Shalom Bayit

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Shalom Bayit or Shalom Bayis (Hebrew: שלום בית ; "peace at home") is the Jewish religious concept of household harmony and good relations between husband and wife. In Jewish thought and law, domestic tranquility is an extremely important goal and many things are permitted for its sake. For example. one of the rare situations where Judaism condones lying is a little white lie when to tell the truth would cause more discord than the truth.

The Talmud brings a proof of the importance of shalom bayit from the book of Genesis. When God tells Sarah that she will give birth to Isaac, she expresses disbelief saying: "After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord [i.e. husband] being old also?" When God recounts the even to Abraham, however, he says simply: "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?" (Genesis: 18:12-13). The rabbis comment that God must have omitted Sarah's mention of Abraham's age out of concern for shalom bayit.

"Throughout the history of the Jewish people, Jews have held an ideal standard for Jewish family life that is manifested in the term shalom bayit ["peace in the home"]. The term shalom ["peace"] also signifies completeness, wholeness, and fulfillment. Hence, the traditional Jewish marriage is characterized by peace, nurturing, respect, and chesed, through which a married couple becomes complete. In Jewish culture, a marriage is described as a "match made in heaven," and is treated as a holy enterprise. For example, the Jewish marriage ceremony is known as Kiddushin ["sanctification", or "consecration"]. By declaring the marriage union sacred, a couple stands sanctified before God. It is in a relationship where both husband and wife recognize each other as creations in God's image and treat each other accordingly that true sanctity emanates forth. Moreover, this sanctity of the marital union reminds the Jewish husband and wife to express their holiness through marriage and to build a home based on mutual love, respect, and chesed." (The Jewish Laws of Marriage)


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[edit] External links

Married Life And Shalom Bayis


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