Lech Lecha - Establishing the Wife as Foundation of the Jewish Home

Rabbi Zweig addresses what he considers a major cause of dysfunctional Jewish families: the failure to properly understand and respect the role of motherhood in the home. The shiur begins with an analysis of the peculiar phrasing in Parshas Lech Lecha where the Torah (תורה) writes that Avrohom pitched "her tent" (ahalah) but the traditional reading pronounces it "his tent" (ahalo). Rashi (רש"י) explains that Avrohom first pitched Sarah's tent, then his own. Rabbi Zweig argues this is not merely about etiquette. The timing is crucial - this occurs immediately after Hashem (ה׳) promised Avrohom that Sarah would bear children. Until then, both Avrohom and Sarah were focused on outreach work, teaching thousands of people. Now, with the prospect of motherhood, the entire dynamic of their relationship must change. The husband must recognize that his wife's primary role as mother becomes the central focus of the home.