Re: Eyshet Chayil

[Sam Weiss <samweiss...>]

"Jewish Music Institute" <jewishmusic (at) jmi(dot)org(dot)uk> wrote:

      >Eyshes Chayil is a perfect feminist tract. IT shows
      >that from time immemorial, the woman was the one
      >that made all the big decisions, got all the business done,
      >brought up the family, and all the man could do was
      >sit by the gate and thank his lucky stars he has such a
      >wonderful wife.
      >Geraldine

Since there are no "smileys" in your posting, I'll assume that it is not
meant to be sarcastic. In which case, I would comment that Eyshet Chayil
might have been a good feminist tract if it were either descriptive or
prescriptive (even more so if it were written by a woman); but as a
piece of male creative writing, for me it loses that feminist punch, to 
say the least.
In case you did mean to be sarcastic, I'll join in the fun by noting
that in the first line ("An Eyshet Chayil who can find?") Wise King
Solomon seems not to commit to actually having found one. [:)]
..................................................................

After I voiced my opinion regarding a patronizing attitude in Eyshet
Chayil, I came across this commentary in the ArtScroll Siddur, which
strikes me as the current state of the art in patronizing Jewish women.

<< Eyshet Chayil, an accomplished woman: ...Although the commentators
agree that the chapter is allegorical - it is variously interpreted as a
reference to the Shechinah, the Sabbath, the Torah, wisdom, and the soul
- the very fact that the Jewish woman was chosen as the vehicle through
which to describe such lofty spiritual manifestations is in itself a
profound tribute to her. >>

I looked closely, but there was no smiley at the end of that paragraph.[:(]

Something to think about tonight...
Shabbat Shalom.

___________________________________________________________
Cantor Sam Weiss === Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ




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