<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="font-size: 19px;" class="">Rashi picks up on the juxtaposition of the consecutive sentences where<br class="">we first read of Miriam’s death and immediately following — of the lack of <br class="">water. This would indicate some connection which Rashi points out that<br class="">the existence of the water was on the z’chus of Miriam. Nonetheless, the<br class="">question of the Sifse Chakhamim is also quite valid. Weren’t Aaron and <br class="">Moses worthy enough to warrant the existence of the water on their z’chus?<br class=""><br class="">As a chok has no rational explanation, so, too, there is no logical explanation<br class="">as to why as long as Miriam was there, offering her inspired leadership, the<br class="">waters of the be’er, the wells of Torah, flowed ceaselessly and with her death,<br class="">the waters stopped; whereas, the greatness of Aaron and Moses paled in <br class="">comparison. This shows the error of those who downplay the role of women<br class="">in Judaism. Remember, it’s the mother who determines the child’s religion and<br class="">it’s the mother who plays a major role in her children’s development. <br class=""><br class="">The dedication and devotion of the exemplary Jewish mother are a shining example<br class="">to all who would seek idealism in a Jewish woman.<br class=""><br class=""><br class="">"The Lord gave more wit to women than to men."<br class="">Talmud - Niddah<br class=""><br class="">“…And the Lord God built the rib which teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He,<br class="">endowed the woman with more understanding than the man.”<br class="">Niddah 45b<br class=""><br class="">“A beautiful wife enlarges a man’s spirit.” <br class="">[adapted from] Talmud, Berakhot 57b</span></body></html>