HAVE. HOLD. CHERISH. – Student Textbook

Have. Hold. Cherish.
The Jewish Secret to Lasting Love

What ancient secret lies at the heart of Jewish marital life that has sustained, nourished, synergized, and sanctified love and desire?

We all start out starry-eyed, but is “passionate marriage” realistic in the long-term? How can one relationship give us the comforting security we crave from commitment as well as the spark of novelty and mystique that fuels affection and attraction? The mitzvah of Taharat Hamishpachah, or “family purity,” has long been shrouded in mystery and misconception. Yet these laws embody the secret to harmonizing these paradoxical aspects of marriage, while also revealing an unparalleled connection between us and G-d

Marriage is the most powerful relationship there is. Not just because marriage is a universal human ideal. Not just because it is the foundation of the family unit. But also because marriage is a union of two as-yet-incomplete souls. The love between husband and wife is not just the product of mutual attraction, but an expression of an intrinsic bond that unites them in heart and mind, body and soul. Indeed, marriage is much deeper, much more meaningful, and much more important than most of us understand. And the key to this sacred institution is G-d’s gift to every Jewish couple: the blessing of family purity.

This three-lesson offering, draws upon millennia of Jewish wisdom, from the mystical to the down-to-earth, allowing men and women of all ages and walks of life to explore the intricacies of love and marriage from a Jewish perspective. The cosmic root of love, Judaism’s view of intimacy, and the synergy and sanctity of love and desire will all be addressed in these classes affording each participant a heartfelt, deep appreciation for the profound impact that the mitzvah of Taharas Hamishpacha can have on the life of a Jewish couple – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Whether students are currently married, engaged, considering someday tying the knot, or simply seeking to better understand the spiritual root of lasting love and marriage, Have. Hold. Cherish. will forever change how they think about the most important relationship in life, in all its beauty and complexity.