Musing – Why would I thank God for Not Making Me a Woman?

Hebraic Musing – Why would I thank God for Not Making Me a Woman?

At first I could not believe this; but according to a Jewish Siddur, prayer book, this prayer to be recited daily.

"Blessed are you, Hashem, King of the Universe, for not having made me a Gentile.
Blessed are you, Hashem, King of the Universe, for not having made me a slave.
Blessed are you, Hashem, King of the Universe, for not having made me a woman."

This prayer is to be recited every morning by millions of Jews around the world!  Many could interpret these statements as proof of Judaism’s anti-Gentile and anti-female posture; but is that conclusion correct?

In the Torah there are certain laws that apply differently to different people groups – men, women, priests, Levites, kings, and slaves, among others.  Even though God commanded the other nations to obey certain laws in the Torah, they were not responsible for observing the same number of commandments as the people of Israel.  Therefore, thanking God for “not making me a Gentile” does not reflect an attitude of Jewish superiority, instead, it indicates an attitude of willingness to obey a greater number of commandments.  Likewise, that same principle applies to a willingness to obey more commandments than are required of women and slaves.

Torah laws were not purposed to put one in right standing before Jehovah.  The Apostle Paul made it clear that even the Gentiles could be members of God’s people by the original Israelite method demonstrated in Abraham’s justification by grace through faith.  Abraham believed God; and thus he was declared righteous!  Paul explained how Gentiles can become full members of God’s family – belonging to the Jewish Christ without proselyte conversion in Galatians 3:26-28 – “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  NIV

Notice that if you compare the Jewish prayer with Paul’s statement in Galatians, they both mention the same three groups (Jews/Gentiles, slaves/freemen, men/women) and they are even referenced in the same order!  Is it possible that some modern Jewish traditions trace roots back to the first century? 

Here are a few interesting differences and perspectives re men and women in the Torah and Jewish tradition:

·      There are three mitzvot (commandments) that are traditionally reserved for women: nerot (lighting candles), challah (separating portions of dough), and niddah (sexual separation during a woman's menstrual period and mikvah afterwards).  

·      Could it be that thanking God for not making me a woman has to do with thanking G-d for giving women binah, greater spiritual wisdom and understanding?  Did God make women closer to His idea of spiritual perfection, and for all the joys women possess?

·      The Talmud says that when a pious man marries a wicked woman, the man becomes wicked, but when a wicked man marries a pious woman, the man becomes pious.  (Sounds like my personal testimony!)

Could this morning prayer help to remind us to accept how God made us?  “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God?  “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'”  Rom 9:20

Points to ponder

Are these good reasons to seek a Proverbs 31 wife – “A wife of noble character who can find?”

Can we Christians thank God for being held to a higher standard than non-believers?

♫  Lord, You are the Potter and I am the clay. Mold me and make me, have Thine own way. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          March 19, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by and excerpted from Dr. Eliyahu Lizorkin-Eyzenberg’s  “Jewish Insights into Scripture” Pg.57.