6053 —נשים בחזית ההשפעה הקהילתית

B"H, 14 Shevat, 5718. Brooklyn.

HaAvrech Aharon sheyichyeh

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the day of the yahrzeit with the pan to be read at an auspicious time at the holy resting place of the Baal HaHilula, who is my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe zatzukal lehe nbagam zy"a.

You write about communal activism which, as you put it in your letter, is a new kind—meaning activism that also involves women. In truth, this is actually something very old, as discussed even at the farbrengen last Motzaei Shabbat regarding what is written: 'VaTa'an Lahem Miriam' (And Miriam responded to them), where 'lahem' is masculine (and not feminine as would be expected grammatically). In Midrash Tanchuma: when Israel came up from the sea, Israel and the angels came to sing; the Holy One said to the angels: let Israel go first. Later, when the women arrived and the angels stood by wondering who should sing first, Rabbi Chiya said that first were the angels and then the women (thus 'lahem' refers to angels), but Levi said: "By Heaven! I will not accept this; rather, it was the women who sang first." Even according to the first opinion, the angels needed permission from the women. It is well known—the talk of my revered father-in-law, the Baal HaHilula (on Shevi'i Shel Pesach twenty years ago)—about the greatness of women with their tambourines and dancing over Moshe's and Israel's song; see there.

May it be G‑d's will that this activism too should be exceedingly successful—which includes above all increasing the number of participants, both those influenced and those who influence—and fortunate is their lot who engage in this.

With blessings for good news in all mentioned above.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that women's communal involvement has deep Torah roots and brings great merit. He encourages expanding these efforts for even greater impact among all participants.