How many biblical women can you think of? Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and…?
The truth is, many women are mentioned in the Bible. Most aren’t power players with stories of their own like Moses or King David. Many aren’t even named. But Rabbi Jill Hammer and Shir Yaakov Feit, in the new book The Omer Calendar of Biblical Women, use the 7-week structure of the Omer to introduce us to 49 different women, all of them portrayed–or alluded to–in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings.
Some are well-known, such as Miriam. Others are more obscure, such as Serah, the immortal granddaughter of Joseph. Hammer and Feit have linked each woman’s story to the particular kabbalistic sefirah that goes with each day of the Omer count, highlighting qualities such as compassion or strength or fortitude, which are more apparent in some cases than others. Regardless, the Omer Calendar is full of insights, inspiration, and great stories–a book of biblical women whose usefulness transcends the 49 days of the Omer.
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