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A Woman of Valor,
called Eshet Chayil in Hebrew, is a hymn which is
customarily recited on Friday evenings, after returning
from synagogue and singing "Shalom Aleichem" and before
sitting down to the Shabbat evening meal.
Eshet Chayil is a twenty-two verse poem with which King
Solomon concludes the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 31).
The poem has an acrostic arrangement in which the verses
begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in regular
order. The poem describes the woman of valor as one who
are is energetic, righteous, and capable.
According to Aggadic Midrashim (interpretation of the
non-legal portions of the Hebrew Bible), the poem was
originally composed by Abraham as a eulogy for his wife
Sarah.
According to Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, the poem is a
reference to the Shabbat Queen, the spiritual soul-mate
of the Jewish nation.
According to commentators, the poem is allegorical. A
Woman of Valor has been interpreted as a reference to
the Shechinah (Divine presence), the Shabbat, the Torah,
wisdom, and the soul. Using Jewish women as the vehicle
through which to describe these spiritual manifestations
is a tribute to her.
It has become a Jewish custom for men to recite this
hymn at the end of the week, and thus to think about and
be thankful for all his wife has done for him and their
family throughout the past week.
Eshet chayil mi yimtza v'rachok mip'ninim michrah
An accomplished woman, who can find? Her value is far
beyond pearls.
Batach bah lev ba'lah v'shalal lo yechsar
Her husband's heart relies on her and he shall lack no
fortune.
G'malathu tov v'lo ra kol y'mei chayeiha
She does him good and not evil, all the days of her
life.
Darshah tzemer ufishtim vata'as b'chefetz kapeiha
She seeks wool and flax, and works with her hands
willingly.
Haitah ko'oniyot socher mimerchak tavi lachmah
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her bread
from afar.
Vatakom b'od lailah vatiten teref l'vetah v'chok
l'na'aroteiha
She arises while it is still night, and gives food to
her household and a portion to her maidservants.
Zam'mah sadeh vatikachehu mip'ri chapeiha nat'ah karem
She plans for a field, and buys it. With the fruit of
her hands she plants a vineyard.
Chagrah v'oz motneiha vat'ametz zro'oteiha
She girds her loins in strength, and makes her arms
strong.
Ta'amah ki tov sachrah lo yichbeh balailah nerah
She knows that her merchandise is good. Her candle does
not go out at night.
Yadeha shilchah vakishor v'chapeiha tamchu felech
She sets her hands to the distaff, and holds the spindle
in her hands.
Kapah parsah le'ani v'yadeiha shil'chah la'evyon
She extends her hands to the poor, and reaches out her
hand to the needy.
Lo tira l'vetah mishaleg ki chol betah lavush shanim
She fears not for her household because of snow, because
her whole household is warmly dressed.
Marvadim astah lah shesh v'argaman l'vushah
She makes covers for herself, her clothing is fine linen
and purple.
Noda bash'arim ba'lah b'shivto im ziknei aretz
Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits among
the elders of the land.
Sadin astah vatimkor vachagor natnah lak'na'ani
She makes a cloak and sells it, and she delivers aprons
to the merchant.
Oz v'hadar l'vushah vatischak l'yom acharon
Strength and honor are her clothing, she smiles at the
future.
Piha patchah v'chochma v'torat chesed al l'shonah
She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the lesson of
kindness is on her tongue.
Tzofi'ah halichot betah v'lechem atzlut lo tochel
She watches over the ways of her household, and does not
eat the bread of idleness.
Kamu vaneha vay'ash'ruha ba'lah vay'hal'lah
Her children rise and praise her, her husband lauds her.
Rabot banot asu chayil v'at alit al kulanah
Many women have done worthily, but you surpass them all.
Sheker hachen v'hevel hayofi ishah yir'at Hashem hi
tit'halal
Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain, but a woman who
fears God shall be praised.
T'nu lah mip'ri yadeiha vihal'luha vash'arim ma'aseha
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works
praise her in the gates.
A special Shabbat song in
honor of the Jewish woman.
print formatted text of this
blessing
listen to audio of this song
Eishes chayil mi yimtza
ve-rachok mi-peninim michrah
Batach bah leiv ba'alah ve-shalal lo yech'sar.
Gemalas'hu tov ve-lo ra kol yemei chayeha.
Dar'eshah tzemer u'fishtim va-ta'as be-cheifetz
kapeha.
