Shalom Bayit

When husband and wife are worthy, the Shechinah abides with them;

Rava said: If he can afford either] a light for his home [i.e., for Shabbat] or the Chanukkah light, a light for his home is preferred, because of shalom bayit.

R. Akiba expounded: When husband and wife are worthy, the Shechinah abides with them; when they are not worthy fire consumes them.

Raba said: The fire from the woman is severer than that from the man. What is the reason? With her [the letters aleph and shin] are consecutive, but not for him.

A person should always be careful regarding [the prohibition of] causing אונאה to his wife, because her tears - being frequent - [mean that the punishment for] causing her אונאה is close.

Rabbi Yehudah [of Babylon] said, "A person should always be careful with produce, for arguments are only found in the house because of produce [ie. sustenance, or rather the lack of it], as it is said, 'He who makes your borders peaceful, [with] cream of wheat he shall sustain you (Psalms 147:14).’" Said R. Papa, Hence the proverb: When the barley is gone from the pitcher, strife comes knocking at the door.

And Rabbi Chelbo said, "A man should always be vigilant with the honor of his wife, for blessing is only found in the home of a man because of his wife, as it is said, 'And to Abram, he was good for her sake (Genesis 12:15).'"

R. ‘Avira used to give the following exposition, sometimes quoting it in the name of R. Ammi and sometimes in the name of R. Assi: What is the meaning of the verse: “Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously, that ordereth his affairs rightfully?” (Psalms 122:5) A man should always eat and drink less than his means allow, clothe himself in accordance with his means, and honour his wife and children more than his means allow, for they are dependent upon him and he is dependent upon ‘He who spoke and the world came into being’.

R. Huna related: R. Huna b. Hinena tested us [with the following question:] If she says that she wishes to suckle her child and he says that she shall not suckle it, her wish is to be granted, for she would be the sufferer.

What, [however, is the law] where he says that she shall suckle the child and she says that she will not suckle it?Whenever this is not the practice in her family we, of course, comply with her wish; what, [however, is the law] where this is the practice in her family but not in his? Do we follow the practice of his family or that of hers?

And we solved his problem from this: She rises with him but does not go down with him. What, said R. Huna, is the Scriptural proof? — For she is a man's wife, [she is to participate] in the rise of her husband but not in his descent. R. Eleazar said, [The proof is] from here: Because she was the mother of all living she was given [to her husband] to live but not to suffer pain.