Job's Wife
(ט) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ עֹדְךָ֖ מַחֲזִ֣יק בְּתֻמָּתֶ֑ךָ בָּרֵ֥ךְ אֱלֹקִ֖ים וָמֻֽת׃
(9) His wife said to him, “You still keep your integrity! Blaspheme God and die!”
...אִיּוֹב אֵימָתַי הָיָה...רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר בִּימֵי יַעֲקֹב הָיָה, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא דִּינָה אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל אִיּוֹב הָיְתָה, דִּכְתִיב בְּאֵשֶׁת אִיּוֹב (איוב ב, י): כְּדַבֵּר אַחַת הַנְּבָלוֹת, וּכְתִיב בְּדִינָה (בראשית לד, ז): כִּי נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
When was Job alive? ...Rebbi Abba bar Kahana said in the time of Ya'akov. According to Rebbi Abba bar Kahana Dina was Job's wife, as it says "You talk as any shameless" (Job 2:10), and with Dina it says, "because he had committed an outrage in Israel" (Gen. 34:7).
Yechezkel's Wife
וָאֲדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־הָעָם֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַתָּ֥מָת אִשְׁתִּ֖י בָּעָ֑רֶב וָאַ֥עַשׂ בַּבֹּ֖קֶר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צֻוֵּֽיתִי׃
In the evening my wife died, and in the morning I did as I had been commanded. And when I spoke to the people that morning,
And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: For any man whose first wife dies, it is as if the Temple were destroyed in his days, as it is stated: “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke; yet neither shall you make lamentation nor weep, neither shall your tears run down” (Ezekiel 24:16). And it is written: “So I spoke to the people in the morning and in the evening my wife died” (Ezekiel 24:18). And it is written in the continuation of the same passage: “Behold I will profane My Sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes” (Ezekiel 24:21), illustrating that a man’s wife is as precious to him as the Temple is for the entire Jewish nation.
Yehudah's Wife
(ב) וַיַּרְא־שָׁ֧ם יְהוּדָ֛ה בַּת־אִ֥ישׁ כְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּשְׁמ֣וֹ שׁ֑וּעַ וַיִּקָּחֶ֖הָ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃ (ג) וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵֽר׃ (ד) וַתַּ֥הַר ע֖וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אוֹנָֽן׃ (ה) וַתֹּ֤סֶף עוֹד֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁלָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה בִכְזִ֖יב בְּלִדְתָּ֥הּ אֹתֽוֹ׃
(2) There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and cohabited with her. (3) She conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er. (4) She conceived again and bore a son, and named him Onan. (5) Once again she bore a son, and named him Shelah; he was at Chezib when she bore him.
בת שוע, איש כנעני, “Bat Shua, daughter of a merchant. She was not a Canaanite, as the sons of Yaakov would not marry women of this nation.
A Canaanite man. She wasn't important to be called by her name. But her father was an important man...
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: The episode with regard to Judah also indicates that one who initiates performance of a mitzva but does not complete it will also bury his wife and children as Judah did, as it is written: “And in process of time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died” (Genesis 38:12), and it is written further: “And the sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 46:12).
(יב) וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַתָּ֖מָת בַּת־שׁ֣וּעַ אֵֽשֶׁת־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיַּ֜עַל עַל־גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י צֹאנוֹ֙ ה֗וּא וְחִירָ֛ה רֵעֵ֥הוּ הָעֲדֻלָּמִ֖י תִּמְנָֽתָה׃
(12) A long time afterward, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. When his period of mourning was over, Judah went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, together with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
"The daughter of a Cananite man". God said 'the King and Mashiach are meant to come from Yehudah - and he went and took a Cananite woman?! What should I do? I will change the story, and bring his son Tamar, as Tamar's father had a 'big name.'..."And Bat Shuah the wife of Yehudah died" (Gen. 38:12), and her sons died, so that Yehduah would be with Tamar [who came from a better line].
