And Rachel Bled

What was menstruation like for the women in the Torah?

We can only speculate. There isn't a lot of information. But this week's parsha (just like Vayera did a few weeks ago) gives us a little glimpse into the world our matriarchs navigated through their cycles.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־אָבִ֗יהָ אַל־יִ֨חַר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא אוּכַל֙ לָק֣וּם מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּי־דֶ֥רֶךְ נָשִׁ֖ים לִ֑י 

And she said to her father, "Let my lord not be annoyed, for I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me."

(Bereishis 31:35)

One thing we see, nobody told women to “push through” and pretend to go about their life as if they’re not shedding about 50 milliliters of blood throughout their period.

Lavan seemed to respect and even expect that she wouldn’t rise or extend herself in any way she didn’t need to during her bleed. 

But there's also a deeper truth in the words לֹ֣א אוּכַ֙ל לָק֣וּם – “I cannot rise.” 

We are not meant to "rise" at every moment. Or be in our high peak.

Hormonally, our cycle is a movement of descent and ascent, fall and rise.
Menstruation is the valley – the release, the shedding, the quieting.
Ovulation is the mountaintop – the rise, the blossom, the expansion.

At this moment, Rachel is in the valley. And she honors it.

She rests. She takes space for herself in her tent.

Rachel's choice of words for menstruation is also used later in Tanach to connect the word “derech” (way) to menstruation:

In next week’s parsha, as Yehuda approaches Tamar, the exact words are וַיֵּט אֵלֶיהָ אֶל־הַדֶּרֶךְ – “He turned aside to her, to the way.” According to the Alshich, he was asking her whether she was niddah or tehorah.

Abarbanel notes the same with Channah when she left Eli HaKohen’s presence – וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ הָאִשָּׁ֤ה לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ – and the woman went on her way. Again, the specific choice of words connect back to Rachel’s original expression, revealing that her period arrived.

דֶ֥רֶךְ נָשִׁ֖ים – the way of women.

Because that’s exactly what the menstrual cycle is.

The way.

The guide.

The inner compass.

As we started Embodied this week, several women shared they got their period on the first day of the course! The beautiful part was how excited they felt. Like they were syncing up with something big.

They totally were.

In Embodied, we reclaim what the cycle is really meant to be. Wholesome. Nourishing. Supportive. Aligned. 

We had our welcome call this Wednesday and dropped Module 1 on Thursday.

It’s not too late to catch up. This is the last opportunity to join.

Doors close on Motzei Shabbos and won’t reopen for a whole year.

Your cycle is not meant to be a struggle.

It’s meant to be your home.

Join us inside.