I imagine a bumper sticker I have never seen that reads, “God is not a bigot.” It comes to me every time a person, religious or not, declares another as less-than-human for who they are: whether they are queer or non-gender conforming, or their skin color is different, or they are women who demand equal treatment to men, a different religion, or ethnicity. Our Torah teachers us that all human beings are created בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים (b’tzelem elohim) “in God’s image.” (Genesis 1:27), i.e. everyone is a reflection of God. This idea, that God created everyone and accepts everyone and that it is our limited perception that distorts this reality is reinforced in this week’s Torah portion where we read about the daughters of Zelophehad. “The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.” (Numbers 27:1) The Torah continues, “They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said, Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah’s faction, which banded together against God, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons. Let not our father’s name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen!” (Numbers 27:3-4) In other words, their father died without having any sons and, as women, his daughters are not entitled to inherit his land holdings in the Land of Israel, so it will pass out of the family. Women in ancient Israel, like in many cultures, had no legal right of inheritance. It is important to note that these women are bringing their plea to an all male assembly of leaders. Moses does not know what to do, so he brings their request to God. God’s answer is unequivocal, “The plea of Zelophehad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them. Further, speak to the Israelite people as follows: ‘If a householder dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter.” (Numbers 27:7-8) God understands what many of us do not, that all human beings are of equal value. If we all lived our lives guided by that spiritual and moral insight, imagine what a paradise our world might be.
Pinchas, Numbers 25:10-30:1, Parshat Hashavua for Shabbat, July 8, 2023
July 6, 2023 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot
I imagine a bumper sticker I have never seen that reads, “God is not a bigot.” It comes to me every time a person, religious or not, declares another as less-than-human for who they are: whether they are queer or non-gender conforming, or their skin color is different, or they are women who demand equal treatment to men, a different religion, or ethnicity. Our Torah teachers us that all human beings are created בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים (b’tzelem elohim) “in God’s image.” (Genesis 1:27), i.e. everyone is a reflection of God. This idea, that God created everyone and accepts everyone and that it is our limited perception that distorts this reality is reinforced in this week’s Torah portion where we read about the daughters of Zelophehad. “The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.” (Numbers 27:1) The Torah continues, “They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said, Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah’s faction, which banded together against God, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons. Let not our father’s name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen!” (Numbers 27:3-4) In other words, their father died without having any sons and, as women, his daughters are not entitled to inherit his land holdings in the Land of Israel, so it will pass out of the family. Women in ancient Israel, like in many cultures, had no legal right of inheritance. It is important to note that these women are bringing their plea to an all male assembly of leaders. Moses does not know what to do, so he brings their request to God. God’s answer is unequivocal, “The plea of Zelophehad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them. Further, speak to the Israelite people as follows: ‘If a householder dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter.” (Numbers 27:7-8) God understands what many of us do not, that all human beings are of equal value. If we all lived our lives guided by that spiritual and moral insight, imagine what a paradise our world might be.