In the Gemara, Kedushin 49, it is written that 10 portions of speech were sent down to this world and women were given 9 out of these 10 portions. This means that Hashem thought highly of the woman, and felt that if women were given such a gift, G-d wants the women to do a lot of good deeds with their words.
Throughout our history as a Jewish Nation, there are many examples of G-d’s favorable treatment, to those who follow His ways.
One such example is the food in the desert that the children of Israel ate which was called the Manna. This spiritual food was given in the following way. If there was a big family G-d let them collect more food than a small family would collect. And the more righteous the person who was collecting the food the more G-d would bring the food right to their door step and they didn’t have to make any effort at all to go and collect the food. All this was to show that when Hashem wants to give someone a gift or reward them, he sends it right to their door step. However, that person in turn must show Hashem how grateful they are for Hashem’s gifts and that they are using those gifts wisely.
Therefore, if women were given the gift of 9 portions of speech as opposed to the men who were given only one portion, we must realize that Hashem gave us a gift and wants us to use it wisely. The list is long as to where a woman uses her words. To talk to her children and to make peace in the home when needed. To give a good word to a sad person, or to stand up for the right thing at the right time.
But more than all, is a woman’s ability to speak with Hashem. It’s true that most of the prophets who spoke with Hashem were men, although there were women as well, such as the holy 4 mothers and Miriam, Moshe’s sister and Deborah the prophetess. But the real power of the women’s speech are the words nobody knows about other than G-d, like with the prophet Shmuel’s mother Chana, who cried out to Hashem silently, while the high priest thought she was drunk. And from Chana’s heart- breaking prayer to G-d came the prophet Shmuel who is compared to Moshe Rabbainu and Aharon the high priest. And all that came from his mother’s silent prayers and conversations with Hashem.
Without woman there would be no continuity to the world, no children no future. The woman cries to Hashem when no one hears, the woman bring children to this world with tears and prayers, they bring up the children with tears and prayers and when they leave the house it’s still the mothers who cry and pray for their well-being and growth in every way possible. In her daily life she is constantly connected to Hashem. She doesn’t have to do a special act to feel G-ds presence. The women were created just as Hashem wanted.
Men have to work very hard to feel the closeness to Hashem. They were created from the earth and must take many actions to feel spiritual and uplifted. Not so with the women. This is also a reason that the greater power of speech was given to the women. The women are blessed with the closeness to their creator naturally, so that when they open their mouth to speak, they naturally want to praise Hashem. They teach their children at a very small age how to praise Hashem and give Him thanks. The good words that come out of the woman’s mouth are like the dew that falls every morning. It’s the constant water, even the smallest amount, that makes sure everything will keep on growing and there will be continuity in the world.
It’s written that in the merit of the righteous women the redemption will come. It is those women who use their speech to water all the children of Israel so that they will have faith and believe in Hashem; so that they will love Hashem. So that they will have the strength to do all that G-d commands. All this energy and power comes from our speech.
It is said that life and death are in the hands of our words. A word can kill and a word can give someone life.
The last day of Chanukah is also the closing day of the High Holiday’s from the beginning of the year. All that was written for us on Rosh Hashanah and signed on Yom Kippur will be set forth from here on in. Let us pray, and praise Hashem, for all the good he has given us and for all the good that he is going to give us, and speak to Hashem at all times and thank him for his gifts. And let us spread Hashem’s wonders wherever we go.