Chayeh Sarah
I’ve been putting extra sugar in my coffee these days. Heck, we need to sweeten life. After venturing out through the terror town of Huwara and into civilization- we reach one of many strip malls in the city of Ariel.
I come alive upon seeing the stores, the cafes and bustling crowds buying their Shabbat needs. I sit sipping hot latte in a glass cup, breathing in that shopaholic satisfied sigh. Viewing the street before me, it isn’t hard to notice that almost everyone out here are women.
Here and there a soldier sprinkles the shopping vista in olive green and gives a contra to the colorful headscarves everywhere. Taking a closer look- these ladies look great! Their gracefulness and majestic postures, their styles all class in their Blundstone boots and settler panache say it all. Consider waking up every morning and deciding to put your make-up on and march to the order of the day, wow- especially now. Spot on, bravo – as we feed, pray cry and beautify. Sweetening life is our mission statement now.
Our women have been put in a sense on the front lines as well. We are “sisters are doin it for ourselves”. We are “And Your faith in the nights”. We are lionesses. When someone asks me- “how are you?” I think not you- “we all in this together!” When the boat rocks, WE are the anchor. Resilient, not conformable, versatile yet unbending in our stand, we do not have the ability to hesitate.
From the beginning of this war mamas have been braving the brunt of home completely on their own. There is worry, hardship and panic when missile alerts hit. Wondering what could be in the terror tunnels as their husbands cannot call home. Women of all kinds- wives, mothers, grandmothers, daughters are in the forefront.
This is when we turn to our Matriarchs.
BE DECISIVE
As in Abraham’s view to be more inclined to give evil a chance, our Matriarchs were firm and immutable! Sarah discerns- “שלח את האמה הזאת!”- Send away this evil from our home! Sarah was able to recognize the imprint Yishmael will make in his murderous ways.
Rivkah Immeinu held these traits as well from the very first scene when she says “I will go with Eliezer!” – not hesitating and later being able to assess and use guidance on the story of Esau and Yaakov. Their candles burned from one Shabbat to the next, lighting up as later the light of the Holy Temple shone out from Jerusalem. Their dough was blessed, a cloud hung over their tent as later the clouds of glory would take Israel to the Promised Land.
The Matriarchs are known for their trait of discernment. Crucial for the survival of the Jewish people. In honor of our Matriarch Sarah Immeinu, I’ll laugh a little more like she did. I’ll believe the impossible is possible as did occur to her and as for me, I will sprinkle more sugar, and not hesitate because FAITH calls us to be decisive. I know it might be in now in some cultures to say you can be fluid and have many identities and many opinions on the same thing. That is not the way of our Matriarchs. That is not my way.
At this opportunity I would like to thank you all dear Friends of Itamar for your tremendous outpouring of support during this time. We feel your chizuk and we are grateful for it! There are so many people we need to thank for their incredible encouragement- TODAH RABAH!
Many ladies around Israel have been cooking 24/6 for the war effort – from Nir Tzvi to Raanana and all over Israel. Thank you Buchmans Pizza for feeding thousands of soldiers everywhere. Anyone interested in helping these efforts can find them online.
Shabbat Shalom! Leah
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