This Week’s Torah Portion: Chukat (Numbers 19:1 -22:1)

This week’s Torah Portion marks the passing of Miriam, the first of that remarkable family of leaders who brought us forth out of Egypt. But consider this simple lesson in the numbers of Numbers: Moses is mentioned 766 times in the Torah, Aaron’s name is mentioned 347 times, and Miriam is mentioned by name 12 times. In sum, one generation of one family of Israelites is mentioned in the Torah 1125 times and Miriam represents only 12.

What does that teach us? Well, it teaches us that the words of women are undercounted in the Torah, and yet it also teaches us that Miriam mattered. Miriam is remembered as the first woman to be called a prophet in Israel. Miriam who protected Moses as a child, who led the women in Song as we crossed the Red Sea, who found water for our thirst during our wanderings through the desert, Miriam who is mentioned just 12 times in the Torah is remembered by millions still today. May we all be worthy of such a memory.