An
Easy Delivery
By Dovi Scheiner
A
married woman secludes herself with another man, yet denies there was any
impropriety.
The
woman is brought before the Kohen, who prepares for her a cup of sacred waters
capable of assessing her guilt or innocence. If the woman is guilty, the sacred
waters will take her life, "causing her stomach to distend and her thigh to
collapse." If the woman is innocent, however, the waters bring great
blessing. The woman gives birth to a fair-skinned child, the delivery process
painless!
The
blessings awarded a guiltless woman are precise. Once confronted with the
prospect of an unusually painful death, she now produces new life painlessly.
Once faced with the threat of an exploding stomach, her features blackening in
agony, the woman now welcomes the arrival of a fair-skinned baby!
In
the cosmic union between G-d Alm-ghty and the Jewish nation, G-d is the husband
and the Jewish people His wife. Great temptation tests our relationship with our
Heavenly husband, so Hashem implores us to maintain our loyalty, urging us to
refrain from alternative forms of worship.
All
the same, at times we may fail, isolating ourselves from Hashem, entering into
seclusion with our evil inclination. Such senseless promiscuity wounds our
spiritual identity and leaves us feeling empty! Growing conscious of our
descent, we rush to repent. Ultimately, our expressions of remorse and apology
are accepted, the damage caused through our sins corrected.
Once
the suspected spouse of the Alm-ghty, and now considered innocent through
atonement, the Jewish people are worthy of blessing.
And
soon we will be blessed with the greatest of all blessings. Darkness will give
way to light and pain will give way to pleasure, as our bitter exile gives way
to the sweet promise of the birth of the Era of Redemption!
(Adapted
from Likkutei Sichos vol. 28, Nasso.)
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