Dear Rabbi: Jewish Marriage Advice
Part 2 of the Dear Rabbi Series
King Solomon had a thousand wives, wrote a book of proverbs, and still felt the need to write a whole passionate love poem about a shepherd boy and a maiden. Coincidence? We think not. In this follow-up to our Valentine’s Day episode, we go deeper into what Judaism actually teaches about love, including what Song of Songs reveals about God’s relationship with the Jewish people, and we bring it all the way down to earth with real talk about marriages stuck in a rut, whether people can truly change, and why “I can’t” usually means “I don’t want to.”
In this episode, we get into:
Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs): literal love poem or divine allegory?
Why love is the only personality trait with its own dedicated book in the entire Hebrew Bible
What Adam and Eve tell us about whether opposites actually attract
Why real love has nothing to do with infatuation, Hollywood, or Taylor Swift (though we do have opinions about her and Travis)
Practical advice for married couples who have drifted apart and want to find their way back
Trust vs. love: which one is actually the foundation of a lasting relationship
The Baal Shem Tov’s classic “you can, you just don’t want to” and why it applies to your marriage right now
Why the Rebbe and Rebbetzin’s relationship might be the greatest love story you’ve never heard
Quote of the Episode:
"Love goes deeper than what you can do for me. You love the person for who they are and what they are, not what they do for you." - Rabbi Perelmuter
Whether you're happily married, newly in love, or just trying to remember what you liked about the person across the breakfast table, this episode has something real for you. Come learn, laugh, and maybe text your spouse something nice when it's over. 🕯️❤️
Referenced Material-
Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) by King Solomon
Mishlei (Proverbs) by King Solomon