0 responses to “Husband/Wife –                  From the perspective of Torah, Chassidus, and the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.




1. The Root: One Soul, Two Halves

In Torah, man and woman are not two competing beings. They are two halves of one soul.

The Gemara teaches that originally האדם was created as one being and later separated into male and female. The marriage is not the creation of something new — it is the reunification of something that was always one.

Chassidus explains:

The soul above is one.

It descends and expresses as two bodies.

Marriage is the restoration of essential unity.


This means the relationship is not about power — it is about completion.


—

2. Mashpia and Mekabel — Influence and Receptivity

Chassidus often describes the dynamic as:

Mashpia – the one who gives / influences

Mekabel – the one who receives / develops


But here is the deep point:
In Torah, the receiver is often higher than the giver.

Just like the earth receives the seed — yet produces far more than the seed contained.

The Rebbe emphasized many times that the woman is called:

> “Akeres Habayis” — the foundation and essence of the home.



The spiritual atmosphere of the house flows primarily through her.

So the structure is not dominance.
It is flow.


—

3. The Man: Direction and Responsibility

According to Torah:

The man carries obligation for Torah learning.

He carries obligation for protection and provision.

He is commanded in leadership responsibility.


But leadership in Torah is not control.
It is service and accountability.

The Rebbe repeatedly stressed that a husband must treat his wife with:

Respect

Gentleness

Emotional sensitivity

Listening


The Gemara says:

> A man must honor his wife more than himself.



Not equal.
More.


—

4. The Woman: The Inner Power

Chassidus teaches something radical:

The feminine root in creation is deeper.

Malchus (feminine energy) is the power that actualizes everything.
The final redemption is described as the elevation of the feminine.

The Rebbe strongly empowered women in:

Education

Outreach

Leadership in their sphere

Public influence


Not as a modern concession — but as a revelation of their true spiritual stature.


—

5. What Is the Relationship Supposed to Look Like?

According to Chassidus:

It should be:

Unity without erasing individuality

Complementarity without hierarchy

Deep friendship

Mutual respect

Shared mission


The ultimate goal of marriage in Judaism is not romance alone.
It is to build a dwelling place for Hashem in this world — a Jewish home.

Marriage becomes a spiritual partnership in revealing G-dliness.


—

6. The Deeper Mystical Idea

Chassidus explains:

The masculine represents revelation.

The feminine represents internalization.

When they unite properly, Divine energy becomes grounded in reality.


This is why marriage is called a “Binyan Adei Ad” — an eternal building.

It mirrors the relationship between:

Hashem (Mashpia)

The Jewish people (Mekabel)


And ultimately, the relationship between the Divine and the world.


—

7. The Rebbe’s Practical Tone

The Lubavitcher Rebbe constantly emphasized:

Peace in the home (Shalom Bayis) comes before almost everything.

Words matter.

Respect matters.

A wife’s dignity is sacred.

A husband’s responsibility is serious and holy.


He did not teach ego. He taught mission.


—

In One Sentence

According to Torah and Chassidus, the male-female relationship is:

Two halves of one soul, each with different strengths, united in love and responsibility, to reveal G-dliness in the world.”