Harchakos- Together but Separate

Gila Manolson, “The Superglue Touch” in Jewish Women Speak about Jewish Matters - “Saving touch … avoids many pitfalls in relationships. Its main advantage is not what it avoids but what it offers. Two people truly become one by first bringing down the walls, not between their bodies, but between their minds and hearts. This requires a lot of intellectual and emotional sharing, in other words, talking. You’re less likely to invest hours of your relationship in deep conversation, hoping to feel close, when, at the back of your mind, you know there’s a foolproof shortcut: getting physical.”

Rabbi Manis Friedman, Doesn’t Anyone Blush anymore- True intimacy in marriage – fiery love – is created by constant withdrawal and reunion. If a husband and wife are never separate, their love begins to sour...it’s not conducive to man-woman love... That’s why the ideal blessing for a married couple is: “Your honeymoon should never end.” A honeymoon – when two people who were once separate come together for the first time – should never end because that’s what a marriage thrives on. The only way to ...[do this] is to provide a separation…

The Chofetz Chaim commented that the affliction of the Israelites was in order to test them to see if they would behave in an elevated manner even though they had difficulties. When someone acts in an elevated manner when he has difficult life-tests, he becomes elevated. This applies to everyone in every situation. Instead of complaining when difficulties arise in your life, look for ways you can utilize those difficulties to improve your character traits or your marriage. When you view difficulties in this light they will be much easier to cope with