Eishes Chayil (Woman of Valor)

The song Eishes Chayil, which is sung as part of the nighttime Kiddush, is part of the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs, written by King Solomon. Each line begins with a different letter of the Hebrew Alef Bet, and it perfectly describes the Jewish woman. She is both a homemaker and a business woman. She on the one hand singlehandedly takes care of her precious family, and on the other manages affairs in the community. King Solomon places this active and talented woman alongside her husband, who is renowned and famous for his wisdom.

In this poem, significance is stressed on not taking anything for granted, everything is a direct result of his wife’s unrelenting hard work in setting a strong foundation. Someone has cared, worked and nurtured without end, and she should be thanked wholeheartedly and sincerely. We recite the Eishes Chayil weekly to remind her and ourselves just how much she does.

Eishes chayil mi yimtza ve-rachok mi-peninim michrah;
Batach bah leiv ba'alah ve-shalal lo yech'sar;
Gemalas'hu tov ve-lo ra kol yemei chayeha;
Dar'eshah tzemer u'fishtim va-ta'as be-cheifetz kapeha;
Hay-esa ko-oniyos socheir mi-merchak tavi lachma;
Va-takam be'od laila va-titein teref le-veisah ve-chok le-na'aroseha;
Zamema sadeh va-tika'cheihu mi-peri chapeha nata karem;
Chag'erah ve-oz mas'neha va-te'ameitz zero'oseha;
Ta'ama ki tov sachra lo yich'beh ba-lailah neira;
Yadeha shilchah va-kishor ve-chapeha tamchu falech;
Kapah par'esa le-ani ve-yadeha shil'echah la-evyon;
Lo sira le-veisa mi-shaleg ki chol beisa lavush shanim;
Marvadim as'esa la sheish ve-argaman levusha;
Noda ba-she'arim ba'ala be-shivto im ziknei aretz;
Sadin as'esa va-timkor va-chagor nas'ena la-kena'ani;
Oz ve-hadar levusha va-tis'chak le-yom acharon;
Piha pas'echah ve-chachma ve-soras chesed al leshona;
Tzofiyah halichos beisa ve-lechem atzlus lo socheil;
Kamu vaneha va-ye'ash'eruha ba'ala va-yehal'elah;
Rabos banos asu chayil vi-as alis al kulana;
Sheker ha-chein ve-hevel ha-yofi ishah yiras Adonoy hi sis'halal;
Tenu lah mi-pri yadeha vi-haleluha ba-she'arim ma'aseha.