By Miriam Grysmintz
This week’s parsha includes the law: “From among your own people, your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself; that is whom you shall heed” (Devarim 18:15).
Most nivi’im (prophets) would get a message from God through a dream or a vision. They would have a certain closeness to God, and they would be role models and set moral standards for the whole community. The nivi’im were spokespeople for God and they gave the people reminders of how they should act.
There were seven famous female niviot (female prophets): Sara, Miriam, Dvorah, Channa, Avigayil, Chuldah and Esther. They were all very strong women.
A story from Midrash Rabbah says that Sara was strong enough to say she was disappointed in Hashem when she was in the Egyptian palace and Pharaoh tried to take her to be his wife.
Miriam was another niviah. Some commentators think that she was Puah, the Egyptian midwife. Miriam/Puah was very brave and risked her life to save the baby boys after Pharaoh made the decree that the midwives had to kill them. Miriam was also very brave to watch over Moshe and to make sure he had a good home to go to when their mother put him in the Nile in a basket. Pharaoh’s daughter rescued him, but it was Miriam who arranged that her mother would nurse and take care of Moshe. By doing this, Miriam kept Moshe connected to the Jewish people that he would later save.
Another example of a strong niviah is Devorah. She was so brave and became an army commander during a period when women did not do that. In fact, Barak, the leader of the Israelite army, was afraid to go out to war if Devorah was not with him.
All seven neviot needed God’s help or even just God’s presence to be as brave as they were. It can be very challenging to stay strong, but they did.
I feel especially connected to these women because of what I have been going through recently. During the past few years, I have had to have four surgeries, and it was hard to be brave. I couldn’t have stayed strong without the help of God. After my surgeries, I received support and comfort from the community and that brought me closer to Judaism.
Even if you’re not a prophet, God can still help you to stay strong. And even if you are not a prophet, you can also help other people stay strong. You can make them a meal or visit them when they aren’t feeling their best. If you help someone, they can then help another person. It is like a chain — if one person is strengthened, they can then help strengthen others.
Miriam Grysmintz is a seventh grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School.
