A Pretty Good Deal

Imagine for a minute that you knew someone who was extremely kind, giving, and helpful in every aspect of your household and life in general. He or she also had access to all kinds of resources and endless money and would love to give freely of these for you. Add to that that the person had healing powers in case anyone got sick, and was extremely caring and attentive.

How would you like to invite this guy to come live in your home?

If this “person” is sounding superhuman, its because He is!

Yet we are being offered a gift just like this in exchange for creating peace in our relationship with our spouse. If we want all of these amazing blessings in our lives, one way to get them is to create shalom, peace.

Rebbe Akiva taught us איש ואישה זכה שכינה ביניהם (sotah 17 a). A man and a woman can merit Hashem’s presence between them.

The shechina, Hashem’s presence himself, wants to live with us. He wants to be invited into our homes and make our lives wonderful. All we have to do is get along beautifuly, create peace together, and there He is, waiting to bestow every blessing on us and our family.


Today we don’t have a Bais Hamikdash, our holy temple. The bais hamikdash was unique in that it was a physical space that contained something totally spiritual. It would seem that it’s impossible for such a phenomenon to exist. Yet, it was there for us to use. It was Hashems house, so to speak, in this world.

Now that we are in exile and don’t have a holy temple, it is as if Hashem's presence is in exile too- wandering and looking for a place to rest.

We have the opportunity to “give” Hashem a home now, even without the Bais Hamikdash, in our mikdashei miat, our miniature temples, our homes.

What a beautiful concept to motivate us to do whatever it takes to make a space for Him.
Not only is that what Hashem desperately wants us to do, it also is a pretty good deal for us to have such an amazing, powerful, and kind Being living in our midst!