Shabbat Siddur Sefard Linear, Order of Shabbos in the Home, Eishes Chayil

אֵֽשֶׁת־חַֽיִל מִי יִמְצָא Whoever finds a valorous wife—

וְרָחֹק מִפְּ֒נִינִים מִכְרָהּ: far greater than that of pearls is her value.

בָּֽטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ The heart of her husband trusts in her,

וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר: and he lacks no gain.⁴The literal meaning of שָׁלָל is “booty” which implies an unexpected gain to which one had no prior claim. Thus in our verse, although her husband had complete trust in her, her deeds actually surpassed his expectations.— S.R. Hirsch

גְּמָלַֽתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע She repays him good and not evil

כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּֽיהָ: all the days of her life.⁵A person can do much good to another and still cause him moments of pain or shame by his conduct. The true woman of valor, to whom this hymn is dedicated, gives her husband nothing but happiness, never a moment of grief all the days of her life.—S.R. Hirsch

דָּרְ֒שָׁה צֶֽמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים She seeks wool and linen,

וַתַּֽעַשׂ בְּחֵֽפֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ: and works them willingly with her hands.

הָיְ֒תָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר She is like the merchant ships;

מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ: from afar, she brings her food.⁶These verses are a tribute to the woman of valor who is willing to do far more than she is required to do. Although her husband is obligated to support her, she does not hesitate to do everything in order to provide for her family.—Metsudas Dovid

וַתָּֽקָם בְּעוֹד לַֽיְלָה She rises while it is still night

וַתִּתֵּן טֶֽרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ and gives food to her household,

וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ: and tasks to her maids.

זָמְ֒מָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵֽהוּ She considers a field and buys it;

מִפְּ֒רִי כַפֶּֽיהָ from the fruit of her hand,

נָֽטְ֒עָה כָּֽרֶם: she plants a vineyard.

חָגְ֒רָה בְּעוֹז מָתְנֶֽיהָ She girds herself with might

וַתְּ֒אַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶֽיהָ: and strengthens her arms.⁷She is not strong by nature; she “makes herself” strong. Her zeal and sense of duty give her strength and might.—S.R. Hirsch

טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ She senses that her business is good,

לֹא־יִכְבֶּה בַּלַּֽיְלָה נֵרָהּ: [so] her lamp is not extinguished at night.

יָדֶֽיהָ שִׁלְּ֒ חָה בַכִּישׁוֹר She puts her hand to the spindle,

וְכַפֶּֽיהָ תָּֽמְ֒כוּ פָֽלֶךְ: and her palms support the distaff.⁸This verse is connected with what follows. No time is wasted in idleness. Her other work being finished, she spends her leisure in spinning and making garments for the poor and for the members of her household.

כַּפָּהּ פָּרְ֒שָׂה לֶעָנִי Her palm she spreads out to the poor

וְיָדֶֽיהָ שִׁלְּ֒חָה לָאֶבְיוֹן: and her hands she extends to the needy.⁹An אֶביוֹן , a needy person, is in more desperate need than an עָנִי , a poor person. The woman of valor recognizes that. To the poor man, therefore, she opens her palms, permitting him to take what he wishes. But regarding the needy man, she takes the initiative by extending her hands to provide his needs.— Metsudas Dovid

לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ She has no fear for her household

מִשָּֽׁלֶג because of snow,

כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ for her entire household

לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים: is clothed with scarlet [wool].

מַרְבַדִּים עָֽשְׂ֒תָה־לָּהּ Bedspreads, she makes herself

שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן fine linen and purple [wool]

לְבוּשָׁהּ: are her clothing.¹⁰She was attired in the costliest garments, as befits a distinguished woman.

נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁ֒עָרִים בַּעְלָהּ Well-known at the gates¹¹Oriental cities had deep gateways shaded from the sun. There the elders sat as a court to adjudicate disputes and discuss important communal affairs. is her husband

בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ: as he sits among the elders of the land.

סָדִין עָשְׂ֒תָה וַתִּמְכֹּר Garments she makes and sells them,

וַחֲגוֹר נָתְ֒נָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי: and belts,¹²Like סָדִין a linen garment, חֲגוֹר , girdle, the noun is the collective singular. Sashes or belts were commonly worn around the waist. she provides for the merchants.

עוֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ Strength and splendor are her clothing,¹³These characteristics are borne by her as one wears clothes. See Psalms 104:1, “With beauty and splendor are You clothed.”

וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן: and smilingly [she awaits her] last day.¹⁴God shows the righteous, just before their death, the share they have earned in the World to Come. Thus the woman of valor will be joyous on her last day, because then she will know the fullness of the reward she has earned through her virtuous conduct.—Exodus Rabbah 52:3

פִּֽיהָ פָּתְ֒חָה בְחָכְמָה Her mouth she opens with wisdom,

וְתוֹרַת־חֶֽסֶד and the teaching of kindness¹⁵She teaches others to do kind deeds.—Metsudas Dovid

עַל־לְשׁוֹנָהּ: is on her tongue.

צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ She anticipates the ways of her household,

וְלֶֽחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל: and the bread of idleness, she does not eat.

קָֽמוּ בָנֶֽיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁ֒רֽוּהָ Her children rise16 and make her fortunate;¹⁷She will feel fortunate and happy with the evidence of their appreciation and love. There is no more eloquent testimony to her virtue.

בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְ֒לָהּ: her husband—and he praises her:

רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָֽשׂוּ חָֽיִל Many daughters have attained valor

וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה: but you surpassed them all.

שֶֽׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶֽבֶל הַיֹּֽפִי Favor is deceptive and beauty is vain;

אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהֹוָה a God-fearing woman—

הִיא תִתְהַלָּל: —she should be praised.

תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּ֒רִי יָדֶֽיהָ Give her the fruit of her hand,

וִיהַלְ֒לֽוּהָ בַשְּׁ֒עָרִים מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ: and let her deeds praise her in the gates.¹⁸ Although her activities are confined to the home, due recognition will be given her even outside her immediate family. She will be eternally praised as a valiant example for the entire community.—S.R. Hirsch