Fragment from one of the Bar Kochba lettersBar Kochba’s orders for the last revolt against the Romans were found in the 1960s in a cave in the wadi of Nahal Haver, near the Dead Sea.
Some of the Jews had hidden in the cave for safety, but the Romans trapped them there. The skeletons of this group were found in the cave; with them was a wallet of papers belonging to Babatha, daughter of Shimon. Many of the papers were in Greek and indicate that Jews often or occasionally took their disputes to the local Roman governor.
Despite the tense period, it seems that on the whole there were cordial relations between Jews and gentiles, and women were not too reluctant to take commercial or legal initiatives.
Babatha appears to have been a businesswoman and the papers include records of her business dealings.
Was she one of the eight women whose bodies were found in the cave together with men and children? Did she leave her records in the cave and go elsewhere, never to return?
We cannot be certain, but it is clear that women like Babatha were crucial in maintaining a semblance of normal living. That in itself was also a form of defiance of the overlords.
A large part of the Torah reading this week is concerned with the holiness pattern of the Jewish calendar, the series of festivals through which we re-experience the lives of our ancestors and celebrate the gifts and guidance of God.
The Vilna Ga’on used to say that the command, “Six days shall work be done” refers to the six major holy days of the Jewish year, Pesach, Shavu’ot, Sukkot, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Shabbat.
Of course in one sense the connection with work is that it is not done, strictly so on Shabbat and almost as strictly on the festivals. But if the Ga’on speaks of work being done, he must have something else in mind, presumably the work of making each occasion special and memorable.
In a physical sense the work required to mark each day is done beforehand, but in an emotional, spiritual and cultural sense we have to invest the day with happiness and joy, with intellectual as well as spiritual content, with songs, psalms and prayers, with conversation with others about the theme of the day and with thanks to God for His gifts and greatness.
This week’s portion commands, “You shall count from… the day you bring the omer of the waving, seven complete weeks” (Lev. 23:15).
When we usher in a special occasion we generally say the Shehecheyanu blessing, but not when we start counting the Omer at the start of the seven weeks between Pesach and Shavu’ot.
This is probably because the counting was an exciting prelude to a series of rituals that took place when the Temple was standing, and now we do not have a Temple.
Some also say that though we are happy to start counting the days we never know for certain that we will complete the count and observe Shavu’ot.
Of course this is a fear that affects every bone of us at all times. We are never certain what next year or even tomorrow will bring.
The most we can do is to live today wisely and well and pray that God will bless us to complete our days in peace and blessing.
Q. Is my rabbi right in not shaking hands with women?
A. Physical contact with women is a halachic problem, even with one’s own wife when she is niddah.
Many authorities rule against shaking hands with women if there could be any sexual or erotic interest involved. It could be different in a business context where a commercial transaction is being sealed (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 21:5; R’ma’s glosses).
The Bach, commenting on the halachic issue, says that “In our country people are lenient in these matters and we do not forbid it”, provided the handshake is perfunctory and L’shem shamayim (“for the sake of Heaven”).
An illustration is given from Talmud Yerushalmi Sotah 3:1 that a kohen was allowed a brief contact with a woman’s hand when she brought a meal offering. Since the touching of her hand was brief and utilitarian there was no thought of sexual desire.
Those rabbis who shake hands with women do so because it is a mere social convention without any deeper implications. Other rabbis avoid any physical contact, though some will shake a woman’s hand if she puts out her hand first.
Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple zt”l passed away in January 2024. As an archive of the Rabbi’s written contributions across his many fields of interest, this site is a tribute to the man and his work. See the About section for more information on his life. Y’hi zichro baruch.
OzTorah is a weekly email service and website exploring the timeless teachings of Jewish tradition from a contemporary Australian and global perspective. The site includes insights into the parashah, an Ask the Rabbi forum, and articles on various Jewish and interfaith issues.
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Festivals & Fasts, Lag Ba'Omer | 
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A large part of the Torah reading this week is concerned with the holiness pattern of the Jewish calendar, the series of festivals through which we re-experience the lives of our ancestors and celebrate the gifts and guidance of God.
A. They are correctives of each other.
