבי בשמים‬

Bahrooch ahtah Ahdonai Elohaynoo melech hah-olahm boray isvay b’sahmeem
Let us bless the Source of All who creates the flowers of the field.
It is customary to plant a tree when a child is born whose branches will be used as the huppah
poles for the wedding. This is a wonderful time to plant a fruit tree, a flowering shrub, or
perennial flowers that will grow with the child.
4. TOUCH:
HAND AND/OR FOOT WASHING

(for which we gather rain, lake, river, sea water, or bottled spring water)
The water of life flows from the Shekhina, Mother of Life. It is the symbol of
womanspirit, emotions, dreams, compassion, and intuition. The element of water
connects and nurtures heaven and earth, as rain falls from the clouds and returns, and
ocean waves rise with the tides in response to the phases moon. As we dip into the
living waters, our simple and pure beginnings wash over us.
(The child’s hands and/or feet are washed, using a bowl, a cup, and a towel and this
blessing is said:)
.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת ידים‬
ahsher kid’shahnoo b-mitsvotahv v-tzivahnoo ahl n’tilaht yahdahyim.
Let us bless the Source of All who brings us close to holiness
through the mitzvah of washing and raising the hands.
With the purifying water from the Garden of Eden we wash and welcome
you into the Jewish people and the covenant between God and women,
guarding the sacred cycles of time. May you remember and return often
to the pure spring of life and immerse yourself in truth, joy, and hope.
THE NAMING
‫ רחל ולאה‬,‫ רבקה‬,‫מי שברך אמותינו שרה‬

‫ ואסתר המלכה בת אביחיל‬,‫ומרים הנביאה ואביגיל‬
‫הוא יברך את הנערה הנאימה הזאת‬
‫ויקרא שמה בישראל‬
‫בת‬
‫במזל טוב ובשעת ברכה‬
‫ויגדלה בבריאות שלום ומנוחה‬
‫לתורה ולחופה ולמעשים טובים‬
‫ויזכה את אביה ואת אמה לראות בשמחתה‬
‫בבנים ובנות עושר וכבוד‬
‫דשנים ורעננים ינובון בשיבה‬
.‫וכן יהי רצון ונאמר אמן‬
May God who blessed our mothers
Sarah, Rebekkah, Rachel, and Leah
Miriam the prophet and Avigayil
Esther the queen, daughter of Avihayil
bless this beautiful little girl
and let her name be called in Israel
daughter of and
at this favourable moment of blessing.
May she be raised in health, peace, and tranquility
To study Torah
To stand under the Huppah
To do good deeds.
May her parents merit to see her happy
blessed with children, wealth, and honour
peaceful and content in their old age
May this be God’s will. Amen.
(adapted from Seder Zeved ha-Bat, Sephardic ritual)
5. SOUND:
The nicest sounds we know are those of songs. Is there a melody you sang during her
birth? Does she have a favorite lullaby? Is there a song in the Torah portion, or the
liturgy, or the Psalms that speaks to her name or spirit?
(The following blessing may be said by grandparents or siblings:)
‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם שומע תפלה‬
Bahrooch ahtah Ahdonai Elohaynoo melech hah-olahm shomay’ah t’fillah.
Let us bless the Source of All, who listens to prayer from the heart.
A wish: May the sound of blessing flow through your ears and fill your
heart, reminding you of the song of the angels and the blessing of the
Holy One, from whom you so recently came.
Recite Sh’ma with the girl’s name inserted in the place of Yisrael.
Then the traditional Sh’ma is said all together.
‫ י–ה אלהינו י–ה אחד‬---- ‫שמע‬
‫שמע ישראל י–ה אלהינו י–ה אחד‬
Sh’mah Yisrah’ayl, (Adonai)YAH Elohaynoo (Ahdonai)YAH Echahd
(At this moment, the parents tell the story of the name they have given
their daughter and what it means to them. Then they recite the following
blessing:)
‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם‬

‫אשר קרבנו לעבודתו‬
.‫ונתן לנו להכניס את בתנו בברית שומרות המחזורים‬
ahsher kervahnoo lah-ahvodahto
v-nahtahn lahnoo l-hahchnees et beetaynoo b-v’reet shomrot hah-machzoreem.
Let us bless the Source of All who has brought us close through the gift of
our daughter so that we might bring her into the covenant of the
Guardians of the Sacred Cycles.
(The Priestly blessing is said by the rabbi and the naming certificate
given.)
When the Ba’al Shem Tov was asked why people love children so much,
he answered that a child is a human being who is still very close to
creation. And since there was so much ecstasy at creation, it still shows in
the child.
(The ceremony can conclude with the song sung earlier,
Siman Tov Umazal Tov, or whatever else you choose)

Moon White Sliver of Shechina's Return

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Moon White Sliver of Shechina's Return

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MOON: WHITE SLIVER OF SHECHINA’S RETURN

Part One: INTRODUCTION

.‫ לֲעשוֹת את השׁבת לדוֹרתם ברית עולם‬,‫ישׂראל את השׁבת‬/ ‫ושׁמרוּ בני‬

Rabbeinu Asher (Rosh)...said of the cherem of Rabbenu Gershon...that with it he

May you know from your early days

(Hanna Tiferet Siegel)

Let us return, then, to the specifics of how we develop a ceremony in which we

(‫ נר בצהרים אינו מאיר )רש"י‬:‫שרָגא בטיהרא‬29

This ceremony is an expression of the ever-unfolding song and spirit of woman,

(An honored person brings the child in as everyone says:)

‫ברוכה הבאה בשם יי‬ B’roochah hah-bah’ah b’shaym Ahdonai

May you know from your early days

‫זה הכסא של אליהו הנביא זכור לטוב‬

There is a very old story that

Rosh Hodesh Song Exodus 12:2 Hanna Tiferet

‫ה ח ו ד ש ה ז ה ל כ ם רא ש ח ד ש י ם‬ Hah-chodesh hah-zeh lah-chem rosh chodahsheem

I give to you the circle of the seasons ‘round the sun

By observing the new moon festival,

Today we announce the birth of our new daughter (and sister),

(The parents recite the traditional Sheheheyanu blessing:)

.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מאורי האש‬

2. (When we name a baby on Shabbat, we light two 24 hour candles on

‫ ודבק לבנו במצותיך‬,‫והאר עינינו בתורתך‬

Rosh Chodesh Candlelighting (words by Marcia Falk, music by Linda Hirschhorn)

‫ברוכה את שכינה‬ Broochah aht Sh’cheenah You abound in blessings, Sh’cheenah

Kos Miriam is a new tradition that was begun in a women’s circle in

‫נברך את עין החיים שנתנה לנו מים חיים‬

‫ברוך אתה הי אלהינו מלך העולם שהכל נהיה בדברו‬

.‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם בורא עשבי בשמים‬

HAND AND/OR FOOT WASHING

‫ רחל ולאה‬,‫ רבקה‬,‫מי שברך אמותינו שרה‬

(adapted from Seder Zeved ha-Bat, Sephardic ritual)

‫ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם‬

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