Truth is speaking, Susan B. Anthony is organizing, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton is writing, three essential elements of activism (Artist's Statement from Meredith Bergmann, #Monumental Women website).There's something so powerful about the way in which these women exist together in time. They bring their spirit and their differences to the table to work for the betterment of the whole.
In this week's parasha, we meet the king of Sodom, a place that housed very wicked sinners against the Holy One (Genesis 13:13). The King of Sodom traded people and possessions and fostered the toxic atmosphere that comes with living solely for one's self interest. (Come to shul Shabbat morning to learn more about the King of Sodom and our ancestor Avram from our Bar Mitzvah, Henry Dean.) In contrast to the King of Sodom, we find Malki-Tzedek, Melekh Shalem the Priest of the Gd of justice and humanity. This king brings forth abundance, giving Avram gifts of bread and wine, affirming Avram's actions and commitment to the communal interest. As Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch writes in his commentary on Genesis 14:17, the juxtaposition of the egoistic behavior of the king of Sodom with Malki-tzedek’s pleasant behavior serves to highlight how different they are. Malki-tzedek's actions had nothing to do with the king of Sodom. He acted by virtue of his position as priest of the god of justice and humanity. Sodom worshipped a different God, one with no interest in righteousness and humanity. Humanity and Egoism are both divine. Faith in the god of justice will one day become the heritage of all humanity, and all law in human society will return to this justice: “For right shall return unto justice” (Psalms 94:15). At that moment in time, however, that faith took refuge in Shalem, and any peace-seeker could find it there. Translation by Levi Morrow
Sodom was a place without empathy, a community of indifference. Shalem was a place of righteousness and peace. In every moment, we have the power to decide what kind of community we are nurturing, what kind of city we are building, what kind of world will be ours. The Women's Rights Pioneers Monument portrays complex portraits, showing their attention to and respect for each other and, through their body language and subtle aspects of their facial expressions, some of the tensions among them (Bergmann). Building a world of justice and freedom is not easy. Our narratives do not always perfectly align. Yet, the psalmist refers to Gd as boneh yerushalayim, the builder of Jerusalem. Like the Holy One, our mission is to build a makom/a place of sanctity that honors humanity and brings healing to those in need.
Truth, Stanton and Anthony (perhaps Sojourner, Elizabeth and Susan when we get to know them better) are not dreaming, but working.They are an allegory of sisterhood, cooperation and activism, but they are not just an allegory as so many sculptures of women are (Bergmann). Like these three suffragists, we must find a way to work together, to build up our world as a sustainable home for the short and the long term. We must turn away from the self interest of Sodom and turn towards the wholeness of Shalem. In the Ashrei we read, Poteyach et yadecha umasbiah l'chol chai ratzon - Open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. As you make your way to your polling site, or place your ballot in the mail you might offer this blessing, May these hands that build and strive to do good in the world help bring justice and equity, sanctity and freedom as they complete and surrender this ballot to the electoral process. May these hands advance the prayers of our hearts as they amplify the work of our mouths in choosing righteousness and dignity for all.
Shabbat Shalom
rg
