Women in our Life

19 Cheshvan 5782

“And Abraham was old, advanced in days, and the Lord had blessed Abraham with everything.” (Bereishis 24:1)

“[The word] בַּכֹּל is numerically equal to בֵּן [son]. Since he had a son, he had to find him a wife” (Rashi). The self-evidence with which Rashi draws a connection between having a son and finding him a wife reflects the indispensability of Jewish marriage. Without his partner, a person is incomplete, helplessly exposed to the changing tides of his fate.

“A woman of valor is the crown of her husband….” (Lessons in Tanya, Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 29)

Tanya also makes use of this concept to explain the relationship of the halachot of Torah and the Written Torah. Our sages say that you should “see to live your life with the woman whom you love.” On top of its obvious literal meaning, the wife here also refers to the Torah, with which you should live your life constantly. In this verse too, “‘a woman of valor’ refers to the Torah. More specifically, within the Torah itself, the Oral Torah is the ‘wife’ and the Written Torah is the ‘husband.’ The ‘woman of valor,’ which the Alter Rebbe will later explain refers to the halachot of Torah, serves as the ‘crown’ to her husband, the Written Torah.” (Tanya, as above) In the halachot you find the condensed will of Hashem, which is higher than even the chochmah of His revealed Torah.

“So teach the number of our days, so that we shall acquire a heart of wisdom.” (Tehillim 90:12)

Rashi explains, “Just as in the beginning, make known in the world the number of our long days, and since we enjoy longevity, we will be able to acquire intelligence, and we will acquire in them a heart of wisdom.” Just as Abraham grew old and wise, and understood with his heart the importance of finding a wife for Yitzchok, so too we should understand in our hearts and appreciate with our intellect the importance of the women in our life. And it should be a blessing for all those in Klal Yisroel who are still looking for a shidduch.