Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Jewish
Women in Religion
Where Was Miriam?

Where Was Miriam?

Last updated on: March 6, 2023 at 10:53 am by Hebrew College

0 Comments

Where Was Miriam? 2023-03-06T10:53:17-04:00 Hebrew College

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

By Leah Carnow

Parashat Ki Tissa (Exodus 30:11-34:35)

It was asked of the episode of the golden calf:
Where was Miriam?

A new version of the story emerged (a midrash)—

When Moses was long in coming down from the mountain—too long—the people came to Aaron, feeling abandoned by Moses and by God. As Aaron instructed the people, Miriam watched from afar as it says, “his sister stationed herself at a distance” (Exodus 2:4).

Miriam remembered how she once prophesied that after the darkest of times would come salvation. She remembered how when Moses was born, her house filled with light (Sotah 13a). She remembered that there was always reason to hope.

She watched from afar as the men brought gold rings from their wives and children. She watched from afar as Aaron melted the gold into the shape of a calf. She watched from afar as the people sacrificed and sat down to feast and rose up to make merry.

She did not bring her drum forth, as after the splitting of the sea. She did not lead the women out in dance. Instead, she sang quietly on their behalf as it says, “And Miriam chanted for them: ‘Sing to God because God is exalted’” (Exodus 15:21).

Over and over she chanted the words.

And when Moses came down the mountain and he saw the calf and the dancing, he grew enraged, and he threw the tablets from his hands and he broke them at the foot of the mountain. And Moses took the calf and burned it. He ground it to a powder and strewed it into the water and made the Israelites drink it (Exodus 32:19-20).

And Miriam went to the foot of the mountain, where she slowly gathered up the shards of tablets. She pieced them together, one by one, like a puzzle, and as she did, she felt in her fingers the divine teachings that had already settled deep within her.

So while Moses and Aaron yelled at each other, Miriam gathered the pieces together in her arms and walked carefully to her tent. There, she found a certain basket. As it says, “She took a reed basket for him” (Exodus 2:3). And she placed the shards in it.

Because she understood that when we break, we must hold the pieces tenderly. Because she knew this wasn’t the end of the story.

When Moses ordered a rampage, which left 3,000 people dead (Exodus 32:27-29), Miriam again watched from afar. As she listened to the sounds of the slaughter, her heart shattered like the tablets. And she cried from the salty well of heartbreak and horror and hope within her. She tried to remember to hold her broken heart with tenderness.

And after the killing ceased, Miriam joined the voices of the wailing women. And she brought clean water from the well (as she always did) and she gently washed the deceased. And she comforted the mourners with crooning and cooing, like comforting a baby.

Sometime later, after there was a second set of tablets and a tabernacle where God could dwell, Miriam brought the basket which held the broken tablets and placed it in the sanctuary, next to the new tablets.

The shards stayed like that, in their own teva, their own little ark,
where they kept memories afloat—
Memories of broken words and broken hearts.
Memories of rivers and seas.
Of tears and songs.
Of second chances
and of long journeys
toward
freedom.

Please contact the author if you’d like to share any feedback.

Babylonian Talmud Taanit 9a.
Rashi on Exodus 1:15: Puah—This was Miriam, and she bore this additional name because she used to call aloud and speak and croon to the babe just as women do who soothe a child when it is crying.
Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 14a-b: There was nothing in the Ark except [the two tablets which Moses put there] and the broken pieces of the [first set] of tablets.

Leah Carnow (she/her) is a rabbinical student in her fourth year of school at Hebrew College. Originally from Los Angeles, Leah lived in the Boston area for over 10 years, where she worked as a yoga teacher, actor, director, healthcare professional, and Jewish educator. Leah is currently spending her second consecutive year studying in Jerusalem.

Women in Religion

Seventy Faces of Torah

Torah

torah commentary

Previous Post

February 27, 2023

Israel’s Ancient Ouija Board

Next Post

March 14, 2023 The Role of the Wise Heart

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Did God call in Genesis chapter 1 also small Aleph?"

Herrnhut

Aleph: A Love Letter

""Maybe this is the year to take the Yovel seriously even if we can’t take ..."

William T. Orr, Jr.

Proclaiming Release: Why We Need a ..."

"very nice!"

Jeremy Golan

If Only It Were Now

McChickenboc

The Burden of Miracles

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2026 March 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz