Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
Why does the סוֹטָה (sotah) ceremony involve writing down some pesukim with the name of God, and then dissolving them in water?
אָמַר ר' יִשְׁמָעֵאל גָּדוֹל הוּא הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁוִּתֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם, כְּדֵי לְהַטִּיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ.
R. Yishmael said: Peace is so important that God let the Holy Name be erased by water in order to bring peace between a married couple.
- Why would God allow God’s own Name to be erased? What does that represent? What does that tell us about what’s most important to God?
- Why do you think שָׁלוֹם (shalom, peace) is so important? What’s possible in our lives when we have shalom? What happens when shalom is missing?
- What are things you’re able to do to increase shalom in your family or among your friends? Do you ever have to give up things that are important to you for the sake of peace (like God allowing the Holy Name to be erased)?
- We’ll be hearing about בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing) later in our parashah. (Look it up! Bemidbar 6:23-27.) Where does shalom fit into this berakhah?
- Did you know that the word “Shalom” is considered to be one of the names of God? Because of this, you aren’t even supposed to say this word in the bathroom! (Talmud Bavli Shabbat 10b)
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