When it comes to daily life in marriage, however, the Torah does not view procreation as the primary or exclusive focus. The years of romance and intense sexual activity are shorter and less enduring than the years of lasting, lifelong friendship. Companionship, or friendship between spouses, must precede true love, and is a necessary component during the peak years of sexual activity, and becomes the sweet, tempered, and blessed gift of married life in old age.
The sages of the Talmud referred to companionship in marriage when they said: “It is better to remain a couple than to become widowed.” This aligns with the wisdom of Ecclesiastes (4:9): “Two are better than one.” This is further illustrated by the description of the relationship in the wedding blessing: re’im ahuvim, beloved friends.
To highlight this emphasis on marital companionship in the Jewish tradition, here are two of the seven blessings recited under the wedding canopy:
“Let the beloved friends rejoice, as You once rejoiced over Your creatures in paradise…”
“He who created joy...
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