Geshem: Verses for Our Mothers

SarahThe first matriarch, wife of Abraham, and mother of Isaac, whom she birthed at the age of 90. Sarah, in Rabbinic tradition, is considered holy, beautiful, and hospitable. Many prayers, particularly the Amidah (the central silent prayer), refer to God as Magen Avraham – protector of Abraham. Many Jews now add: pokehd or ezrat Sarah – guardian or helper of Sarah.:

Remember the barren one who prepared
the three [strangers] water [Gen. 18:21]¹ At a time when she ceased to be
as living waters [Gen. 18:11]

And God remembered her [Gen. 21:1] in
her old age, in her womb created water²

For her sake don’t hold back water.

RebeccaThe second Jewish matriarch, Isaac's wife, and mother to Jacob and Esau. Rebecca is an active parent, talking to God when she is pregnant and learning the fate of her children, then ultimately manipulating Isaac and the children to ensure Jacob's ascendancy. Her Hebrew name is Rivka.:

Remember the kind one who
carried a pitcher of water [Gen. 24:14] To the servant she gave water [Gen. 24:17]

In Charan for the camels, she drew water [Gen. 24:19]

For her sake, grant water.

RachelLavan's younger daughter and Jacob's beloved wife second wife (after he is initially tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah). Rachel grieves throughout her life that she is barren while Leah is so fertile. Ultimately, Rachel gives birth to Joseph and dies in childbirth with Benjamin. Rachel is remembered as compassionate (she is said to still weep for her children), and infertile women often invoke Rachel as a kind of intercessor and visit her tomb on the road to Bethlehem.:

Remember the younger one who to the
flock [of Lavan] she gave water [Gen. 29:10] Her lover kissed her near the well of water [Gen. 29:11]

At Ramah for her children, her eyes wept
tears of water [Lamentations 1:16]

For her sake, don’t hold back water.

LeahThe third of the Jewish matriarchs, Lead is the eldest of Lavan's daughters and one of the wives of Jacob. She is the daughter whom Lavan tricks Jacob into marrying instead of his younger daughter Rachel, whom Jacob has requested to marry. Leah is mother to six of the the twelve tribes and to one daughter, Dinah.:

Remember the Mother of Children
who at Yabbok was first to cross the water
[Gen 32:23 and 33:2]³ Her eyes were tender from crying tears of water [Gen. 29:18]

Her son lived out his days
at the edge of the water [Gen. 49:13]⁴

For her sake, grant water.

MiriamMiriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron. As Moses' and Aaron's sister she, according to midrash, prophesies Moses' role and helps secure it by watching over the young baby, seeing to it that Pharaoh's daughter takes him and that the baby is returned to his mother for nursing. During the Israelites' trek through the desert, a magical well given on her behalf travels with the Israelites, providing water, healing, and sustenance.:

Remember the sister who watched the
baby crying in the water [Ex. 2:6] She sang and rejoiced after the people
crossed the water [Ex. 15:20]

In Kadesh she was buried
near gurgling water [Num. 20:1]

For her sake, don’t hold back water.

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1. While took the water to the three strangers, we suggest that Sarah helped prepare it along with the cakes she prepared in Gen 18:6.

2. ‘Shafir’ in Hebrew means ‘fine’ but ‘mey shafir’ means the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus (‘ubbar’) in the womb.

3. “Mother of Children” [Ps. 113]. In Gen. 32:23, Leah and her children ford the Yabbok. Preceded by the maidservants and their children, Gen 33:2 explicitly names Leah as first, followed by her offspring, to brave Esau’s expected wrath. We suggest that they forded the Yabook first as well.

4. In Gen. 49:13, Leah’s son Zvulun is blessed saying he’ll dwell at the shore of the sea.