Our Sages say that the Jewish wife/mother is the sole source of blessing in the home (Bava M’tzia 59a). While every member of the family has his or her unique role and responsibility, it is the Jewish wife/mother who has the power not only to frame what is happening but also to write the script. She sets the tone in the home. Who her family will become is, to a large extent, dependent on who she is, what she knows, and where she is going. This is a woman’s strength and the key to shalom bayis.
Our Sages teach that “Everything comes from the woman” (B’reishis Rabbah, Parshas B’reishis). The Midrash records an account of a righteous man and a righteous woman who were married but had no children. They eventually decided to get divorced. The righteous man married a wicked woman and became “wicked like her,” whereas the righteous woman married a wicked man, and he became “righteous like her.”
This illustrates that, while it is ideal for both husband and wife to make a joint effort and accept equal responsibility for improving their relationship, there are times when only one partner takes the initiative and responsibility. If that partner is the woman, she alone can still accomplish a complete transformation in the marriage, even without her husband’s initial full commitment, effort, or understanding. The Torah tells us that this dynamic simply does not work the other way around.
Chazal also teach that just as the g’ulah of Mitzrayim was initiated by the women of that generation, our future redemption will similarly be brought about by the nashim tzidkaniyos. May we merit to participate in and experience that g’ulah b’karov!
Material was previously published on ShiratMiriam.com.
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yitzchak Shlomo ben Gittel
Yosef Chaim ben Ilana
Arkady Avraham ben Mazal
Chaim Shaul ben Esther
Yaakov Yisrael ben Chanah
Yosef Chaim ben Larrisa
Shmuel Nechemiah ben Hinda
Menachem ben Miriam
Yosef Yechiel Ben-Tzion ben Rivkah Beila
Binyamin Yehudah ben Leah
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Mitali Naomi bas Gilah Farcha
Chayah Sarah Leah bas Brachah
Heleni Orna bas Chein Chanah
Esther Brachah bas Chayah
Sima Frieda bas Chayah Rachel
Miriam bas Basya
Gila Raizel bas Gittel
Sally bas Rozy
Rachel bas Leah
Anna bas Roza
Chayah bas Regina
Angela bas Sarah
Rivkah Hila Hodayah bas Rachel
Ariellah bas Hila
Leah bas Esther
Amar Tamar bas Sarah
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Yehoshua ben Aliza Esther
Menachem ben Aliza Esther
Gavriel Efraim ben Chanah Yafah
Netanel Akiva ben Chanah Yafah
Yonatan Ezra ben Chanah Yafah
Chaim Aba Menachem ben Naomi Beila
Daniel Moshe ben Devorah
Gavriel Yehudah ben Yaakov
Shmuel ben Aharon
Moshe ben Shoshanah Esther
Yehoshua ben Tzvi
Dvir Moshe ben Dinah
Oriel ben Dinah
Dor ben Zehavah
Daniel ben Rachel
Shalev David ben Revital Renanah
Daniel ben Orli
Tal ben Ilana Ilanit
Mordechai Daniel ben Leah Rachel
Yotam ben Efrat Michal
Michael ben Naomi Sarah
Moshe Eliyahu ben Dinah Yehudis
Yosef ben Shlomis
Yosef ben Sarit
Yosef Daniel ben Anat
Yosef Chaim ben Hadassah
Ron ben Ahuvah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah
to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
and complete the Google form.
