Thanking Hashem for his kindness, 613.org offers this audio class:

Aishet Chayil [mp3 download] - A Woman of Valor for CD#2

Women of Note and Noteworthy Women

by Shira Smiles ( Noted Speaker in Los Angeles )

An Oral Essay for women about famous women in the Bible.

This Class is Sponsered by the Wohlgelernter Family of Los Angeles as a Parnes Hayom

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Women mentioned in this Class:

00:06 How many of us really feel that we are an Aishet Hayil?... What exactly are the attributes of an Aishet Hayil?

01:02 What the midrash tries to do is to take each pasuk (verse ) and attributes every pasuk to a woman in Jewish history

01:48 This shiur (class )is like a portrait gallery ... we will be examining the photos on the wall some more in depth ... and others take a cursory view

02:26 The midrash Shochar Tov ... begins off ... with an overview of the aishet hayil par excellence ... quotes a famous pasuk in Tehilim

03:34 The couple that will be known as the Aishet Hayil and the Ish Hayil is Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu

03:51 We find this in the work they do based on the famous midrash ... Avraham Avinu affecting the men, Sarah Imeinu affecting the women

05:19 That Avraham and Sarah are two people that undergo even youth at an old age... Sarah Imeinu ... is able to have children (and undergoes a name change) ... Avraham has a name change like a new born and a brit milah

06:35 Sarah Imeinu was on a higher level in Ruach Hakodesh ( prophecy ) than Avraham Avinu

07:01 The midrash explains that "aishet hayil" was really the eulogy written by Avraham Avinu for Sarah Imeinu when she died.

Noah's wife Naama and her daughters-in-law

07:27 The first verse ... "An accomplished woman who can find? Far beyond pearls is her worth"(Proverbs 31 v.10) - Noah's wife and daughters-in-law.

08:56 A woman who is ... a righteous woman on her own level, one who has an influence on her husband ... one who is able to withstand societal pressure ... they were distant from the evil around them .

Sarah

10:00 (Proverbs 31 v.11) "Her husband's heart relies on her and he shall lack no fortune"... in particular Sarah Imeinu that Avraham became wealthy from her ... (Genisis 10 v.6)

12:14 (It's) because of Avraham's tremendous faith in Sarah Imeinu that Hashem rewarded Avraham Avinu with this tremendous wealth.

Rivka

12:44 (Proverbs 31,v.12) "She repays his good but never is harmed all the days of her life" - Rivka Imeinu ... repays good to Yitzchak when his mother died

13:20 Rashi tells us ... that when Sarah Imeinu was alive ... there were three clear signs of Hashem's particular ... presence on her house ... cloud hovering over tent ... blessing over the food ... light lit from one Friday afternoon to another Friday afternoon.

14:00 When Sarah Imeinu died, the three signs disappeared and when Rivka Imeinu was brought into the marriage they all reappeared.

14:36 The goodness that Rivka did ... was when she agreed to marry Yitzchak Avinu.

16:25 Rivka Imeinu ... is the active one in this marriage.

Leah

17:27 (Proverbs 31,v.13) "She seeks out wool and linen and her hands work willingly" ... this is Leah.

18:30 (At) first glance, we think that Leah Imeinu is a very sad character she is a woman who constantly tries to get her husband's attention

19:22 Wool and linen are shatnez (a mixture forbidden by the Torah) and can't be together, she is working through a marriage which has difficulties ... she never gives up.

20:28 She wanted to build a very strong house for Yaakov Avinu ... she is truly victorious ... she has built up the house of Israel.

Rachel

21:43 (Proverbs 31 v.14) "She is like a merchant ship, from afar she brings her sustenance." ... this is referring to Rachel ... who was embarassed every day ... therefore she merited to have a son who is comparable to a ship ... and he supported the world in years of famine.

22:33 What's the connection between a merchant ship from afar, Rachel being embarassed every day and Yosef Hatzadik being the one like the ship from afar?

23:00 Rav Aharon (Soloveichik) explained that Rachel Imeinu ... embodies someone who has unfulfilled dreams

23:56 Rachel Imeinu is someone who embodies these visions of seeing wonderful things (that will) happen in the future of the ship from afar that we know is coming in with wonderful goods, but she is ... embarassed every day... not being able to see her dreams fulfilled

Bitya, the daughter of Paroah

25:14 (Proverbs 31, v.15) "She arises when it is yet nighttime and gives food to her household and a ration to her maidens"... this is... the daughter of Paroah ... she was non-Jewish ... she converted ... she is mentioned among all these wonderful, lofty women ... since she involved herself with Moshe Rabeinu,... therefore she merited to be one of the ten people who entered Gan Eden alive

26:06 What's the connection between getting up in the middle of the night and saving Moshe Rabeinu? Two approaches

26:17 One approach ... Bitya bat Paroah had a nevua(prophecy) that she was going to save the redeemer of Israel ... and she used to get up in the middle of the night to look for that redeemer

26:57 Rav Kasher brings down another midrash...she got up the night of Makas Bechoros(The Plague of the first born) ...there are some midrashim which explain that not only the bechorim(first born males) died, but the first born males as well as the first born females,... she was yet able to get up that night but she herself was not killed

27:35 How come on the day before Pesach we have ... the fast of the First Born, that only the first born males have to fast ... ?

