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The answer to this question is that in every generation, there are women of valour who are ‘like the merchant ships’, bringing in food from afar. Jewish women have run businesses since time began. After all, Chava was created as ‘Ezer Kenegdo’ – a helper for man. Whilst men and women are biologically different, G-d’s words on creating woman did not limit her potential. G-d did not place a glass ceiling on women; society did.
shet Chayil Mi Yimtza
By Janine Ellerman
VALOUR culture
WHO CAN FIND A WOMAN OF VALOUR? HER VALUE EXCEEDS THAT OF PEARLS.
Janine is a happily married mother and Bubba to her four children and one glorious grandson. In her ‘spare‘ time, she teaches English at Hasmonean High School and is about to embark on her 30th year of teaching.
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Let’s take a look at our matriarchs: Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah. I can’t imagine that any of these women spent all of their time plaiting their hair and painting their faces. What did these women, and many like them, actually do? G-d might have appeared to Avraham, but who probably organised the packing up of the household and made sure that there was enough food for the journey to goodness knows where? Sarah was as much of a kiruv worker as Avraham. According to Rashi, he converted the men towards belief in the One G-d, and Sarah; the Ezer Knegdo, brought the women in. ‘She rises while it is still night, providing food for her household.’ The tent belonging to Avraham and Sarah was open on all four sides. Their hospitality was legendary. I envisage her running a five-star ancient world hotel, where she provides her guests with cream, milk and ‘three tongues in mustard’(Rashi). When they were visited by angels, all the foods Sarah prepared is listed. If the visitors were angels, then they did not need the food, however the point is to demonstrate Sarah’s hospitality. She made the food that guests would like, even though it involved serving meat and milk together, at a time when they kept all of the Torah laws. ‘She girds herself with strength, and braces her arms for her tasks.’ When Eliezer met Rivka, she had ‘her jug upon her shoulder’. She gave him and his camels water; no mean feat at a time when water was drawn from a well and the camels were seriously thirsty. A camel can drink about 30 gallons of water - and Eliezer had ten camels with him. You can do the maths! She was not only spiritually strong, but also physically strong - and shrewd. It was Rifka who saw that Yaakov deserved the birth right and who, using the wiles learned from the trickster Lavan, ensured the right son got it. Sometimes in life, as in business, you have to take a more circuitous route to reach the desired result! Her daughters in law, Rachel and Leah, inherited those wiles as they were descended from Lavan. For the greater good, Rachel taught Leah the secret signs so that she would be spared embarrassment. Both women merited to become matriarchs, and both women had the responsibility of running a huge enterprise of family, shepherds, slaves, goats, sheep, camels and more. ‘She seeks wool and linen, and works with willing hands… She holds the distaff in her hand, and grasps the spindle with both hands.’ Marten Stol, a historian at Leiden University wrote a detailed history of women in the ancient Middle East. His evidence clearly shows that they were busy spinning, weaving, grinding flour and pressing oil. Cloth, garments and even carpets were woven throughout the region bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
