We continue our series on family life through the lenses of Mishle and the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech, alav hashalom (peace be upon him). Today we will be discussing a Pasuk (verse) in Perek Yud Dalet (chapter fourteen), Pasuk Aleph (verse one). Shlomo HaMelech says, which means: “Each builds her home. Tears it down with her bare hands.” Shlomo HaMelech, in this Pasuk of Mishle, is teaching us the power of a mother in her home.
Let’s take note of the opening word Shlomo HaMelech uses in this Pasuk. He uses the word Chachmot. Chachmot means the many wisdoms. Shlomo HaMelech could have said Chochmat Nashim in the singular tense, the wisdom of woman. But he does not do so. He uses the word Chachmot, which is the plural tense of wisdom, making it “wisdoms,” the many wisdoms of woman. What’s the reason for this? Why does Shlomo HaMelech start with the word Chachmot? Rav Hirsch says the reason is the following: A woman, a mother, a wife, is the true builder of her home. This responsibility requires her to have many Chachmot, many wisdoms: a combination of knowledge and insight in knowing how to properly direct her children and how to raise them in the right manner.
She needs to have the physical abilities and skills to maintain a healthy home and healthy children. As well, she needs to have the moral and spiritual excellence to maintain a home that is spiritually healthy. In order for her to execute her difficult task of raising such a beautiful home, founded on Torah and on mitzvot (commandments), a home infused with healthy children and a happy home, Shlomo HaMelech says we need Chachmot Nashim. It takes many wisdoms on the woman’s part to succeed in this task.
But then Shlomo HaMelech concludes the Pasuk and says that a foolish one—a woman who is foolish in her ways, as Shlomo says—can destroy and tear down her entire home with her bare hands, without making the right decisions for the children and for her home, without instilling the right values and teachings in the home, and without using her knowledge and insight in the proper way. Shlomo HaMelech says that, unfortunately, that woman could take a beautifully built home and beautiful children and, chas veshalom (God forbid), destroy them with her own bare hands. Shlomo HaMelech calls such a woman an ivvelet, which means simply foolish.
In this Pasuk, Shlomo HaMelech teaches us that the construction of a home lies in the hands of the mother. And chas veshalom, at the same time, the destruction of a home also lies in the hands of that same mother. Therefore, Shlomo HaMelech tells the women, the mothers, and the wives: “Chachmot Nashim, use your wisdom. Use your many wisdoms that God had blessed you with in order to make sure that you have succeeded in that great task of being the true builder of the home.” Have a wonderful day.