The Unique Spirituality of Women and Children: Chapter 2 – Teneh – Categories of the Jewish People Correspond to Levels of Torah

Ten halachic categories in the Jewish People are detailed at the beginning of the Torah portion of Netzavim. They are all commanded to stand together "today" before G-d. Our Sages say that "today" refers to Rosh HaShanah. Our power to merit in the judgment of the High Holy Days is our togetherness. Five of the ten categories of the Jewish People are outlined in the first verse: "Your heads, your tribes, your Elders, your Police, every man of Israel." The second verse also has five categories. It begins, "tapchem neshechem," "your children and your women." The women are the seventh of the ten categories of the Jewish People. The most dear in any enumeration is the seventh. (Kol hashviin chavivin). The children are the sixth category.

The first verse ends with "every Jewish male" and the second verse, which is obviously a new category, begins with "your children and women." The initial letters of the three genders of the Jewish People, male, female and children, also create the same acronym of teneh. The order is just reversed. The tet is taf, children, the nun is nashim, women, and the alef, which is the lowest category, is anashim, men. The men correspond to the letters, otiot, as in "the letter of the law." The women, nashim, correspondto the nekudot, vocalization or proper pronunciation, and the children, taf, to the hidden sweet level of the ta'amim, which will only be fully explained by the Mashiach.

The ta'amim and nekudot are the two higher, secret levels of the Torah. This is one of the secrets of teneh, that the highest level of all is the children, followed by the women and then the men. There is potential in this year, t'hai shnat nashim taf, that in the merit of the women and children, the concealed, inner dimension of the Torah, will be revealed.

Other chapters in this series:

1. Teneh–Revealed and Concealed Levels of Torah
2. Teneh – Categories of the Jewish People Correspond to Levels of Torah
3. Hakhel – To Learn, to Hear, to Merit
4. Taf (Children) – Drops and Prophecy
5. Nashim (Women) – Breath and Soul
6. Inner Dimension of Torah and the Inner Dimension of the Heat
7. Redemption in Merit of Women and Children
8. Search For My Inner Essence
9. Two Levels of the Inner Dimension
10. Israel, Torah, and God – Inner and External Dimensions
11. Four Directions and the Four Worlds
12. Emanation Consciousness – No Friction
13. Face, Innerness, Glory, and Atzilut (Emanation)
14. Awareness of a Higher Dimension Helps to Create a Good Year