Ezer Kinegdo

Rebecca sends in today's summary. Thanks, Rebecca!

“It isn’t good for man to be alone.”

Gemara: Any man who doesn’t have a wife is lacking happiness, blessing, and goodness.

Seforno: Man can’t reach his full purpose as a "tzelem Elokim" if he’s on his own, only until he finds his עזר כנגדו .

What isעזר כנגדו ?

Rashi: If the man is worthy she will be a partner, if he is not, they will fight.

A very important job of the wife is to give encouragement as well as tell the husband when he’s wrong and needs to improve his actions!

As an example, On’s wife saved him by stopping him from doing something wrong, but Korach’s wife destroyed him by encouraging him to do something wrong.

Midrash: There were two righteous people who got married and couldn’t have children, so they decided to separate. The man married a rasha who turned him bad and the women married a rasha, but she turned him good. The woman is the main influence in the home! Girls, tell him who’s boss!

Talmid Bavli: The woman serves as a kind of protection.