SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS --- LESSON 06

WOMEN’S RIGHTS

EQUAL INHERITANCE FOR WOMEN

From Numbers 27

One day, when Moses was with Eleazar the priest and the tribal leaders at the entrance to the tabernacle, the daughters of Zelophehad came with a request. These women were descendants of Joseph’s son Manasseh through Manasseh’s son Gilead. Their father was Zelophehad, their grandfather was Hepher and Manasseh’s son Gilead was their great-grandfather. The five women, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, presented this request to Moses and the leaders: Our father died a natural death in the wilderness, but left no sons, they said. He had no part in Korah’s rebellion and was not one of those who died as a result of it. Why should our father’s name cease because he had no sons? Give us an inheritance among the men of our father’s family. Moses brought their request to Adonai. Adonai told Moses, the daughters of Zelophehad are right. Give them an inheritance among their father’s family that would equal their father’s inheritance had he lived. Tell the people of Israel that when a man dies without a son, his inheritance will pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, his inheritance will pass to his brothers. If he has no brothers or daughters, his inheritance will pass to his uncles. And if he has no uncles, it shall pass to the closest relatives in the family. This will be a Law among the people of Israel, for Adonai has Commanded this through Moses. After a time, Adonai again spoke to Moses. Go up into the mountain of Abarim and look across the land which I have given to the people of Israel, Adonai said. After you have looked at it, you will die in the mountain, just as your brother Aaron died in another mountain. You will not go into the Promised Land, for you rebelled against Me and did not honour Me in the Wilderness of Zin when the people were stirred up against Me. Adonai was speaking about the incident at Meribah in Kadesh when Adonai told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth. Before I die, may Adonai appoint a new leader over the people of Israel, Moses said to Adonai. Let him be a man who will lead them into battle and go before them as a shepherd goes before his flock, lest they become like sheep without a shepherd. Bring Joshua the son of Nun, who has the Spirit of YHVH upon him, Adonai said. Take him to Eleazar the priest and while the people watch, put him in charge of the congregation of Israel. Give him some of your authority while the people watch that they will know that he is their leader and thus will obey him. Let Joshua stand before Eleazar the priest, who will ask Adonai for Instructions. Adonai will speak through the Urim and Eleazar will relay His Instructions to Joshua and the people. In war or in peace, Joshua and all the people will come or go according to these instructions and Adonai will continue to lead His people. Moses did exactly as Adonai Commanded, placing Joshua before Eleazar the priest and the entire congregation of Israel. Moses placed his hands upon Joshua and commissioned him to the work that Adonai had Commanded him to do.

COMMENTARY

LIFE THEY LEFT BEHIND: WHAT EGYPTIAN WOMEN WORE

For more than a thousand years, Egyptian women wore clothing very close in style to what their ancestors wore. The clothing was very simple. The Egyptian woman wore a white linen gown that dropped from under her arms down to her feet. It was held up by fairly wide shoulder straps. Over this was a large white shawl. Her head was protected from sand and dust by a semi-circular kerchief that tied in the back. In later years, the gown was fuller and pleated and had sleeves. On her feet she wore simple sandals made of reed, papyrus or leather. That is, if she did not go barefoot, which even the well-to-do often preferred. For important occasions, sometimes the white linen was decorated along the edges. The care and styling of the hair was as important as the clothes. Wealthy women spent much time conditioning it, dying it and trying to prevent it from turning gray. Some of the recipes for hair care look very strange to modern eyes. This one, for example: Paws of a dog, one part; kernels of dates, one part; hoof of a donkey, one part. Cook very thoroughly with oil in an earthen pot and anoint therewith. Women of leisure not only took great care of their hair themselves, they also had hairdressers come to their homes to set and curl it for them. The hairdressers used ivory and wooden hairpins similar to the metal hairpins in use today. Scissors did not exist, so clumsy razors were used to cut the hair. But for very special occasions, no hair style was enough, no matter how elaborate. Wealthy Egyptian women wore wigs. Their own hair would be close-cut to the head to allow it to fit well. The wigs were thick and heavy, made of black or dark brown sheep’s wool and sometimes of human hair. They were quite large and long and usually went below the shoulders. By the last years of ancient Egypt, they had become enormous. Jewellery and ornaments were worn in them. Perfumed wax cones set on the top melted in the course of the evening, dripping their perfume on the head and body of the wearer. The wigs were kept in special lidded boxes made of woven grass. They looked something like the wicker baskets of today. Finally, no woman considered herself well dressed unless she wore a collar around her shoulders called an {aah.} Similar to the flower collars guests were given at parties, these were made of jewellery. They sometimes ended in falcon’s heads. Some of them were fairly slender, but they could be very wide and extremely complicated. Perhaps the jewelled collar of a well-dressed woman was what the writer of the Song of Solomon had in mind when he said: Her neck is as stately as the tower of David, jewelled with a thousand heroes’ shields!