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By Rabbi Daniela Szuster,
B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica

Translated by Inés Baum - Proofreading by Ellen Zindler

Something interesting happens in this week’s parashah. Five women, sisters and daughters of the same father, appear before Moses to explain their problem.

While in the wilderness, before entering Israel, the people had divided the territory by tribes and families. Each family had an appointed land, which would be inherited from generation to generation.

The problem that afflicted these sisters was that their father had no sons to inherit the land, in accordance with the law of that period. This being the case, they could not inherit the land.

Zelophehad’s daughters asked Moses for permission to inherit said land. Moses did not know what to do so he asked God, and the Lord answered in the affirmative.

Regarding this episode, many sages positively underline the attitude of these women. Rabbi Nathan, for instance, in a Midrashim book called Sifrei, says: “The merit of these women is larger than the men’s; during the years they spent in the wilderness. Why? Because the men, some chapters before, said, Nitna rosj be nashuva mitzraima, 'Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.' (Bemidbar 14:4). The women, on the other hand, said, Tna lanu achuza, ‘Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father'” (Bemidbar 27:4).

What is the difference between one request and the other? Why does Rabbi Nathan give preference to the women’s attitude before that of the men? Because the men had their sight set backwards, towards the land of Egypt. They wanted to go back to the past, to the apparent convenience and comfort of Egypt. They were not willing to risk their lives for a more fruitful, although uncertain, future. Their vision was directed towards the familiar, following the famous saying “the past was better than the present”.

Zelophehad’s daughters, on the other hand, directed their eyes toward the future, hopeful of being granted possession of their land, where they would be free and independent, with no more suffering and oppression on the part of the Egyptians. They wanted to possess the land that belonged to them, so that they and their descendants would not lose that right.

Two different attitudes. The latter looked forward, the former looked back. Some wanted to return to the past, full of sufferings but which were well-known and apparently comfortable. Others preferred to take new courses, full of challenges and uncertainties but with the hope of becoming more free and independent.

We can relate these positions to our own lives. How do we react before the changes we face in our life? Do we prefer to turn our footsteps toward the past, not accepting the new reality, or do we pick up strength and look ahead of us, toward new paths that help us grow and improve ourselves?

It is up to us to choose where to direct our sight and actions, with the consequences entailed to each option.

May God grant us the strength and courage to face the changes presented by life, and may we have the ability to look ahead, dreaming of settling in our land instead of yearning for the suffering and oppression of slavery.

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Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama.
Translated by Inés Baum and proofread by Ellen Zindler, from B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica.

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