Women of the WELL

Artist: Debra Sifen

I’ve written before about the Women of the Wall. If you’ve been under a rock and have not heard of them, they are a group of women who have made quite a scene at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (the Kotel) in order to have their own women’s service amongst other things. In response to that group, another group (Women for the Wall) was formed to oppose the Women of the Wall. Meanwhile, it seems that the Women of the Wall now have now split views. It seems that they were given a “spot” at the wall, and part of their group was pleased and the other part not-so-pleased. Apparently they are not only for “getting a piece of the wall” but some of them have an agenda to “liberalize” all the other women praying at the wall (who are happy and do not care to be liberalized). In addition, it seems that many of the representatives of this group are actually part of other “anti-Israel” groups. Hmmm. Anyway, we apparently have a lot of women at the wall these days. I am a woman, and I have prayed at the wall, so I suppose that makes me a woman of and for the wall.

But let's get biblical for a minute. In the past two weeks we have read in the Torah parshiot (section of the Torah read weekly), about our foremothers, Rivka (Rebecca) and Rachel, both of whom are first seen by a well. Both of them used the water in the well as a way of offering kindness. Rivka went so far as to not only offer water to Eliezer (Abraham’s servant, who had come to find a wife for Isaac) but to water all his camels as well. We also read later about Miriam who was followed by a well through the desert and the sadness that overcame the Jewish people when Miriam died and the well dried up. This had me thinking. It seems to me that historically or at least biblically, we are more a people of the “well” then of the wall. I’m not belittling the significance or importance of the Kotel, but walls signify boundaries, borders, and dividers. They are well, quite manly. Wells, well, they signify spirituality, intuition, wisdom and kindness and from my perspective much more feminine or womanly.

I can also tell you that in Israel water is a big concern and a blessing. We pray for water. For six months there is no water and during the other six months every drop is cherished. Perhaps all the women should relocate and refocus. Perhaps they should consider becoming Women of the Well. There is a lot that could be done with all this energy in regards to water. And if you think it might be hard to find a well these days, I’m afraid you’re wrong there too. Nearly every corner in Israel and every orthodox synagogue in America has one. There is no shortage or lack of space. It is called a mikvah. In fact, we've had wells and mikvahs long before we had walls. Not only can you go hang out around such a well, but also you can actually submerge yourself in it. You can pray while you're in it too. I've known woman whose entire lives have changed from dipping in a mikvah. So, from my humble opinion, there is no need to stand against or for a wall....when you can get into a well.