What Is 'Isha Yiras Hashem'?

There were a grand total of 31 subscribers, in October 2022, the last time something like this was posted.¹

Since that point, we have been blessed with a lot of growth. No numbers, because ‘a special blessing rests on things that are hidden’, so I will only say that it's statistically very unlikely that you received that post.² If you did, thank you! Thank G-d for this growth, and thank you all for subscribing and reading and liking and commenting.

Who are you, Isha Yiras Hashem?

‘Isha Yiras Hashem’ means “a woman who fears G-d.” Hopefully, this is the answer to your question.

I want something more specific, to tell my friends.

I'm officially a stay at home mother, with the disclaimer that it is rare that I actually stay, at home, for the entire day.³ My husband and I are blessed with a family, which is my primary vehicle to serve G-d at the moment.

Posting is once a week in good times, and when I can the rest of the time. Posting might become more frequent if I had more people willing to comment on extremely early drafts or sketches of ideas; please let me know if you're interested.

Who is Rebbetzin Devorah Fastag?

Rebbetzin Devorah Fastag is a respected author and lecturer who lives in Beitar. She wrote “The Moon's Lost Light: Redemption and Feminine Equality", addressing the perceived secondary status of women, which provides insights on gender equality within the Jewish faith, tying these themes to the broader context of Jewish history and redemption.

Rebbetzin Fastag is also my mentor. We have no ties other than talking to each other about serving G-d, which is the best connection anyway. Her guidance, advice, and knowledge of both religious and secular topics has filled what was otherwise the empty shell of this substack. Neither of us earn any money off of this, as we want to focus on the spiritual element. That said, I recommend buying her book, because it is a wonderful book!

What Are You Doing Here?

‘Isha Yiras Hashem’ talks about universal spiritual and religious values. All humans are made in the image of G-d, and have both a physical dimension, their body, and a spiritual dimension, a soul. This spiritual dimension cannot be seen by human eyes or proven through science, but it can be felt by the spiritual part of ourselves.

Everyone can pray, everyone can atone for sin, everyone can draw close to G-d, and everyone can make a better world by acts of kindness to other people. We all benefit from spiritual insight and guidance.

What Does ‘Isha Yiras Hashem’ mean?

"Isha Yiras Hashem" means "A Woman Who Fears G-d." The name is derived from Proverbs 31:30:

—a woman who fears G-d, she shall be praised!"

I wanted this blog to get a lot of "likes," which is how you praise someone in modern times. So I labeled it "a woman who fears G-d." This should unconsciously lead you to finish the verse in your head—"she shall be praised"—and click "like" on all my posts. 😉 Or “share”. Comments are even better. Subscriptions are the best.

Do You Really Fear G-d?

I really want to!

You can make fun of me for being, well, pretentious. About my fear of G-d. I wrestled with whether I could publicly call myself "a woman who fears G-d." I'm far from perfect, with my share of flaws and an imperfect fear of G-d.

I looked everywhere I can think of, but I did not find anyone who was being pretentious about their fear of G-d, even on Substack. Everyone was being pretentious about art, literature, parenting, music, travel, fashion, technology, health, fitness, lifestyle, education, and more — this is only a partial list!

So, at the very least, I am bringing a shiny, new, and innovative kind of pretentiousness to the internet.

While I’m being pretentious, I'll also be human. I really like being praised, so please praise this substack. The easiest way is to hit the Like button in the email you are reading right now.

Now that I feel good about myself, it's time to sign off.

Isha Yiras Hashem

1. https://ishayirashashem.substack.com/p/blog-name-explained

2. Thanks to Rebbetzin Devorah Fastag for her help and guidance, particularly with sources.

Tractate Taanit, 8: Rabbi Yitzhak says, a blessing does not rest except on that which is hidden from view. (Literally, the eyes.)

The biblical commentary known as the Yismach Moshe (Parashat Toldot) wrote that since G-d established the world to be governed by natural laws and does not desire to perform miracles constantly, blessing is more likely in things whose number is not known or apparent. In such cases, G-d can give abundant blessing. He adds: "Likewise in all matters, if a person understands through natural means that he cannot gain much in his business, he will not be blessed in a manner contrary to his understanding. Therefore, it is good for a person not to be too insightful, allowing blessing to come from above."

3. Nowadays it's more like being a ‘stay in car mother’.