WOMEN-----she'lo asani isha

Q: I used to have a rebbe that always said that whenever he sees his wife taking care of his children and house (by either staying up at all hours of night, breaking up fights staying home with kids who are sick, buying food, ironing, cooking - I think you get my point) the bracha of she lo asani Isha pops into his head. he says that men get to sit and learn which could be the most satisfying and pleasurable thing while the women are running around all day taking care of people


A: I don’t agree with your rebbe's perspective.

One could walk into the Bais Hamikdash and see the Kohen Godol offering sacrifices and say "I am glad I don’t have to be a butcher all day like that man", for all he does is chop up and roast meat (oh - he also sprinkles blood around, now and then).

The fact that a woman is busy with children does not make her job any less desirable, if you understand its value.

When a woman cooks for her family, she is doing avodah similar to that of the Kohen Gadol roasting a Korbon; when she breaks up a fight between her kids, she is doing avodas Hashem similar to that of Moshe Rabbeinu when Yisro noticed the nation coming to him to settle their grievances, (I don’t think Yisro would have understood a brachah "shelo asani Moshe".)

Hashem gives each of us our way of avodas Hashem - women's avodah is holy as well. And sometimes its hard, but l'fum tzaarah agra - plus, it is a labor of love.