One-Woman Supreme Court

Dvorah (c.1107-1067 BCE) Also known as “Deborah”, she was the fourth Judge and Leader of Israel after Moses. A One-Woman Supreme

A Date Palm. Deborah Would Have Sat Under Something Similar

Court, she would sit under a palm tree all day and judge the toughest legal issues of the day. At the time, Israel was overrun by a Canaanite megalomaniac named Yavin, and his general Sisra. Dvorah inspired a rebellion and led the battle towards a miraculous victory, freeing the Jews from oppression. She subsequently composed a beautiful poem – “the Song of Dvorah” – which we sing to this day (see Judges, chapter 5). A woman of incredible power, she is one of the Seven Prophetesses of Israel, led the nation for 40 years, and according to esoteric sources, could even communicate with beings from another planet! It is fitting that her name is Dvorah, meaning “bee”, whose honey is sweet but whose sting is painful.

Happy Adar and Shabbat Shalom!

Words of the Week

Said Rabbi Joshua ben Levi: When a person walks along the way, a troop of angels march before him and announce: “Make way for the image of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.”
– Midrash Rabbah, Devarim 4