A Tribute to Nehama Leibowitz

In chapter 2 of Breisheet, the first woman is created. The woman is called “Isha” as it says in Breisheet 2:23 “And the man said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man (ki meish lookcha zot)”.

 

In chapter 3 sentence 20, the woman is called “Chava”: “The man called his wife’s name Chava because she was mother of all of the living (em kol chai)”.

 

Nehama Leibowitz brings down a commentary from the Akedat Yitzchak (Rabbi Isaac Arama 1420-1494):

 

The two names, “Isha” and “Chava” indicate two purposes. The first one, “Isha” teaches that woman was taken from man, stressing that like him you may understand and advance in the intellectual and moral field just as did the matriarchs and many righteous women and prophetesses and as the literal meaning of Eshet Chayil (Woman of Valor Proverbs 31) indicates. The second, “Chava”, alludes to the power of childbearing and rearing children as is indicated in the name “Chava”, mother of all of the living. A woman deprived of the power of childbearing will be deprived of the secondary purpose and will be left with the ability to do evil or good like the man who is barren. Of both the barren man and woman Yishayahu (56:5) states: “I have given them in My house and in My walls a name that is better than sons and daughters”.

 

Nehama Leibowitz (1905-1997) lived in Israel and was a teacher of Torah to thousands, maybe millions of people through classes, lectures, worksheets (which Nehama mailed out to people all over the world and personally corrected and mailed back) and books. Nehama exemplified an “Isha”. Since Nehama was not able to bear children, she did not fulfill the role of “Chava” in the formal sense. However, there is a quote from the Gemara in Sanhedrin 19b “Whoever teaches someone else's child Torah is considered as if he had given birth to him”. In that case, Nehama Leibowitz fulfilled the role of “Chava”, mother of thousands, possibly even millions of children from varied backgrounds throughout the world.

  

PSALMS AT THE WESTERN WALL FOR YOU OR A LOVED ONE CAN BE ARRANGED BY TORAT REVA YERUSHALAYIM

Torat Reva Yerushalayim is proud to give you the opportunity to have a learned person recite Psalms on your behalf on a weekly basis at the Kotel (Western Wall).

Jacob, our Forefather calls Jerusalem “The gate of heaven”. According to Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z”l, “Just as things can go in through a gate, so can they emerge. Thus, all spiritual sustenance and blessing come only through Jerusalem , as it is written, ‘God will bless you from Zion ’ (Psalms 128:5). It is taught in the Zohar that God first sends a blessing to Jerusalem , and from there it flows to the entire world. Today, when the Temple no longer stands, the source of this blessing is the Western Wall.”

Tehillim (Psalms) at the Western Wall can be recited on your behalf for the following:

  • Health/ Recovery from an illness
  • Healthy childbirth
  • Shidduch (finding a mate)
  • Thanksgiving
  • Livelihood & success
  • Divine guidance
  • Troublesome times
  • Repentance
  • Peace

With your monthly donation of $18 or more (or yearly donation of $180 or more) to Torat Reva Yerushalayim, you will be performing the important mitzvah of contributing toward the Torah education of the forgotten population of senior citizens in Jerusalem, while having your prayers recited by a learned person at the footsteps of Judaism’s holiest site.

Your contribution can be made by mailing a check to Torat Reva Yerushalayim,

75 Berkeley Avenue , Yonkers , NY 10705 or via Paypal, by clicking on the link below and scrolling down to the “Make A Donation” button.

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