Eshet Chayil - Blessed Among Women Is Yael
"With a spindle in her hands, she sits at the spinning wheel..." This verse refers to Yael. When Sisera, the military commander pursued by Deborah's militia, came to her and asked for water, Yael gav…
Women in the Torah
Articles, recipes, prayers and stories about family, motherhood and Jewish traditions.
Eshet Chayil—Her Lamp Does Not Go Out All Night
The next verse of Eshet Chayil: "She is girded with strength; her arms are strong..." According to tradition, this refers to Miriam. Why? In Judaism, girding oneself signifies strength, power, and he…
Eshet Chayil - The Field and the Vineyard
“She rises while it is still dark, gives food to her household, and assigns tasks to her maidservants… “Rises while it is still dark” means while it is still night outside. Everything connected with…
Eshet Chayil — She Acquires Wool and Flax
“She acquires wool and flax and willingly works with her hands”… There are quite a few tasks that a woman is not obliged to perform herself. She need only give instructions, and others will carry the…
Eshet Chayil — Who Can Find Such a Perfect Wife?
Last week, we began examining the song “Eshet Chayil.” Today, we will return to it and try to explore it more deeply. With anything that has a certain span, the most important parts are the beginning…
Eshet Chayil - A Worthy Wife
ESHET CHAYIL (Mishlei, 31:10-31) The song “Eshet Chayil” (“A Worthy Wife”) concludes King Solomon's book “Mishlei.” It is written as an acrostic in which each successive line begins with the next let…
Batya — Pharaoh’s Daughter
We cannot conclude our series of portraits of women in Judaism without saying something about Batya, the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh. According to tradition, she is one of two women who entered…
Samson’s Mother - Head of the Family by Necessity
According to tradition, her name is Hazelelponi, which means “Shadow of the North.” She is from the tribe of Judah and marries Manoah from the tribe of Dan. Her spiritual level is higher than her hus…
The Wife of On, Son of Pelet: The Wisdom of Women Has Built Her House
This woman is spoken of in the book of Proverbs: “The wisdom of women has built her house. Who is being referred to? The wife of ben Pelet.” (chapter 14, verse 1). The event that revealed how truly e…