Yehudit: The Woman Who Saved the Day
It is not clearly known when the story which we are about to tell actually took place. The story first appeared in a very ancient book named after the heroine, Yehudit (Judith), and it was written in Hebrew. However, the original text was lost, and only a Greek translation remained, and not a very accurate one at that.
The story was retold in different versions. According to one version, it happened during the time of the Maccabean revolt against Syrian oppression, and Yehudit was a daughter of Yochanan the high priest, father of the Hasmonean family.
At any rate, the heroic deed of Yehudit has inspired faith and courage in the hearts of Jews throughout the ages....
Read the rest of the story here.
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Women at War: A Chanukah Lesson
The hall was packed. This was no ordinary wedding, but the wedding of the daughter of one of Jerusalem’s most prominent families. Leaders in the still quiet and nonviolent rebellion against the Greeks, they were respected and loved by Jews throughout the Land of Israel. Not to mention that, as priests in the Temple, the family had been looked up to for generations.
Amidst the elegant flowers, soft music, and the conversations of the guests, the bride suddenly stood up, walked to the center of the room, placed her hand on her chest, and tore open her gown.
Shocked, angry, and embarrassed, her brothers rose to drag her from the room. But she stood firmly in place and addressed the room: “You who are so zealous that you would kill me, are not zealous enough to protect me from the hands of the Greek governor who will come here to assault me tonight.
“Did you not learn from Shimon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, who, though only two men, killed the entire city of Shechem for her sake? Place your faith in the One Above, and He will help you.”
Her five brothers declared their willingness to go to war, and were answered by a voice emanating from the Holy of Holies promising victory.
Read the rest of the story here.
Because of the righteous women, we were redeemed from Mitzrayim and so we will be redeemed for the Geulah shleimah because of the righteous women of today (you, included, Devash and many of the other women of these fine blogs). nili
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