As I did last week, it's time for my weekly criticism of Etz Chaim, the new tanach used by my shul and many others in the Conservative movement. There wasn't much to comment on in this week's parshot of Vayakhel-Pekudai as it mainly describes the building of the Tabernacle - not much explanation needed. However there was a piece of commentary that falls into what I'll call the "feel good about yourself" category. There are several places in Etz Chaim where there are gratuitous comments about how important women are to Judaism. They are usually not directly "anti-man" although in conferring this special recognition to women's achievements the underlying message is that women have historically been underappreciated which does kind of make me feel guilty as a man. Sort of like white man's guilt resulting in affirmative action commentary. I'm surprised that the editors have not requested that Jewish Women's Month be added to calendar of religious holidays.

In any case, the commentary is as follows:

25. skilled women Throughout our history, devoted Jewish women have contributed to hiddur mitzvah - the practice of giving the mitzvot an esthetically pleasing context in their homes and synagogues - through the skilled and creative work of their hands.

Now there is absolutely nothing wrong or untrue in that statement. My simple point is that since the surrounding phrases talk about the contributions of the people generally and the chieftains specifically, why not mention that throughout history the whole of the Jewish community has donated to building our synagogues, schools and created artwork that have contributed to hiddur mitzvah? Why single out the women? The only thing I can think of is to make this the Dr. Phil - feel good tanach for half of the readership.

What I might have said is that although the women are only spoken of as contributing their labor in 35:25 and not material goods - their physical labor was just as valuable as if they would have provided the material goods themselves. In the same way, raising children in the Jewish community, whether by men or women, is equally as valid a contribution as any material assets that anyone else, man or woman, might offer to the community. I think that's an appropriately egalitarian commentary, and is inclusive at the same time.