When we’re torn betweenwork responsibilities and our home, the Eishes Chayil shows us the way
The Midrash links this pasuk to Yael, who saved the Jewish people during the days of Devorah Haneviah by killing the Canaani general Sisera, thereby ending the war between the Canaanim and Bnei Yisrael. Yael invited Sisera into her tent and offered him warm milk to make him drowsy. Once he fell into a deep sleep, she killed him by driving a tent peg into his temple.
How did Yael merit to be the one who brought about salvation? Further, it’s interesting that the Midrash focuses on Yael’s weapon, the simple tent peg. What is its significance?
Yael is referred to a number of times as “eishes Chever HaKeini — the wife of Chever the Keini.” Midrash Yalkut Shimoni interprets this distinction as an “ishah kesheirah osah retzon ba’alah — a righteous woman who does the will of her husband.” Her noble deference to her husband yielded her great merit to save the Jewish people from destruction.
Chassidic masters explain Chazal’s statement, “ishah kesheirah osah retzon ba’alah” as follows: The word “osah” means does, but it can also mean to make or create. Thus, a righteous woman “osah,” creates or fashions, the will of her husband. Shlomo Hamelech teaches that a woman builds her home with wisdom; she uses her deeper understanding to enable her spouse to grow and flourish in his avodas Hashem. Perhaps Yael found inspiration from Devorah, as Chazal teach that Devorah merited prophecy because she made wicks for her husband, Barak, to bring to the Mikdash, facilitating his strong connection to Torah.
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