MARRIAGE FORMULA

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Penina for your birthday next week. Wishing you a very happy year with much growth, and lots of nachas from the children, together with Avi!

At the very end of this week's Parsha Vayera, we read about the birth of Rivka (22:23).

This followed straight after the whole story of Avraham being prepared to SACRIFICE Yitzchak - which represented COMPLETE SELFLESS DEVOTION to the requests of Hashem (by both Avraham and Yitzchak)

In a Sicha from the Rebbe (Vol 25 p137), the Rebbe points out that the juxtaposition of the binding of Yitzchak to the birth of Rivkah, his future wife, indicates that SELF SACRIFICE IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF HEALTHY MARRIAGE.

'When one marries and especially when one starts to have children, the primary focus becomes the immediate task of supporting our families, and dealing with the material world, and its attendant mundane matters.

Whatever self-orientation occupied our focus before marriage, even if this self-orientation was very spiritual, it must largely be replaced by selfless devotion TO OTHERS.

It is imperative, that as this happens, we keep in mind that marrying and raising a family, are just as much a part of fulfilling our Divine mission, as are more explicit spiritual pursuits.

In fact, making a Jewish home filled with the knowledge of Torah and the performance of G-d's Commandments and good deeds, is the primary way that we transform the world at large into Hahem's true home.'

Wishing everyone a wonderful Shabbos.