What a night.
We just finished JWCATLANTA’s Challah Bake with a Twist.
Under the able leadership of Elana Yoels and Jessica Dickson, almost 300 women learned to braid and flavor premade challah dough, and participated in a candle decorating project, while enjoying the company of friends old and new over a glass of wine.
It was a celebration of Shabbat.
We talked about the power of the Shabbat candles and how they are emblematic of creating connection. Just as one who wants to create a special ambience or connection with another would create a beautiful dinner with wine and candlelight, so too do we begin Shabbat.
It is the woman who lights the Shabbat candles as women are typically the ultimate connectors.
In this week’s Torah portion we meet another influencer.
It is the Torah portion of Noah, and the story of the destruction of the world by a flood and the survival of Noah in his family in the Ark.
Five times in the portion it mentions Noah’s wife, but her actual name does not appear. It is the Midrash that reveals her name, Naamah, which means pleasant, as her deeds were pleasant.
One of the commentaries ask, why are we not told her name in the text, why is she continuously dubbed The Wife?
The explanation given is that in those dreadful days leading up to the Flood, the sanctity of marriage was corrupted. While men in those days were allowed more than one wife, they began the despicable practice of having one wife for childbirth, and another wife reserved for pleasure. The harmony and balance of the marital relationship which incorporates all aspects of interaction, was distorted.
In the case of Noah and Naama she is given rhe appellation of The Wife, because they did not fall prey to this sick version of a marriage, but instead had a wholesome partnership.
In this case, being called The Wife, was praise indeed.
During the time of the Flood, while the family was taking refuge in the Ark, marital relations temporarily ceased.
However upon exiting the Ark, Gd made it clear to Noah and his family that they were to resume proper family relationships.
Noah, however, decided he would not reunite with his wife in a misguided pursuit of holiness.
Unfortunately, without the steadying influence and balance created together with his wife, Noah sins egregiously.
He starts the portion being known as a righteous person and he ends up being known as a person of the earth, a person of base needs.
In fact, he is referred to as “just Noah”, he has lost his spiritual stature.
A great fall has come about in his character as a result of losing his moral compass, his wife. Naamah fulfilled the role of partner to her husband.
Alongside her, Noah was his best, a righteous man. She helped him reach his potential. However, after the Ark when Noah decided to remain separate from her, he began his downfall.
When we light our candles to bring in the Shabbat, we pray for those in our orbit and we hope that the light and connection we bring into our homes and into their hearts, will light the way to a life of potential and blessing.
Thank you to our amazing Challah Bake chairs who uplifted our preparations for Shabbat this week!
Shabbat Shalom and so much love.