The Beauty Of Our Imahot

"And Sarai was childless and had no children" (Noach 11:30).

Our sages famously teach (Yevamot 64a): "Why were our Matriarchs barren? Because Hashem desires the prayers of the righteous." However, another astounding reason for Sarai and the Matriarchs being barren is found in Medrash Rabbah (Parshat Lech Lecha 45:4, Song of Songs 2:12): "Rabbi Meir said that pregnancy diminishes beauty, and Hashem wanted the wives of the Avot (Patriarchs) to be beautiful so their husbands would gain further gratification and enjoyment from their wives." This concept that the Medrash states of a woman losing a level of beauty upon having children is found in the Torah in several places (See Rashi 4:19 regarding Lemech, who married two wives because of this and also the story of Er and Onan as mentioned in Yevamot 34b).

However it is difficult to understand why this was something that Hashem felt was so important that it was worth causing the Imahot so much pain and anguish over. Why would an increase of enjoyment override the pain of the Imahot?

In the commentary of Medrash Rabba the Yafeh Toar (Song of Songs, 2:14 32), explains the motivation Hashem had for causing this was not simply for the extra enjoyment and pleasure of the Avot (Patriarchs). Quite the opposite, the Avot, being holy and detached from worldly pleasures, needed extra beauty in their wives to awaken their hearts to physical matters. They were so detached from worldly matters that it was difficult for them to connect in physical ways. Only a drastic intensification of beauty was able to remind them to “reconnect” with the material functions of this world. The “Otzar Pelaot Hatorah” adds that perhaps it is for this reason, King Shlomo also took many wives, as he was deeply immersed in his wisdom, and through the beauty of various women, his heart turned towards worldly affairs.

From this, we learn that the righteous person, who does not chase after physical desires, is granted by Hashem's kindness a beautiful wife not only in her deeds but also in appearance. This lesson teaches us in the current generation not to run after external beauty but rather attach ourselves to spirituality, because when one is attached to spirituality he may be granted a gift of both Olam Habah (the next world) and also Olam Hazeh (this world)!

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Rabbi Leeor Dahan, a graduate of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim/RSA, is well versed in aspects of halachah and has written commentary on the Mishnah Berurah, and Shulchan Aruch. Rabbi Dahan encourages his congregants at Kehilat Avodat Hashem in Hillcrest, Queens to find time in their day for the study of Torah and associated halachic customs.