Hay-esa ko-oniyos socheir
mi-merchak tavi lachma.
Va-takam be'od laila va-titein teref le-veisah
ve-chok le-na'aroseha.
Zamema sadeh va-tika'cheihu mi-peri chapeha nata
karem.
Chag'erah ve-oz mas'neha va-te'ameitz zero'oseha.
Ta'ama ki tov sachra lo
yich'beh ba-lailah neira.
Yadeha shilchah va-kishor ve-chapeha tamchu falech.
Kapah par'esa le-ani ve-yadeha shil'echah la-evyon.
Lo sira le-veisa mi-shaleg ki chol beisa lavush
shanim.
Marvadim as'esa la sheish
ve-argaman levusha.
Noda ba-she'arim ba'ala be-shivto im ziknei aretz.
Sadin as'esa va-timkor va-chagor nas'ena
la-kena'ani.
Oz ve-hadar levusha va-tis'chak le-yom acharon.
Piha pas'echah ve-chachma
ve-soras chesed al leshona.
Tzofiyah halichos beisa ve-lechem atzlus lo socheil.
Kamu vaneha va-ye'ash'eruha ba'ala va-yehal'elah
Rabos banos asu chayil vi-as alis al kulana.
Sheker ha-chein ve-hevel
ha-yofi ishah yiras Adonoy hi sis'halal.
Tenu lah mi-pri yadeha vi-haleluha ba-she'arim
ma'aseha.
A Woman of Valor, who can
find? She is more precious than corals.
Her husband places his trust in her and profits only
thereby.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her
life.
She seeks out wool and flax and cheerfully does the
work of her hands.
She is like the trading
ships, bringing food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night to provide food
for her household, and a fair share for her staff.
She considers a field and purchases it, and plants a
vineyard with the fruit of her labors.
She invests herself with strength and makes her arms
powerful.
She senses that her trade
is profitable; her light does not go out at night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and her
palms hold the spindle.
She opens her hands to the poor and reaches out her
hands to the needy.
She has no fear of the snow for her household, for
all her household is dressed in fine clothing.
She makes her own
bedspreads; her clothing is of fine linen and
luxurious cloth.
Her husband is known at the gates, where he sits
with the elders of the land.
She makes and sells linens; she supplies the
merchants with sashes.
She is robed in strength and dignity, and she smiles
at the future.
She opens her mouth with
wisdom and a lesson of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks after the conduct of her household and
never tastes the bread of laziness.
Her children rise up and make her happy; her husband
praises her:
"Many women have excelled, but you excell them all!"
Grace is elusive and beauty
is vain, but a woman who fears God -- she shall be
praised.
Give her credit for the fruit of her labors, and let
her achievements praise her at the gates.
Reflections
The first time I went to
someone's Shabbat table, the husband sang this song, but
no one explained it to me, so it could have been Happy
Birthday for all I knew. After a friend told me what it
was about I thought it was such a beautiful custom.
There's one family I spend
Shabbat with a lot, and Friday night the wife always
says, "You'd better sing my song."
I hope the men know that
honoring their wives is not just for one song, it's for
a whole week. Maybe it's there as a reminder.
* * *
Some of our guests think it's
strange that my husband sings to me on Friday night at
the Shabbat table. No one else usually knows the words
because none of our friends are as observant as we are
yet (though a lot are on their way), so there's this
unbelievable silence surrounding him while he sings.
When we're alone, he always
ends the song by saying, "Good Shabbos, I love you."
Isn't that just so sweet?
* * *
A friend of mine who has a
beautiful voice recorded the song on a cassette for me,
so now I've been secretly practicing, playing it in my
car to and from work. I'm waiting for my next Friday
night get-together to surprise everyone. I'll never be a
cantor, but at least I deserve an A for effort.
* * *
My husband always tells any
bachelors at the table that they can't get married until
they learn this song. They always laugh kind of
nervously and quickly try to hum along.
* * *
I've been divorced a few years,
which made some of the Shabbat rituals a little tough. I
got used to saying my own kiddush, instead of my
husband, but for years I just skipped "Eishet Chayil."
Then one Friday night I had a girlfriend over who just
naturally began singing it at the appropriate time. I
found myself singing, too, and liking it. Now I sing it
no matter who is there, and my kids have really picked
up the tune. "Eishet Chayil" is now a fixture at our
Friday night table, and I'm really glad. I missed it.
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