This most telling pasuk defines the role of a wife in one’s life, ie, tov, good. When one is alone, he is missing that ingredient that transforms his life to “good.” The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, offer their understanding of the word tov and how it affects – and is realized in – marriage. Years ago, I was privy to a conversation between a gadol, Torah giant, and a distinguished lay leader. The lay leader was sitting shivah, mourning the untimely passing of his wife, and the Rosh Yeshivah, who had sadly undergone a similar tragedy a…

The world consisted of four human beings. Kayin killed his brother Hevel. They were reduced to three people. Kayin was the world’s first murderer. Hevel was the world’s first victim. Without question, Kayin deserved to be punished for wiping out one-fourth of the world population. What about Hevel? One does not become a victim just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We do not believe in coincidence or chance. If Hevel was designated to be the victim, there is a reason. Nothing occurs in this world unless it has been Heavenly-decreed. Hevel must have acted…