Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph

One storyline in the PBS series Downton Abbey centered on who would inherit the Grantham estate and title. The Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley, and his American-born wife, Cora, had three daughters: Lady Mary, Lady Edith, and Lady Sybil. Under English law, however, the estate and title had to pass to a male heir when Robert died. Matthew Crawley, a distant cousin the family had never met, was the closest male heir and therefore stood to inherit both Downton Abbey and the title of Earl. Further complicating matters, Cora had brought a substantial fortune into the marriage. Because a wife’s property was legally absorbed into her husband’s estate, Matthew would inherit that fortune as well. If he inherited, the daughters would be left penniless.

This is a similar situation that five women found themselves in over 3000 years ago (Numbers 27:1-11). Their father had died and they stood to lose their inheritance and be left penniless. According to the rabbis, the daughters reasoned that although human law often favored men, God’s law must treat men and women equally. As the Psalms (145:9) teach, “The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are upon all His creations.” They bring this theological argument to Moses. Moses presents this to God, who rules in the daughters’ favor. The daughters would inherit their father’s estate — and this would be the law for all time in Israel.

The American Revolution brought about many changes, including a dramatic shift in inheritance laws. Before the Revolution, most colonies followed the English system of primogeniture: only sons inherited from their father and unmarried daughters were left out. After independence, with its new emphasis on equality, states abolished primogeniture and allowed sons and daughters to inherit equally.

On this, the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we give thanks for the wisdom of the founding fathers — and mothers — and for the generations of Americans who expanded the circle of fairness and dignity in our nation by adhering to the belief that the law must treat men and women equally, and that all enjoy ‘’inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. 

Shabbat Shalom