Lot's Wife
(טו) וּכְמוֹ֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר עָלָ֔ה וַיָּאִ֥יצוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים בְּל֣וֹט לֵאמֹ֑ר קוּם֩ קַ֨ח אֶֽת־אִשְׁתְּךָ֜ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ הַנִּמְצָאֹ֔ת פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶ֖ה בַּעֲוֺ֥ן הָעִֽיר׃ (טז) וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ ׀ וַיַּחֲזִ֨קוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֣וֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת ה' עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר׃ (יז) וַיְהִי֩ כְהוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכָל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה׃ ...(כו) וַתַּבֵּ֥ט אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מֵאַחֲרָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֖י נְצִ֥יב מֶֽלַח׃
(15) As dawn broke, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two remaining daughters, lest you be swept away because of the iniquity of the city.” (16) Still he delayed. So the men seized his hand, and the hands of his wife and his two daughters—in the LORD’s mercy on him—and brought him out and left him outside the city. (17) When they had brought them outside, one said, “Flee for your life! Do not look behind you, nor stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, lest you be swept away.” ...(26) Lot’s wife looked back, and she thereupon turned into a pillar of salt.
ותהיא נציב מלח, “she was turned into a pillar of salt;” her punishment fitted her crime, as Rashi has explained. Rashi claims that when her husband asked his wife to give some salt to his guests so that their food would taste better, she absolutely refused by challenging his right to violate the laws of Sodom concerning the entertaining of any guests. (based on B’reshit Rabbah,50,4) *Alternatively, "his wife gazed behind him and it became... - "it" referring to the entire land becoming filled with salt as it says "all its soil devastated by sulfur and salt." (Deuteronomy 29:22)
"And his wife looked behind him" - After the angel said, "Do not look behind you" - Her soul was stirred regarding her daughters that remained in Sodom
ותבט אשתו מאחריו - ר' יצחק אמר שחטאה במלח, באותו הלילה שבאו המלאכים אל לוט מה היא עושה הולכת אל כל שכינותיה ואומרת להן תנו לי מלח שיש לנו אורחים והיא מכוונת שיכירו בהן אנשי העיר על כן - 'ותהי נציב מלח'.
ותבט אשתו מאחריו ר' יצחק אמר שחטאה במלח באותו הלילה שבאו המלאכים אל לוט מה היא עושה הולכת אל כל שכינותיה ואומרת להן תנו לי מלח שיש לנו אורחים והיא מכוונת שיכירו בהן אנשי העיר על כן ותהי נציב מלח:
(5) HIS WIFE LOOKED BEHIND HER (Genesis 19:26)- Rabbi Yitzchak said: for she sinned with salt. That night when the angels came to Lot, what was she doing? Going to all her neighbors and saying to them, "Give me salt, because we have guests." And her intention was that the men of the city would come to know of them. Therefore, SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT.
The Sages taught in a baraita a list of places where one is required to recite a blessing due to miracles that were performed there: One who sees the crossings of the Red Sea, where Israel crossed; and the crossings of the Jordan; and the crossings of the streams of Arnon; the hailstones of Elgavish on the descent of Beit Ḥoron; the rock that Og, King of Bashan, sought to hurl upon Israel; and the rock upon which Moses sat when Joshua waged war against Amalek; and Lot’s wife; and the wall of Jericho that was swallowed up in its place. On all of these miracles one must give thanks and offer praise before God.
