Achieving the passion of the Women of the Wall

We can learn a lot from the women of the wall and their high level of passion. If secular Jews had a sliver of this passion, we would be in a much better spiritual place. The women of the wall are going to great lengths to achieve the ultimate goal of a Jew, to have a closer relationship with G-d. But somehow the Jewish people have lost their way. Learning from the women of the wall will help us regain that relationship.

It has been mentioned on more than one occasion that the the women of the wall have misguided goals and that they are just trying to rile up the observant community. But anyone trying to achieve this relationship with G-d should be someone we should emulate, not criticize.

Imagine that Lebron James Is playing In a championship basketball game. Does Lebron worry about which brand of hot dogs the concession stand is selling in the arena? Probably not because he is focused on the game itself. He studies his opponents, their defenses, who he has to defend, and his own teammates. Although the hot dog vendors are part of the game day experience, it is not the focus of the game.

In Judaism, we have many parts to our game but our main focus is the big 3, Shabbas, kosher and family purity laws (Mikva). These are the mitzvahs that statistics say have the most impact in keeping your family Jewish. Women with this much passion will obviously do anything to keep their families Jewish. The critics of the women of the wall say that they are are focused on the hotdogs and not the game. But anyone with this much passion must be on their game.

I can only imagine what an experience it must be to be at a shabbas meal with one of the women of the wall! Lively shabbas songs, deep Torah discussions, and the ultimate in spirituality! I am sure that their families are just like mine on Saturday mornings, walking to Shul while their children run to be the first ones there. Passionate women like these must keep the strictest kosher laws, probably so strict that they won’t even eat at my house!

There was a recent article that said that the women of the wall are standing on street corners in Tel Aviv and getting secular Israeli women women to wrap tefillin. Soon they will be doing the same with Mikva. They just have to figure out a way to get a portable one!

While everyone might not agree on what the women of the wall are doing, we can all agree that their passion for a closer relationship with G-d through prayer, is what we should all strive for. Besides, who would go to a basketball game just for the hot dog and not even care about the game? That would be crazy!