Kathi- Mistress of all Media

My dear friend Kathi, did it again, this time completing two windows to hang in the home of one of her patrons. This mem and shin are joining a window with a large alef. You should go straight to her blog and read about them.

From Alef to Taf

Did you know this?
Ashet Chayil / "A Woman of Valor" is an ode of praise to the righteous woman, written by King Solomon in honor of his mother, Batsheva. The text, from the Book of Proverbs (31:10-31), is a compendium of the many facets of Jewish femininity. While it is beyond the scope of this essay to catalogue the attributes embedded in Ashet Chayil / "A Woman of Valor" the text provides an appropriate point of departure for our essay.

Line by line, Ashet Chayil / "A Woman of Valor," follows the letters of the Hebrew alphabet ("alef-bet"), with each line corresponding to one letter. The "alef-bet" format is Solomon's way of comparing the all-encompassing virtues of the righteous woman to the completeness of the entire alphabet. The deeper significance of the "alef-bet" also finds its way into Ashet Chayil/"A Woman of Valor." Our sages say that God combined the spiritual powers vested in each letter of the "alef-bet" as building blocks for the universe. Through the "alef-bet" structure of his text, Solomon establishes a connection between the creative potential of the Hebrew alphabet and the Jewish woman who like the letters is also a builder - her edifice being the Jewish people.


At the start of the week, I displayed a lovely prayerbook. Today, at the end of the week feast your eyes on these wonderful bookends, perfect for holding your a portion of your Jewish library. These are from Zoe Designs, and are available in black and silver.

I am going on vacation with my family... driving north to see the mishpochah and then a few days of relaxation in the mountains of Virginia (at least that is the plan). Next week, Kathi Gose, a wonderful reader and artist has agreed to fill in for me. The week after that I will post as often as I can. Things should be back to normal around August 13th or so. Be nice to Kathi- she is a righteous woman!

Shabbat Shalom