Manoach's Wife & Shimshon's Mother
(ב) וַיְהִי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֧ד מִצָּרְעָ֛ה מִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת הַדָּנִ֖י וּשְׁמ֣וֹ מָנ֑וֹחַ וְאִשְׁתּ֥וֹ עֲקָרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יָלָֽדָה׃ (ג) וַיֵּרָ֥א מַלְאַךְ־ה' אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֗יהָ הִנֵּה־נָ֤א אַתְּ־עֲקָרָה֙ וְלֹ֣א יָלַ֔דְתְּ וְהָרִ֖ית וְיָלַ֥דְתְּ בֵּֽן׃ (ד) וְעַתָּה֙ הִשָּׁ֣מְרִי נָ֔א וְאַל־תִּשְׁתִּ֖י יַ֣יִן וְשֵׁכָ֑ר וְאַל־תֹּאכְלִ֖י כָּל־טָמֵֽא׃ (ה) כִּי֩ הִנָּ֨ךְ הָרָ֜ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֗ן וּמוֹרָה֙ לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֣ה עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ כִּֽי־נְזִ֧יר אֱלֹקִ֛ים יִהְיֶ֥ה הַנַּ֖עַר מִן־הַבָּ֑טֶן וְה֗וּא יָחֵ֛ל לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֥ד פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (ו) וַתָּבֹ֣א הָאִשָּׁ֗ה וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לְאִישָׁהּ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִ֤ישׁ הָאֱלֹקִים֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י וּמַרְאֵ֕הוּ כְּמַרְאֵ֛ה מַלְאַ֥ךְ הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים נוֹרָ֣א מְאֹ֑ד וְלֹ֤א שְׁאִלְתִּ֙יהוּ֙ אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֣ה ה֔וּא וְאֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לֹֽא־הִגִּ֥יד לִֽי׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לִ֔י הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְעַתָּ֞ה אַל־תִּשְׁתִּ֣י ׀ יַ֣יִן וְשֵׁכָ֗ר וְאַל־תֹּֽאכְלִי֙ כָּל־טֻמְאָ֔ה כִּֽי־נְזִ֤יר אֱלֹקִים֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה הַנַּ֔עַר מִן־הַבֶּ֖טֶן עַד־י֥וֹם מוֹתֽוֹ׃ (פ) (ח) וַיֶּעְתַּ֥ר מָנ֛וֹחַ אֶל־ה' וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בִּ֣י אֲדוֹנָ֔י אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹקִ֞ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֗חְתָּ יָבוֹא־נָ֥א עוֹד֙ אֵלֵ֔ינוּ וְיוֹרֵ֕נוּ מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לַנַּ֥עַר הַיּוּלָּֽד׃ (ט) וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים בְּק֣וֹל מָנ֑וֹחַ וַיָּבֹ֣א מַלְאַךְ֩ הָאֱלֹקִ֨ים ע֜וֹד אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֗ה וְהִיא֙ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וּמָנ֥וֹחַ אִישָׁ֖הּ אֵ֥ין עִמָּֽהּ׃ (י) וַתְּמַהֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתָּ֖רָץ וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לְאִישָׁ֑הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֨ה נִרְאָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א בַיּ֖וֹם אֵלָֽי׃ (יא) וַיָּ֛קָם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מָנ֖וֹחַ אַחֲרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הַאַתָּ֥ה הָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתָּ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽנִי׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מָנ֔וֹחַ עַתָּ֖ה יָבֹ֣א דְבָרֶ֑יךָ מַה־יִּֽהְיֶ֥ה מִשְׁפַּט־הַנַּ֖עַר וּמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מַלְאַ֥ךְ ה' אֶל־מָנ֑וֹחַ מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָמַ֥רְתִּי אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה תִּשָּׁמֵֽר׃ (יד) מִכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא֩ מִגֶּ֨פֶן הַיַּ֜יִן לֹ֣א תֹאכַ֗ל וְיַ֤יִן וְשֵׁכָר֙ אַל־תֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וְכָל־טֻמְאָ֖ה אַל־תֹּאכַ֑ל כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִ֖יהָ תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָנ֖וֹחַ אֶל־מַלְאַ֣ךְ ה' נַעְצְרָה־נָּ֣א אוֹתָ֔ךְ וְנַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְפָנֶ֖יךָ גְּדִ֥י עִזִּֽים׃ (טז) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ ה' אֶל־מָנ֗וֹחַ אִם־תַּעְצְרֵ֙נִי֙ לֹא־אֹכַ֣ל בְּלַחְמֶ֔ךָ וְאִם־תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה עֹלָ֔ה לַה' תַּעֲלֶ֑נָּה כִּ֚י לֹא־יָדַ֣ע מָנ֔וֹחַ כִּֽי־מַלְאַ֥ךְ ה' הֽוּא׃
