Eshet Chayil – The Atlas Who Didn’t Shrug

“She girds her loins with strength, and makes strong her arms.”
As soon as Abraham welcomed the three guests into his home and offered them all sorts of delicacies, he ran to the tent where Sarah was to help him. He ran without hesitation to request her help. He didn’t think twice before asking her to help. He knew she could help and he knew she would help. He knew that she would gird her loins and strengthen her arms to do anything possible to help her husband. Abraham could do what he did, could only do what he wanted, because he had a Sarah who was up to any task.

How different a situation than Adam and Eve! Adam did not trust Eve’s strength to resist the temptation to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, which is why he added the prohibition to not even touch the Tree. Adam did not see Eve as being able to gird her loins and strengthen her arms.

Sarah projected her strength to Abraham so that he knew that she was an asset to everything he wanted to do. Again; the Sages describe Sarah as the Tikkun of Eve. She began the repair by demonstrating her determination to find the strength to rise to any challenge and task.

I often hear people hesitate to assume new growth and commitments because they fear that their spouse is not up to the challenge. Our Woman of Valor projects her confident strength to her family, as well as her commitment to meet any challenge. Her family will never hesitate to grow for fear of overwhelming her.