In parsha Matot, Moses presents God’s law regulating vows. All vows must be fulfilled. However, when an unmarried woman or a wife makes a vow, her promise is good only if her father or husband offers no objection to it. By contrast, the vow of a widow or divorced woman is binding upon her. These details point out that women could make vows and were held responsible for them unless the head of the household disagreed with the vow.

I am assuming that for the most part the head of the household would not want to step in and nullify the vow of his daughter or wife. The head of the household perhaps would have a more “global” perspective about the ramifications of any promises made by an individual in the family. There are those who look at this Torah portion as sexist, which it is using the sensibilities of a modern person. We always have to remember that the Torah was written 3,500 years ago.

In many ways it is a document advanced for its time but in other ways it reflects the time in which it was written. Ancient societies were sexist, women did not have the same rights or responsibilities that men enjoyed. So when we judge the passages in the Torah let us always remember when they were written and pay close attention to the remarkable insights we can learn from its teachings.

This is the anniversary of Temple Shirat Shalom, we have officially been serving our community with weekly services for one year. Let us now all say the Shehecheyanu our prayer of thanksgiving. In it we thank God for sustaining us and allowing us to reach this time.

The children of Israel are on the fortieth year of their wandering in the desert. They are a stiff necked people bickering and complaining; yet they were able to come together and rise victorious against their enemies. How can a people suffering from internal strife fight as a unit to overcome forces much stronger than they are? The children of Israel had a common cause: the survival of the Jewish people. They were fighting for their very existence. There is, of course, a lesson here for us. We too are facing many adversities. It is always hard to start something new and to keep it going past the first flush of excitement. We are still creating our structure and we are creating minhagim or customs for Temple Shirat Shalom. It is a daunting task yet we are energized because we are doing this to preserve something beautiful and meaningful.
In this week’s parsha King Balak, a Moabite, was frightened by the strength of the Children of Israel and calls upon a soothsayer to curse the Israelites. His name is Balaam. Balaam goes on his donkey and stands on a hill overlooking the encampment of the Israelites. He is about to curse them when an angel appears to stop him. Balaam does not see the angel but his donkey does. The donkey then proceeds to speak to Balaam and tells him about the angel. Balaam beats the donkey in frustration. Three times this happens and each time the angel tells Balaam to bless the Israelites, not to curse them, and each time he blesses them with beautiful poetry. This poetry is read every morning during the Shacharite service. Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov. How lovely are your tents oh Jacob your dwelling places O Israel.
This is an amazing Torah portion filled with poetry and miracles. The miracle of a donkey speaking. The Rabbis pondered the speaking donkey and had many answers for this miracle. The donkey didn’t really speak: it brayed knowingly. Animals have a sixth sense and understand things we do not. But what was most telling to me was the discussion by the Rabbis that we have miracles everyday and we do not see them. The miracle of creation; the beauty of nature; the miracle of love. As it says in our prayer book “We walk sightless among miracles”. Ultimately what we are to learn from this Torah portion is that curses can become blessings and that miracles are everywhere: we just must look.