my spindle

R. Eliezer answered her: There is no wisdom in woman except with the spindle (pelech). Thus also does Scripture say: And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands...*b. yoma 66b* there are wise women who do more than spin...

Monday, March 07, 2005

berachot daf 7...a brief note

there's great stuff in daf 7 (there's great stuff in all of them) but in the interests of time, i will point to this one today:

R. Yochanan said in the name of R. Shimon ben Yochai: From the day the Holy One, Blessed be God, created the world, there was no person who offered thanks to the Holy One, Blessed be God, until Leah came and thanked God, as it is stated(regarding the birth of her fourth son, Judah): This time, let me thank God.

Rashi explains that this is because Leah knew that Jacob was going to have 12 sons by 4 wives, hence she imagined 3 apiece. When she gave birth to her 4th son, she knew this was special, and thanked God for the "extra" share that she was getting. Certainly there were others who thanked God for things they'd received before Leah came along, but the Gemara notes her as the first to be thankful for something beyond what he/she deserves....(and leave it to a woman to be the one most grateful for the extras....)

What blessings do we receive that are beyond what we deserve? I think there are many....

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