27:57 Rav Eliyahiu KiTov... brings down ... there are some communities where the women bechorot (first born)... do in fact fast

Yocheved, Moshe's mother

28:35 (Proverbs 31, v.16)"She envisions the field and buys it from the fruit of the handiwork she plants the vineyard"... this is Yocheved, the wife of Amram, the mother of Moshe Rabeinu ... Moshe Rabeinu is equated to all the children of Israel and they are called a ... vineyard

29:51 Two simpler ways of understanding the midrash ... sometimes we see that a leader is called a vineyard ... she instilled in Moshe her son the abilities of leadership. Or, ... Yocheved was one of the ... midwives, so literally from her hands she planted an entire vineyard ... she created the entire Jewish people.

Miriam, Moshe's sister

30:36 (Proverbs 31, v. 17) " With strength she girds her loins and invigorates her arms" ... we don't see an action being done... referring to Miriam, the wife of Calev ... the sister of Moshe.

31:23 Before Moshe was born... she had a prophecy and said ... in the future my mother ... will have a child who will save Bnei Yisrael.

31:44 She (Miriam) allows things to happen, but she herself doesn't cause them to happen... she is someone who has stimulated in them the hope and the ... faith... that redemption will come

32:40 When we're speaking of personalities of an Aishet Hayil, some people like to be in the background ...

Hanna, Shmuel's mother

33:13 (Proverbs 31, v.18) "She discerns that her enterprise is good so her lamp is not struck out by night" ... Hanna, the wife of Elkana, the mother of Shmuel the navi... who discerned the discernment of Tefila (prayer), therefore she merited a son equal to Aharon and Moshe who lit up the world.

33:47 Hanna is really the epitome of a person who knew how to daven (pray) ... Hanna was a woman who was married for nineteen years and did not have a child. Her husband seeing that she could not have children went out and married another woman Pnina...Pnina used to, for the sake of heaven used to taunt Hanna frequently to get her to pray.

35:01 We know that when we pray to G-d it's not a shopping list ... rather we say ... "if it's pleasing to you Hashem" (Refer to the tape "Understanding Prayer by Ivy Kalazan" for more on this idea)

36:02 After she finished weaning him( her son Shmuel), she brought him up to G-d and he worked inn the mishkan under Eli ... really understands her relationship in this world and her relationship with Hashem.

Yael

36:25 (Proverbs 31, v.19) "Her hands she stretches out to the distaff and her palms support the spindle." ... this is referring to Yael ... This is the famous story of Devora who was the prophetess, who with the help of Barak ... defeats the king of the time who was Canaan. Sisra was the general of the opposing army and Sisra flees ... Yael invites him into her tent and offers him a warm cup of milk. When he falls into a deep sleep she takes the peg of the tent and slams it into his forehead and he falls dead

37:56 Yael uses, so to speak, a feminine way of killing off the general and that is this imagery of " ... her hands support the spindle";

The widowed woman from Tzarfat

38:17 "She spreads out her palms to the poor and extends her hand to the destitute" (Proverbs 21,v.20) this is referring to a woman ... we don't even know her name ... she supported Elijah the prophet with bread and water ... no rain for three years ... she herself is a destitute situation ... she goes and brings him some water.

Rachav

41:17 "She fears not snow for her household for her household is filled with scarlet wool"(Proverbs 21,v.21) ... the imagery of Rachav ... the woman who lived in the town of Jericho ... hid the two spies that Yehoshua, Joshua sent in order to check out the land ... at the risk of her own life ... she hangs down that string that she lowers them down with, that red, scarlet string ... Joshua in the end married Rachav.

Batsheba

42:45 "Luxurious bedspreads she has made herself, linen and purple wool are her clothing"(Proverbs 21,v.22) ... this is Batsheba ... from whom King Solomon came out ... who was clothed in beautiful royal silk clothing ... it was the power of Batsheba that allowed Shlomo Hamelech to be who he was.

Michal, King David's wife

43:58 "Dinstinctive in the councils is her husband when he sits with the elders in the land" (Proverbs 21, v.23) ... this is Michal the daughter of Shaul (King Saul) who saved her husband David from death ... Shaul ... knew that his son-in-law David would take over ... and in many instances tried to have David killed ... Michal lowered David out of the window

45:27 Analyzing the personality of the woman ... Michal was never blessed with a child ...many women like this who do not have at the focal point of their life a family. One can take one's energy ... and place it into developing oneself spiritually and giving to the world ... the personality of Nechama Leibowitz.