(2) There was a certain man from Zorah, of the stock of Dan, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. (3) An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “You are barren and have borne no children; but you shall conceive and bear a son. (4) Now be careful not to drink wine or other intoxicant, or to eat anything unclean. (5) For you are going to conceive and bear a son; let no razor touch his head, for the boy is to be a nazirite to God from the womb on. He shall be the first to deliver Israel from the Philistines.” (6) The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me; he looked like an angel of God, very frightening. I did not ask him where he was from, nor did he tell me his name. (7) He said to me, ‘You are going to conceive and bear a son. Drink no wine or other intoxicant, and eat nothing unclean, for the boy is to be a nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death!’” (8) Manoah pleaded with the LORD. “Oh, my Lord!” he said, “please let the man of God that You sent come to us again, and let him instruct us how to act with the child that is to be born.” (9) God heeded Manoah’s plea, and the angel of God came to the woman again. She was sitting in the field and her husband Manoah was not with her. (10) The woman ran in haste to tell her husband. She said to him, “The man who came to me before has just appeared to me.” (11) Manoah promptly followed his wife. He came to the man and asked him: “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” “Yes,” he answered. (12) Then Manoah said, “May your words soon come true! What rules shall be observed for the boy?” (13) The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “The woman must abstain from all the things against which I warned her. (14) She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, or drink wine or other intoxicant, or eat anything unclean. She must observe all that I commanded her.” (15) Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Let us detain you and prepare a kid for you.” (16) But the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I shall not eat your food; and if you present a burnt offering, offer it to LORD.”—For Manoah did not know that he was an angel of the LORD.
.. מָנוֹחַ, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מָנוֹחַ, שֶׁזָּכָה לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מַלְאָךְ, וְהַנְּבוּאָה נִקְרֵאת מְנוּחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה נא, נט): וּשְׂרָיָה שַׂר מְנוּחָה, ... וְאִשְׁתּוֹ עֲקָרָה וְלֹא יָלָדָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה מַחֲלֹקֶת בֵּין מָנוֹחַ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, הוּא אוֹמֵר לָהּ אַתְּ עֲקָרָה וּלְכָךְ אֵינֵךְ יוֹלֶדֶת, וְהִיא אוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ אַתְּ עָקָר וּלְכָךְ לֹא יָלַדְתִּי. לֹא הָיָה מָנוֹחַ עָקָר (שופטים יג, ג): וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ ה' אֶל הָאִשָּׁה, מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל מָנוֹחַ צַדֶּקֶת הָיְתָה שֶׁזָּכְתָה לְדַבֵּר עִמָּה מַלְאָךְ, וְלָשׂוּם שָׁלוֹם בֵּינָהּ לְבֵין בַּעֲלָהּ, וּלְהוֹדִיעָהּ שֶׁהִיא עֲקָרָה, וְהִיא מוֹנַעַת הַהֵרָיוֹן וְלֹא בַּעֲלָהּ, לְכָךְ דִּבֶּר עִמָּהּ. ...וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ הַמַּלְאָךְ (שופטים יג, ג): וְהָרִית וְיָלַדְתְּ בֵּן, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קִבְּלָה הָרֶחֶם אוֹתָהּ טִפָּה לְשָׁם. (...וַיֹּאמֶר מַלְאַךְ ה' אֶל מָנוֹחַ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֶל הָאִשָּׁה, לַחְלֹק כָּבוֹד לָאִשָּׁה וּלְחַבְּבָהּ בְּעֵינָיו....
Manoach was called this, because he merited to speak to an Angel, and prophecy is called "menucha"... his was was barren and did not have a child, teaches us that there was a disagreement between Manoach and his wife, he said that she was barren and that is why they did not have any children, and she said he was barren and that is why is was unable to conceive. But Manoach was not barren. The Angel of God came before the woman, from here we learn that Manoach's wife was righteous as she merited to speak with an angel, to create peace between her and her husband,and to hear that it was she that was barren, not her husband...