Here's just one proof that when there is a clash of wills between a husband and God, a true "isha kashera — a kosher woman" fulfills the Will of her Creator over the will of her husband.
The Torah teaches blind obedience to Hashem and not to anyone else.
The Torah teaches blind obedience to Hashem and not to anyone else.
Hashem's Brave and Steadfast Women
"And the men came, accompanying the women...." (Shemot 35:22)
The Kli Yakar explains:
The Kli Yakar explains:
And the commentators said that it means "with the women."
So, it declares the righteousness of the women, who agreed to give of their jewelry.
And it seems to explain that it is truly praise for them because according to the law, they didn't need to give of their jewelry because it was the men who removed their own rings and produced from those the [golden] calf. It is necessary for them [the men] to give of their own rings and their own jewelry to atone for their souls.
But the women, who didn't want to give of their jewelry during the episode with the calf, therefore do not need to atone for [that deed].
Nevertheless, due to their great affection for the holy object [i.e. the Tabernacle/Mishkan] they did not stop themselves from giving.
Yet nonetheless, the women didn't want to bring the donation to Moshe with their own hands so that Moshe wouldn't think they had a part in the transgression [of producing the golden calf] — as it says: "....every generous heart shall bring...."
But the women didn't bring.
Instead, they gave of their jewelry [i.e., to the men and then the men brought the women's jewelry to Moshe].
Yet because the words say "al hanashim — 'upon' the women," it makes sense to explain it in that they [the men] came upon the women with great force because the women didn't want to give all the gold, so people shouldn't say that they had a part in the gold of the calf.
Therefore, the men came upon them and took all the gold from them in a strong-armed manner.
And that is why, in the bringing of the gold, it mentions the men only.
Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim of Luntschitz (1550-1619) lived in Bohemia (which is today Poland and Czechoslovakia). He served as rabbi and dayan and wrote several books, the most well-known being his commentary on the Chumash known as the Kli Yakar.
Although I did borrow a few terms here and there from Rabbi Elihu Levine's translation, this is primarily my own translation and any errors are also mine.
For a wonderful rendering of the Kli Yakar into English, including helpful footnotes, please see Rabbi Elihu Levine's translation.
Although I did borrow a few terms here and there from Rabbi Elihu Levine's translation, this is primarily my own translation and any errors are also mine.
For a wonderful rendering of the Kli Yakar into English, including helpful footnotes, please see Rabbi Elihu Levine's translation.
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