The Light of Jewish Women

And you shall command (t’tzaveh) the Children of Israel that they take for you pure olive oil, pressed, for lighting, to make a light shine out continuously.
                                                              Exodus 27:20

Ba’al haTurim (13^th century) comments that the gematriya (numeric equivalent of the letters) of “t’tzaveh” (you shall command) equals “nashim tzivah” (He commanded women), and that this hints at the Shabbat candles which are lit by Jewish women.

My father added that we can see this as a hint of the fact that it is women who light the fire of Torah through educating their children, as indeed the early education of a Jewish child and his/her introduction to our heritage are dependent upon the mother.

This Dvar Torah is dedicated to the memory of two remarkable women: Ruby Jorban Rashbaum and Barbara Rashbaum Pomerantz, whose yahrtzeits fall this year on Shabbat Parashat Tetzaveh. May their souls be bound in the bonds of life.