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Comments on Is there a source that the Shechina rests where there is peace between husband and wife?
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Is there a source that the Shechina rests where there is peace between husband and wife?
I've heard many times (for example https://matzav.com/where-hashem-is-found-in-our-marriage/ https://www.aish.com/f/rf/Intimacy_in_Marriage.html https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/torah/is-hashem-in-your-marriage/2019/09/20/ and https://torah.org/learning/integrity-sakeofpeace/ ) that if there is peace between husband and wife the Shechina will rest between them.
The Gemara in Sotah 17a writes:
דריש ר"ע איש ואשה זכו שכינה ביניהן לא זכו אש אוכלתן
רש"י שם - זכו - ללכת בדרך ישרה שלא יהא הוא נואף ולא היא נואפת:
(translation from Sefaria with Rashi's explanation blended in) Rabbi Akiva taught: If a man [ish] and woman [isha] merit reward through a faithful marriage, the Divine Presence rests between them. The words ish and isha are almost identical; the difference between them is the middle letter yod in ish, and the final letter heh in isha. These two letters can be joined to form the name of God spelled yod, heh. But if due to licentiousness they do not merit reward, the Divine Presence departs, leaving in each word only the letters alef and shin, which spell esh, fire. Therefore, fire consumes them.
Thus, based on Rashi, the Shechina will rest between any couple that is faithful to each other and does not engage in forbidden relations.
This is obviously not the same as saying that the Shechina rests on any couple that has peace. Is there a different way to understand this Gemara or a different source who learns a little differently?
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