The sefirah of foundation is associated with peace in general and peace in the home (Shalom Bayit) in particular. The crisis in the sefirah of foundation is thus a crisis in Shalom Bayit—mainly a crisis between husband and wife, in the relationship between man and woman, but also family crises in general, between parents and children or between siblings. This crisis is especially prevalent today because the prevailing views on marriage and family are completely distorted, which naturally leads to many crises (sometimes within the family that has been established, and sometimes crises that impact the very ability to find a partner and start a family).
These family crises are represented by the death of King Shaul from the river’s bank, which hints at King Saul, the first king of Israel, who fled from his future wife due to his excessive modesty until she pursued him and caught him. This is a situation that is destined to give rise to problems in Shalom Bayit both in his own relationship with his wife and also with regard to his children—Michal and Yonatan—who loved his son-in-law David and chose him to establish the monarchy, rather than themselves as the progeny of King Saul.
In general, when there is a crisis in Shalom Bayit, it is important to seek external help, but one should not settle for a psychologist or marriage counselor whose concepts are foreign to Torah values—such a counselor, most likely, is himself tainted by the distorted views that caused the crisis. The sefirah of foundation is associated with the Tzaddik, the Pillar of the World, referring to the guardian of the covenant, and it is specifically a righteous counselor—who sees the root problems causing the crisis—who can help rectify them. Therefore, we see that much of a Rabbi’s work—and especially that of a Rebbe—includes bringing peace between a man and his wife. Indeed, the value of “bringing peace” (םֹלוָׁת שַאָבֲה) is the same as “the action of a tzaddik” (יקּדַצַּלֻעְפּ) is meant to “bring life,” and life alludes to the purpose of “see life with the woman whom you love.”
It is told that once, the Alter Rebbe spent a long time working intensely to bring peace between a husband and wife, time that was taken away from his learning. Someone who was aware of the Rebbe’s involvement asked him: “Indeed, bringing peace between a man and his wife is one of those things for which a person eats the fruits in this world and the principal remains in his name in the World to Come, but it is clearly stated that learning Torah study is valued equally as all other things?”
The Alter Rebbe responded that in the mishnah that enumerates those things for which a person teat the fruits in this world and the principle remains in his name in the World to Come, a period should be placed after the words “and contemplation of prayer.” Then the mishnah reads:
These are the things that a person eats the fruits of in this world, and the principal remains in his name in the World to Come, and they are: honoring father and mother, acts of kindness, rising early for the morning prayer, the evening prayer, hosting guests, visiting the sick, escorting the bride, burying the dead, and contemplation of prayer. [In contrast:] Bringing peace between man and his fellow, between a man and his wife, and Torah study—these are equal to them all.
Ultimately, the coming of the Mashiach depends on the rectification of Shalom Bayit in and between Jews.
