cloud, which was always ready to bear him to God and the restore
him to men, God said to him: "Go and acquaint the women of
Israel with the principles of Judaism, and try with kindly words to
persuade them to accept the Torah; but expound the full contents
of the Torah to the men, and with them speak solemn words
concerning it."

There were several reasons for his going to the women first. God
said: "When I created the world, I gave My commandment
concerning the forbidden fruit to Adam only, and not to his wife
Eve, and this omission had the effect that she tempted Adam to
sin. Hence it appears advisable that the women first hear My
commandments, and the men will then follow their counsel." [189]
God, furthermore, knew that women are more scrupulous in their
observance of religious percepts, and hence He first addressed
Himself to them. Then, too, God expected the women to instruct
their children in the ways of the Torah, wherefore He sent His
messenger first to them. [190]

The words that Moses was to address to the women as well as to
the men, to the Sanhedrin as well as to the people, were as follows:
"You yourselves have seen - for it is not from writings, or through
tradition, or from the mouths of others that ye learn it - what I did
for you in Egypt; for although they were idolaters, slayers of men,
and men of lewd living, still I punished them not for these sins, but
only for the wrong done to you. But ye will I carry on the wings of
eagles, on the day of the revelation at Sinai, and ye will I bring to
Me when the Temple shall be erected. Since I have wrought for
you so many miracles, even before you had received the Torah and
observed the laws, how many more miracles will I work for you,