Vayechi – Chevrah
R' Chaim Kanievsky brings from a Medrash, that when Yakov spoke to Reuven as ראשית אוני , he prophesied about the men of shevet Reuvein who would join Korach in the claim for Kehunah. Only און would be saved from amongst them as his wife would separate him as one would separate challah from dough. Hence, ראשית - like the separation of challah ראשית עריסותיכם - אוני will designate און to be My און.
There is a tremendous lesson to be learned here. The metaphor of Hafrashas Challah brings to mind the example that dough serves in the separation of Klal Yisrael from the Egyptians at Yetzias Mitzrayim. The Torah describes the wonderous extraction of גוי מקרב גוי as a unique event that only Hakadosh Baruch Hu could do. Separating און from the group of 250 tribesmen was a virtually impossible task. The draw of social connection and sense of belonging is so powerful that disrupting און's friendship, and severing his bond from this unified group just could not happen.
Except through his wife.
The way to pull some sticky dough apart from the rest can only be with something even more sticky attaching itself and pulling in the other direction. Only the greatest bond of an אשת חיל who is אשתו כגופו can draw her husband from the mire and muck of negative friendships and relationships. רעים אהובים can have a stronger pull than all the mussar, tochacha and warnings in the world.
This is a tremendous lesson in the dangers of bad friendships and social connections and importance of building positive ones. And it is an empowering message to the N'shei Chayil of Klal Yisrael that their unique bond can be smartly used to overcome the greatest challenges that we face in our surroundings.
p.s. It's interesting to note that און's wife who used a bit immodesty to save her husband from wrogly pursuing Kehunah, returned as the mother of 7 sons who served as Kohanim gedolim in the second bes Hamikdash, in the merit of her meticulous modesty. Her name, reminiscent of hafrashas challah, was קמחית.