This week Women in Judaism continues to explore the life of Rachav and her enormous capacity to change. From our perspective, the prospect that a woman of her repute would turn her life around seems unlikely, but as we saw in Part One of this essay, this is precisely what she did.

How was Rachav able to manage such an accomplishment? Our sages tell us that any perceivable change is the culmination of a longer process of change that was internal. Over the past forty years, the world had been hearing about the Jewish Nation (see Part 1 of this essay). The news of their miraculous progress had a deeply personal impact upon Rachav, in spite of the pagan reality she inhabited. Considering Rachav had for the past forty years consorted with kings and heads of state, perhaps over time she recognized the emptiness of what some may consider "having it all".

Change is not simple for anyone. It is not easy to admit that we are not perfect and to embark on a journey into an unknown realm of self-growth. Nonetheless, the Torah tells us - as does our own life experience - that when a person makes the effort, when he really goes through the internal process that paves the way for change, God will send him a messenger - a person, a book or a turn in life circumstance - that will lead the way.

Rachav had the courage to proceed towards a new reality and, when she was ready, Hashem sent Pinchas and Caleb to help her along. As noted in Part One of this essay, chances were slim that two men of such high moral caliber would arrive at Rachav's establishment. But arrive they did, sent by Hashem to present her with the opportunity for change. From Rachav's point of view she received two guests who were angelic, in terms of their behavior and inner purity. These were people who lived according to the direction of their souls, not their bodies - the opposite of Rachav. In her guests she discovers the personification of the new reality she seeks. She risks her life to protect Pinchas and Calev, and then requests their assistance in seeing to her conversion to Judaism.

In addition, Rachav sets out to sanctify three physical trappings of her life, as it had existed, by using them to help Pinchas and Calev escape. These are: her window, the rope that hung from her window and the location of her house, attached as it was to the wall surrounding Jericho. Previously, Rachav's high-profile clients had used the rope to arrive and depart through her window unnoticed, and to leave the city precincts without passing through the central gates.

Our sages tell us that Rachav approached God and expressed her desire to rectify her deeds by using her window, rope and wall to help Pinchas and Calev escape from the authorities in Jericho. What she realizes with this gesture is that physical aspects of life are only tools, which we ourselves decide to use for benefit or detriment. In other words, Rachav understands that she can continue to use the rope attached to the window for her business purposes - or she can use for the sake of Hashem and in so doing become an exemplary woman. The principles behind Rachav's insight and her internal change indicate she has embraced a new reality.

Rachav's message to us is that no excuse should impede our ability to change. Whatever our life circumstances, we are free either to take responsibility or ignore opportunities for our own self-growth. Rachav decided to use the very same things she had used all along, in order to do the Will of Hashem, in order to create a relationship with him.

Rachav ultimately marries Yehoshua and our sages tell us that from her came eight high priests, who were also prophets - among them Jeremiah and Ezekiel. How did she merit such offspring, when in fact there have been others through history who saw God and committed to Him, yet did not merit such rewards? The answer lies in the fact that Rachav saw God in a situation where others might have asked, "Where is God?" Consider Rachav's position: she is attached to 31 kings and knows their secrets; she lives on the border the Jewish people are about to overrun; she has no idea whether the two men she hides will accept her. Nonetheless, she sees God's hand in these tribulations, and to this she commits everything.

Rachav understands that, good or bad, everything that happens points the way to God. To be in a difficult situation and make the best of it - to see God in the midst of uncertainty and chaos - is a quintessentially Jewish trait, whose foremother is the great Rachav.

Women in Judaism Student Anthology: SELECTED RESPONSES FROM RACHAV PART 1 EMAILS... "IS CHANGE POSSIBLE?"

The power to change is most dramatically seen when, as adults, we are able to give up self-will and turn our ego, as much as possible, over to g-d. I don't mean to be non-responsible. I mean to give our will and our lives over to the care of g-d as we understand g-d; to stop trying to control our world and environment and the people around us.

Instead of eyes narrow with effort and determination and a guarded heart, we gain eyes and heart wide open to the wonders of g-d's world and the people in it. All our senses are sharpened. We are able to listen better and understand more clearly. We become more at peace with ourselves and our environment and more free to lead a life of good deeds.

Perhaps this is what Rachav was able to do by embracing Judaism. --Susan

We all have good intentions via making changes for the betterment of our soul (refining ourselves.) Often we promise ourselves we will not fall prey to the temptations we know lure us.. anger, mean-spiritness, pride, etc.. Then when situations arise which stress (test) us ? we allow ourselves to fall back into behavior and words we KNOW are not spiritually uplifting. The challenge is to not give up, but tell ourselves we can be better, and then to try again, and again. Change comes slowly, one step at a time. Awareness and regret is a part of the change process. We all need to remember not to throw in the towel and say this is too hard ? but to try and try again. --Chana

Everyone has the ability to change and it starts with determination and discipline. You have to really want to change or else you will just be going through the motions and there might be an outward change, but what matters is the inward change of heart ? otherwise it won?t really be true change. Everything starts with the heart.

For me knowing that Hashem loves me and has given me His Torah as boundaries in my life makes me feel protected and secure. I know that if I obey His commandments because I love Him not because I have to makes me want to change for the better. Every time I read the Torah and reflect on where I am in my life, I want to achieve more. By having examples in the Torah of people who are just like us and they also had problems gives me hope that I can also work towards becoming Kadosh (holy). --Janet (Hanna)

I was brought up in a live & let live atmosphere and I felt tremendous pressure to say, in public and in private, that people?s lifestyle choices, whatever they might be, were OK. Learning about Judaism helped me admit to myself that there was such a thing as immortality. It also helped me learn that there were ways to work on problems in my own behavior. --Jennifer

The story of Rahav is a story of survival. I imagine that from the young age of ten, life had forced her to make choices that she would not have made had her circumstances been different. When given the chance to make a decision that would change her life for the better, she jumped at the opportunity. God used this strong woman to save Pinchas and Calev and she rose to the occasion.

Our first instinct is to shy away from change. We should not only embrace it but choose it like Rahav when it obviously will lead to better things. --Christina

I believe that we all have the power of change. Change is constant but sometimes it is so subtle and spread over such a long period of time that only with the most focused introspection, can we even recognize it within ourselves. Some people find the power to make radical changes in the blink of an eye and that, I think, is a difficult thing to do. It's a deliberate act and one that demands the utmost conviction. People amaze me with their abilities to adapt, overcome and change. --Tamara

------------------------------------------------------------------------- Women in Judaism, Copyright © 2006 by the Jewish Renaissance Center and Torah.org. Rebbetzin Leah Kohn, editor of Women in Judaism, is the Director of the Jewish Renaissance Center , a learning institute for women located in New York City.

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