Parashat Toldot (“Generations”) tells the story of Rebecca and Isaac, who struggle to conceive a child. When Rebecca finally becomes pregnant, she feels her twin children struggling in her womb. She asks God a surprising question: “Why do I exist?” (Bereshit 25:22). Another interpretation reads the question as incomplete: “Why am I…?”—emphasizing Rebecca’s distress in the question’s brokenness.

God answers, telling her that the struggle in her womb will also occur in the world, through her children Jacob and Esau. This is a moment of spiritual crisis for Rebecca, one linked to disappointment and worry about a long-awaited pregnancy. The verb the Torah uses for Rebecca’s asking, lidrosh, does mean “asked,” but also implies struggle or demand, indicating to us that Rebecca is challenging God here.

Rabbi Lisa Gruschow teaches that throughout Jewish history, readers have interpreted Rebecca’s direct question to God differently. Medieval interpreters assumed that Rebecca must not have addressed God directly, but rather through (male) prophets and scholars. But the literal words of the text say that Rebecca, in her anguish and boldness, inquired of God and He answered. This is the first instance in our texts of someone addressing God first, rather than responding to God’s call! Rebecca’s question comes from discomfort and concern, but also courage—it’s brave to address God directly. Read this way, her spiritual crisis becomes a proof of faith.

There is a lesson here: though we might dismiss calls of distress because of where they come from, or due to our human-made hierarchies, this parashah teaches us that no question is too small for God when it comes from the heart.

May we also honor this divine example and strive to hear and honor every voice. And may we always have the courage that Rebecca had to open the conversation.