Rabbi Ami was quoted earlier, so we continue with his teachings. When the Torah says, “Because you did not serve God when you had everything and lacked nothing, now you will serve your enemies in hunger and cold and nakedness... without anything,” what does “without anything” mean? What does it add? – Without a wife, he has been without joy, blessing, goodness, Torah, protection, assistance, atonement, peace, and life, and he is considered only half-man.
Others say that it means without assistance, others - without understanding. One born with understanding has everything within him, but one born without it should work hard to achieve it. If he mastered it, what does he lack? And if he did not achieve understanding, what has he acquired?
Rav Yosef got sick and forgot his learning. His student Abaye often reminded him, "This is what you taught us, and you derived it from here."
Rabbi Yehudah the Prince, who compiled and wrote down the Mishnah, initially had thirteen complete versions. He taught seven of these to Rabbi Chiya. Later he got sick and forgot the other six. However, a certain laundryman heard Rabbi Yehudah repeat them out loud, so now he taught them back. Rabbi Yehudah then said, "You made me!" - anyone who teaches a fellow Torah is as if he made him, just like Abraham and Sarah, who "made souls in Charan."
Art: My Wife and I by Istvan Desi-Huber
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