גיטין נז

The Gaon, רב ישעיה׳לה פראגר, had a tough, abusive wife who constantly insulted and berated him and made his life miserable. He took it all in silently. When his תלמידים asked why he doesn’t respond, רב ישעיה׳לה explained: “What can I do? My רבנית is one of the 400.” The students looked at each other, not understanding to what their רבי was referring. “In מסכת גיטיו,” he explained, “the גמרא relates the tragic story of 400 boys and girls who were captured and and were being transported by boat by men who intended to use them for sinful purposes. When they arrived at the עולם עליון, and were about to be escorted to גן עדן, the girls complained that it wasn’t fair. They were the first to sacrifice themselves for קידוש השם and the boys did so only after seeing their example. ‘We deserve something more than the boys.’ When asked what more they want, they said ‘to go back to earth as women for another גלגול, to marry men and not have the פסוק והוא ימשול בך apply to us. Rather, we want למשול בהן ביד חזקה ותקיפה.’ A בית דין של מעלה was assembled and their request was granted. And my wife is one of those 400.”

06/10/2021