We mourn and we cry but what else can we do?...In the merit of the righteous women we were redeemed from Egypt-In the merit of the righteous women we will be redeemed from THIS Galut(exile) as well...

Chazal have taught that it is b'zchus nashim tzidkaniyot, in the merit of righteous women that we were redeemed from Egypt. The same is true today, it will be in the merit of righteous women that we will be redeemed from this Galus as well.How does one define a righteous woman. A righteous woman is one whose life is not a reflection of the times in which she lives, rather her life is a reflection of the Torah. Her beauty is in her piety and modesty; in the courage that it takes to live a life of Torah no matter what the situation in which she finds herself. A righteous woman carries within her the lessons of generations. She learns from Sarah the importance of building a home and making it a place for all to feel comfortable. From Rivkah that one act of kindness can lead you to an incredible life. From Rochel that selflessness can bring you great children. She learns piety and the anguish of motherhood from Channa who watched all of her seven sons be killed for not accepting the non-kosher meat Antiochos offered them. She learns bravery and courage from women like Yehudis, who slayed a Roman General and from Deborah the Prophetess who led her people into battle. And from Ruth that a life of modesty can bring you the greatest of descendants. Kol kevudah bas melech penima. The honor of the king's daughter is inside - in her home and inside herself. Her honor lies in her modesty. A true princess doesn’t need fanfare, her royalty is evident by the way she dresses, the way she carries herself. It’s the same with the daughters of Am Yisrael. They must also carry themselves modestly, in their way of dressing and in their approach to the world. We can probably learn a lot from our ancestors in terms of fashion, but I think we learn even more from them by studying their actions and deeds. Women in Jewish history, whether leaders of the nation or leaders of their homes, were never simple. They were proud, strong and courageous. They worked diligently to guide their families and the nation in the path of Torah. The purpose of this feature is to bring these women who lived so long ago, just a little bit closer to us. We will begin with Chava, the first woman and continue on following the timeline as much as possible. If there are any specific women you wish us to feature, please write to us. If there is information on a woman we profiled that you would like to share, please do so. In the merit of the righteous Jewish women in Egypt we were redeemed from slavery. It will be through the actions of righteous Jewish women today and in the years to come that will be redeemed from this exile and be brought to the light of Moshiach. Note: I have tried my best to give over the mefarshim the way they were written, any mistakes are my own. Please accept my apologies if I have inadvertently been incorrect in my interpretations. Chumi Friedman

 (nicely put together by Chumi Friedmanhttp://www.eisheschayil.co

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