An Overheard Conversation

May 13, 2008 | Comments 0

It’s not usual that I listen in to the ladies chattering, but this was a topic that I could relate to (it had nothing to do with labor or shaitels!).

I was at my in laws’ house over Pesach, and my wife’s younger sister (who’s husband works, and never really was much into learning) was asking another one about their work. She asked, “How do you manage to both work and run the house?” My kollel sister-in-law answered, “Oh, it’s hard. But I’m confident that the minute I feel it’s too hard for me to do both, my husband will step in and take over the responsibility of parnossa.”

I shuddered. Does my wife, who works so hard, and is practically falling apart, feel that way. I don’t think so. And it’s not because she wants to do this so badly. Her lofty ideals from seminary have long since washed away with the cold hard truth of reality.

She knows the truth. That even if I agreed to leave kollel, what would I do? What can I do to bring in a living wage? And so, she feels doomed, and resigned to carry on this insanity forever.

My younger sister-in-law is still too young to realize that about her husband, and she lives in that peaceful state of ignorance.

But my wife knows better…

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