Hatzelponi, Samson's mother

46:52 "She makes a cloak to sell and delivers a bell to the peddler" (Proverbs 21, v. 24) ... Hatzelponi, the wife of Manoach ... gets this meeting ... with an angel (mother of Shimshon who saved the Jews)

48:06 I asked Rav Aharon Soloveichik what was the connection between this woman on a high spiritual level, and having a son Shimshon, and selling a bell to the peddler ... Shimshon was a tzaddik and was unusual in the fact that he had hand to hand combat ... infiltrated and married within the Plishtim ... and destroyed them that way ... the ability to interact so easily with the Plishtim is through his mother.

Elisheva, Aharon's wife

49:38 "Strength and majesty are her clothing she joyfully awaits the last day" (Proverbs 21, v.25) ... this is Elisheva Bat Aminadav ... she saw three wondrous occasions on one day ... the consecration of the Tabernacle in the desert, ... her husband became the Kohen Gadol (Priest) ... her brother Nachshon brought a korban, ... her two sons became second to the Priest ... and her brother-in-law became king.

50:31 We know that on this day all four were brought up to the high positions ... the clothes ... area very beautiful ... it also turned into a sad day ... (Two of Elisheva's sons) Nadav and Avihu ... died ... "And Aharon was silent" ... Here we find the reaction of the mother ... to accept upon oneself the judgement that G-d decrees ... and to go on living.

Sarach Bat Asher

52:06 The next woman is a fascinating woman, because she too enters Gan Eden alive ... "She opens her mouth with wisdom and the lesson of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 21,v.26) This is referring to the woman who spoke to Yoav ... she saved an entire city through her wisdom ... Sarach Bat Asher

54:01 There was a rebel against David Hamelech and his name was Shema Ben Bichri ... went to a city ... the city did not want to turn over the Rebel, the entire city was in danger of being destroyed. Sarach ... convinced the townspeople as if she was negotiating with Yoav who was the general at the time.

Ovadia's wife

55:38 "She anticipates the ways of her household and partakes not of the bread of laziness" (Proverbs 21,v.26) ... the wife of Ovadia ... she saved her sons ... and they didn't worship idols with Achav ... the prophet ... Ovadia who saved 100 prophets in cave ... went into debt and died ... the king ... was willing to take ... Ovadia's two sons instead of the debt ... she saw that this would be detrimental.

Woman from Shunam

57:59 "Her children arise and praise her, her husband and he lauds her."(Proverbs 21,v.27) ... A woman from Shunam who is called a great woman ... she prevailed upon Elisha to eat ... Elisha was grateful for her hospitality and blessed her with a son ... A couple of years later (the son) was out in the field and got a splitting headache ... the child died ... Elisha through prayer ... revived the child ... grows up to be the prophet Chabakuk ... the famous line in Chabakuk ... "A man lives in his faith" ... this perhaps is the greatest praise (that Chabbakuk could give to his mother).

Ruth

01:01:19 "Many daughters have ... amassed achievement, but you surpassed them all" "False is grace and vain is beauty ... a G-dfearing woman she should be praised." "Give her the fruits of her hands and let her be praised in the gates by her very own deeds." (Proverbs 21,v.27-29) Three verses ... Ruth the Moabite woman who converts ... A woman of valor.

01:02:30 Rut (Ruth) is the epitome of a person who is involved in acts of Chesed ... also the model of conversion ... her connection to G-d is an inspiration to all of us.

Public figures

01:03:34 I think it's important to note that there are some women who we would have expected to see ... who are not here ... Devora the Prophetess ... Queen Esther ... an Aishet Chayil is not one who has to go out and be victorious in battle, or be a public figure as a queen ... it cannot be our sole purpose ... there is a glory which is inward.

All the women in the world

01:05:40 "Give her from the fruits of her hand and let her be praised in the gates by her very own deeds"(the last verse) This is to include all the righteous ... women in the world ... to conclude the "art gallery" for the evening what this midrash is telling us is that the final picture on the wall in our picture gallery is nothing other ,after all, than a mirror

The Women mentioned in this class

Naama (Noach's wife) and daughters-in-law
Sarah
Rivka
Leah
Rachel
Bitya, the daughter of Pharoah
Yocheved, Moshe's mother
Miriam, Moshe's sister
Hanna, Shmuel's mother
Yael
The widowed woman from Tzarfat
Rachav
Batsheba
Michal
Hatzelponi, Samson's mother
Elisheva, Aharon's wife
Sarach bat Asher
Ovadia's wife
Woman from Shunam
Ruth the Moabite
Public Figures
All the women in the world