Welcome to another episode of NachDaily as we cover the entire Tanach one perek at a time. So far we have covered every single perek of Navi, Yehoshua through Malachi. We moved on to Kesuvim and finished Tehilim. We even did a mini-series on the letters of the Aleph- Beis.

Today we will finish Mishlei with perek 31, which contains the famous Eishes Chayil, ode to the righteous woman. It’s certainly fitting to be happy on this great occasion! After this perek, we will be‘H move on to Iyov, Job.

It’s really amazing that just a few minutes every day add up to hours and hours of learning. Certainly everyone who reads and or listens has a busy life. Some take just a few minutes every day while others read several episodes at a time. Hashem is proud of all of us, whether we listen or read once in a while, or are daily followers. Just the thought of learning purifies the mind.

By connecting to NachDaily, you’re joining together with over 2500 subscribers and regular Jewish listeners throughout the entire world. It’s really awesome.

I’m personally humbled and truly grateful to Hashem for this opportunity to teach Torah to so many, as I never imagined being able to give these classes. Thank you all for subscribing, listening, reading, and all the positive feedback.

Let’s now begin the perek.

The chapter opens with the words “Divrei Lemuel melech masah asher yisrato imo, the words of Lemuel the king, the prophecy with which his mother disciplined him.

Most of the Meforshim learn that Lemuel was Shlomo. Why was he called Lemuel? The Metsudos explains that the name stands for Lamo-El for God. Unlike other kings who live their lives for riches and power, Shlomo lived his life for God. Rashi explains that the name stands for Lamo-El, To-Him God. Shlomo composed this chapter in honor of Hashem after he had sinned.

The Bamidbar Rabba 10:4 brings that the night Shlomo Hamelech finished building the Beis Hamikdash, he married the daughter of Paroh. Obviously, this angered Hashem, and He considered destroying Yerushalyim. Therefore Hashem called him Lemuel, which stands for “Lama lo El? – What does he need God for?”

The Medrash continues to explain that the next morning Shlomo Hamelech slept late. He didn’t bring the Korban Tamid at the proper time in the morning, but later in the day. Am Yisrael was saddened by this. Bas-Sheva, Shlomo’s mother, woke him up and rebuked him. The perek opens with this rebuke. It should be noted that while Mishlei opens with Shlomo saying that you need to listen to the mussar of your father, he closes the sefer by demonstrating the need to listen to the rebuke of your mother as well.

Pessukim 1 through 9 are Shlomo’s recounting of his mother’s rebuke. “What you have done? Why have you drunk so much? Is this fitting for a king of your stature?”

After Shlomo relates his mother’s rebuke, from verse 10 until the end of the perek, he sings her praises in the famed Eishes Chayil – virtuous woman,” that we sing every Fiday night. One can spend a lifetime just learning this. We are not even touching the tip of the iceberg.

The opening words are “Eishel Chayil mi yimtsa, v’rachok mip’ninim michra, an accomplished woman who can find? Far beyond pearls is her value.”

Instead of going into every passuk, I want to speak about the Eishes Chayil in a general manner. It is a passionate song of praise to the Jewish wife and mother. There are many different layers of metaphor and meaning within these words, ranging from Shabbos, the Torah, Sarah Imeinu, the relationship between the body and soul, and the Tzaddik. This demonstrates the high esteem and honor which women hold in Judaism. This was written over 2,000 years ago, when women in other cultures didn’t have any rights, yet Shlomo Hamelech openly praised the Jewish mother.

The 22 verses in the Eishes Chayil correspond to the 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis. Just as the Hebrew letters are the backbone of Creation, so too is the Jewish Mother the backbone of a home. As the world was created with the Alpeh-Beis, a woman has the ability to literally create life and build worlds.

The Ramad Walli explains that there can be no greater praise than writing this in conjunction with the Aleph-Beis. There is no doubt that Shlomo meant this about his mother, and had the Eishes Chayil written on Bas-Sheva’s grave. However, it mainly refers to the Shechina in the lower worlds. Who can find a woman of valor that has all these good traits? Only the Shechina possesses all of them together.

The Meiri and Metsudos note that although it may be rare to find a woman with all these traits, she might exist. If you find a woman with even some of these qualities, you’re very fortunate.

The Ramad Walli explains that the words Eishes Chayil equal, numerically, 48. This corresponds to the 24 letters we say in Baruch Shem kavod Malchusi l’olam va’ed thatwe say twice a day in the Shema. 24 times 2 equals 48. Hashem’s Shechina is called the Eishes Chayil, who is blessed in all the worlds and constantly looking after us.

You might also say that 48 refers to the letters mem ches, which spell moach – mind. Hashem is the Mind of the world with His exacting Divine providence.

The Alshich Hakadosh goes into a lengthy explanation about how prior to a soul being sent down to this world, its zivug, marriage partner, gets called out in Heaven. A man and women unite with each other to complete their souls. So too, without Hashem, Am Yisrael isn’t complete, as He is our ultimate zivug, soul mate.

Last but not least, the Gr’a says that the number 48 corresponds to the 48 ways through which Torah is acquired. It is fitting to end Mishlei on this note right before Shavous. We need to exert ourselves in learning Torah and connecting to Hashem who is our ultimate Soul Mate. Har Sinai was the Chupa, and Am Yisrael was being wed to Hashem.

With this we finish Sefer Mishlei. Mazal tov to you all! We’ll be starting Iyov in the next shiur.

Have an amazing Shavuos connecting to your families, your spouses and the Eishes Chayil Elyona, Hashem and his Torah.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.