Who's your momma?

InspirationParsha

Jan 16

At the beginning of this week's Parsha, the Torah gives us the ancestry of Moses and Aaron and their children. It is not the first or the last time the Torah gives us their pedigree. What is different is the association with their mothers as opposed to their fathers.

(Generally in Torah tradition, tribal association is defined by the father, and identity by the mother.)

The message is clear, that the capacity to be a leader is nurtured by the mother. It is in the power of the mother to nurture an identity of care and concern for others.

The anomaly however is the association of Elazar son of Aharon and the wife that he took. The Torah tells us that she was the daughter of Puteal. Why was he called Puteal because he fattened (Pitem) cows for idol worship. That surely doesn't sound like an inspiring pedigree!

Contained therein is yet a further message about the power of the influence of the mother and the identity of a true leader.

Compassion is not only for those that show up in life as wonderful perfect human beings. We don't accept our children when they are good samples of the family pedigree. We accept them even if they are wayward and even if they perhaps are worshipping idols.

The Jewish People needed compassionate leaders to see them for the creation of G-d that they were.

This is our calling today more than ever. To see our children as they are in G-d's eyes, not necessarily as they show up for us.

How do you see your children?

With blessings of seeing the positive in everyone and especially our children.

Good Shabbos

Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman

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Who's your momma?

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Who's your momma?

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