Every Shabbat, we read a portion of the haftorah, most similar related to the Parsha. This week’s haftorah, one can learn a very interesting and inspiring lesson from its main character, Rachav.
Yehoshua, the leader of the Israelites, who proceeded as leader after Moshe, sent out spies to the promised land 39 years after the first disastrous attempt; apparently, it cost the Jews dearly. Yehoshua’s intention was to find out the mood of the enemy. The Israelites will soon be invading Canaan. To learn the pulse of who they’ll be invading shortly, they had to travel through Rachav’s house. Since travelers from all parts of the land passed through her inn, she was continually aware of the country’s mood. Why was her inn so popular? Well, it wasn’t her inn that was popular; it was she.
The Gemarah (Megila 14, zevachim 117) says she was one of four of the most beautiful women that ever lived. She was so beautiful, she would make an impotent man be able to function. She had a uniqueness as to how to make a man perform, and she did it through her intelligence, in which, she was able to transform herself and act like whoever her client imagined her to be; a psychologist par excellence. With those tools, no man can resist her advances. Rachav was a prostitute, and the best in the business. In fact, the word Rachav means “to spread”; meaning she would say yes to everybody weather a king or a commoner. Rachav would sleep with any guest that would travel to her inn.
When the two spies, Kalev and Pinchas, arrived at her inn, she sensed a certain distance. The sages say that man has two sides; it doesn’t matter how holy he is, he can even be seduced in the Bet Hamikdash (temple). However, with her new guest, it felt like a different script. She sensed a certain purity she never felt before and she was impressed. With all the pleasures that Rachav experienced, beauty plus intelligence equals power, whether through kings and interesting places and situations, she now saw a different side of the world. Rachav’s eyes opened and discovered new pleasures, in which she never thought existed. As a young girl, at age ten, she heard of the miracles, splitting of the sea, revelation at Mount Sinai; it made an impression; however, it seemed so remote.
The King of Jericho sent a message to Rachav, “Get them out, they’re spies.” “They came to me, I didn’t know who they were. They left a little while later and I don’t know where they went.” Rachav hid them on the roof. Apparently, sometimes one gets a message from G-d and you’re fortunate enough to realize the sign. She said to G-d “I would sin – my inn has a window that my clients climb up with a red rope and hide in the flax up on the roof. Now I’m doing G-d’s commandment – hiding these Jews as they climb up on the red rope and hide on the roof.”
She threw the king’s soldiers off the trail. When the coast was clear, she said to the spies, “I know G-d gave you the land; our people are scared of you because of your G-d. The miracles that occurred were frequent and make the people in this country tremble.” She then went through all the conquest of the Israelites, as if it’s on the mind of all the inhabitants. “Please save myself and my family. Their reply, “Tie this very same red rope around your house and you and your family will not be touched.”
One of the qualities of Rachav was positive reinforcement. She was a master at projecting that. The spies felt confident and reassured that the enemy is scared of them. She imbedded into their psyche, “You have G-d on your side.” Here is this non-Jewish prostitute giving a pep-talk to these accomplished stars of the Jewish hierarchy. When the spies arrived back, they confidently reassured the people.
The quality of having the ability to reassure and the fact that she risked her life by hiding the two spies was a tremendous act of kindness. As a reward, she eventually, after she converted, married Yehoshua, the leader of the Jews.
The quality of having the ability to reassure and the fact that she risked her life by hiding the two spies was a tremendous act of kindness. As a reward, she eventually, after she converted, married Yehoshua, the leader of the Jews.
What merit did she have? She stepped up to the plate. Rachav, psychologically, set the tone for the Jewish people. She had an opportunity and grabbed it; throwing away her identity and starting new.
It is astonishing. Here is the most powerful woman that ever lived, having looks, brains, personality, education, class, money, power, charm, and grace. She can get any man she wants. Besides the fact, she was in her prime. There were not many women like her; a master in giving and receiving pleasure. However, she gives up on that life for a life of being a Jewish mama!! She felt it would be more fulfilling playing the role of building a Jewish home, raising children with her husband. It would be more real, more fulfilling as a woman. How funny is that? She used her powers and her gifts on her husband and children. Many famous prophets came out of the union of Yehoshua and Rachav; most notable, Yirmiyahu.
Leave a Reply