STORY OF CHANNAH: 22. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband:
"Until the child is weaned, then I shall bring him, and he shall appear
before the Lord, and abide there forever.
QUALITY OF PIRKEI AVOT: dominion
PROVERBS: Chapter 22
Week 22 is the week of Rosh
Chodesh Adar. The verse from the
story of Channah continues last week’s description of Elkanah’s annual pilgrimage,
in which Channah chooses to stay behind to nurse Shmuel. Interestingly, the
text emphasizes how Channah told her husband the reason why she chose not to
go. This additional emphasis, demonstrates Channah’s concern for her husband,
as well as a certain level of subservience, even though, Channah ultimately has
her way in the matter. Adar is the
month of Purim, which is the story of
how another woman, Queen Esther, is able to convince her husband, Achashverosh,
to save the Jewish people and destroy its enemy, Haman, who was effectively
ruler of the kingdom at the time.
This week’s Pirkei
Avot quality is that the Torah grants dominion, Memshalah. Memshalah is
different from kingship, Malchut, in
that it does not necessarily reflect royalty. One can rule without being king,
like Joseph did as viceroy, and like LeHavdil,
Haman did, as mentioned above. Memshalah appears
to reflect more of a masculine power, connected to shear power and force, while
Malchut is has a more elevated
sublime feminine quality, as reflected in the Sefirah of Malchut, which
is connected to speech. This is all very much connected to the above verse in Channah’s
story and to Adar.
Chapter 22 of the Book of Proverbs is
very much about power. Its focus is primarily on economic power, physical wealth.
1. A name is chosen above great
wealth; good favor over silver and gold.
2. A rich man and a poor man were
visited upon; the Lord is the Maker of them all.
(…)
4. In the wake of humility comes
fear of the Lord, riches, honor, and life.
(…)
7. A rich man will rule over the
poor, and a borrower is a slave to a lender.
The word used for “rule” in verse 7
is Yimshol, from the same root as Memshalah.
This year there are two months of Adar, and yahrzeits are usually commemorated on the second one, unless the
person passed away in the first Adar in
a year that also had two. We will therefore, leave the descriptions for the
next month, when we repeat weeks 22 through 25.
