[Avodah] RSRH's Essay on The Jewish Woman

[Yitzchok Levine]

This Shabbos I had a chance to read RSRH's long essay titled The 
Jewish Woman. IMO this is a masterful presentation of the role of the 
Jewish woman. It contains such marvelous insights that  I feel that 
relevant parts of this essay should be taught to all yeshiva high 
school boys and girls. In addition, I think that some of Rav Hirsch's 
insights into marriage should be part and parcel of all Kallah and 
Chosson classes. I have put this essay at

<http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/jewish_woman.pdf>The 
Jewish Woman (Collected Writings VIII) 
<http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/jewish_woman_83_94.pdf>Pages 
83 - 94 
<http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/jewish_woman_95_112.pdf>Pages 
95 - 
112 
<http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/jewish_woman_113_135.pdf>Pages 
113 - 135

The first link is to the entire essay which is 53 pages long. For 
those who do not have a high speed connection or who have trouble 
handling pdf files, I have broken the essay into 3 parts, as the 
above indicates.  Please keep in mind that one can buy the Collected 
Writings of RSRH at www.feldheim.com .

Here is a small sample from this essay.

In view of the foregoing. a man should exercise more care and purity 
of mind in selecting a wife than in any other decision. Some take a 
wife out of sensuality, others out of greed. others for personal 
ambition, and still others with pure intentions that are pleasing to 
God. One who marries out of sensuality will have disobedient and 
rebellious children. That is why the Biblical laws regarding marriage 
to a woman that was captured in battle are followed by the laws 
concerning the "stubborn and rebellious son." If a man marries for 
money, he will end his days in poverty and dependence on charity. The 
sons of Eli. who married women out of greed, lived through the 
humiliation of seeing what was left of their home sold to others for 
one coin and one loaf of bread. One who marries a man out of ambition 
will have descendants doomed to ruin. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. 
dazzled by the splendor of the palace of Ahab, allied himself to the 
latter by marriage. What was the result? After his death. Athalia, 
the mother of his grandson, killed every possible rival in the family 
to make sure she could rule over Israel.

On the other hand. a man who takes a wife with pure and pious 
intentions will have children who will bring happiness and salvation 
to Israel. This was the case with Amram who, through his wife 
Yocheved. became the father of Moses and Aaron. Another case in point 
was Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth, ancestor of David and Solomon.

Yitzchok Levine 
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