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Rabbi Benzion Shafier | SHALOM BAYIT Marriage Workshop | CHAZAQ
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[Music]
everybody long time no
see really thank you so much for coming
out H first and foremost we really have
a lot of to the people that help put
this together it does not as seamlessly
as it looks like it comes together takes
a lot of effort want to also thank of
course the sponsors want to thank kazak
for their participation in facilitating
with Raa and also the
sponsors I want to thank the B as well
as the family of
Yim thank you very very much um we had a
little hand in this also to thank my
Ritson
um I'm going to be brief we're here to
hear by
schaer I want to say one remark
regarding what we're all here for which
your presence shows how much you invest
in the idea of schom you understand it
already and if you haven't heard this
statement that I'm about to make now
already then maybe it'll just underscore
what we're all really feeling already
the importance of schom in our
lives we all live by the rulings of the
ARA
most of those teachings came to us
through a
student V says something shocking maybe
even
alarming he says that an individual's
midot an individual's character is
judged in
shim by the way in which he interacts
with his
wife
and he says a person can be about a
person can do said give contribute
towards the community in so many ways
and he probably thinks in the back of
his mind after 120 years I'm
okay but is telling us that the measure
the measuring stick the yard stick by
which we will be
judged is the relationship the manner in
which we related to our
spouses just a thought as we all lean
in as I mentioned we all understand the
importance of this that's why you're
here perhaps one thing I can contribute
just from a a personal note is if you're
not yet familiar with ra who is at this
point a global
phenomenon I can't think my lucky stars
I grew up in a small Upstate New York
town and R schaer was living there
amongst many other talented people that
influenced my life in amazing ways
and I can actually therefore say that I
have observed schaer from when I was a
child and for what it's
worth before you stands an
individual who is the utmost of
sincerity he has dedicated his life to
uplifting
CL initially when R schaer was in
Rochester when I was growing up as a
child he was a high school revi and the
students that he literally influenced
for a lifetime from that High School
sheer room and he could have had a very
very successful career as a Reby going
forward but schaer's reach has at some
point just started to reach beyond the
classroom I I've been at a wedding when
the called up RAB schaer to get a the
and the person announced RAB shaer as a
rebi of the
Katan the Katan never met RAB schaer in
what way is he a re of
thean because at some point in Rab
schaer's career if you will he began to
record what's known as Theo you've
surely seen the bumper stickers you've
surely encountered the books he took the
concept of asmo in his own inimitable
way and he brought the beautiful
messages of Torah in an accessible way
to the
globe and as if that wasn't enough at
some point it seems like aaer has really
specialized into this area of
schom in a way that is remarkable I
don't know of another form in which this
is being addressed in this way people
can participate in online classes
literally oneon-one guidance toer it's
phenomenal experience phenomenal
sincerity I don't want
to but I have stood
next as a student remember I get thebutt
I speak
yes should stop
now
I and I could just tell you that it's an
experience that I recall to this day so
we are seeing somebody who
is who is speaking to us from sincerity
this is not coming because of a
career all sources are Tora based and
yet integrated with the right Stories
the right science the right research
that makes it perhaps a little bit more
understandable and accessible to us so
really without taking any more of your
time and without any further Ado I would
like to have the privilege of
introducing what I've Beena for
shalita
um thank you uh so I know R Den suan
from um uh 100 years ago when he was y
High on the um it is gives me such Nas
to see him in this position now and you
have in front of you a tremendous
tremendous person folks make use of him
he is a tremendous tremendous individual
how do
he welcome back thank you um really he
he's a unique person and beautiful I
don't have to tell you m do but his
learning understanding okay tremendous
tremendous person and thank you for the
intro and it really is a pleasure I I
really
[Applause]
okay so here's what we're going to do
this evening we're going to discuss some
of the 10 really dumb mistakes that very
smart couples make you see a book in
front of you hopefully if you were
amongst the first 30 you get you got a
copy of it that you got for free if not
you could pick up a copy if you didn't
get one um but what I'm going to do is
just some of them you're still going to
have to read the book you're not getting
off the hook that easy but I'm going to
go through some of the 10 really dumb
mistakes that very smallart couples make
uh and hopefully we'll get a certain
understanding of marriage and how to
apply it okay so let's begin in 1901 the
divorce rate in the United States was
about
6% currently the divorce rate in the
United States is about
50% and here's the key question what
changed what happened that marriages
generally used to succeed and now they
don't now again in the from Community
it's nowhere near that kind of number
but certainly in the secular world the
idea of marriage for life is almost
unheard of so the question is what
changed so I believe there are four
reasons why marriage used to succeed but
no longer does the first reason is
because we live in a world where
everything is disposable disposable cups
disposable blankets disposable Cutlery
and so too is marriage I was sitting
with my wife in a restaurant in
Manhattan which means the tables were a
little bit too close one to the other
and we overheard a Two Fellas in the
table next to us saying like there one I
said you know I got married way too late
I should have married much younger that
way I could have got my first marriage
over at an earlier age I could have got
my second marriage when I was younger
the problem was neither fellow was
laughing and the idea of a start of
marriage seems to be an acceptance and
it really is a very sad reality so the
first reason why marriages used to
succeed and they longer do is because
marriage is now considered disposable
the second reason why marriage used to
succeed and no longer does is because
everyone today listens to a very
important radio station it's called wi
FM wi ifm is not a radio station it
stands for what's in it for me what's in
it for me what do I gain what is my
benefit and the truth is it's been that
way since you're little child first
thing your parents ask what's the best
school for you what are the best friends
for you what's the best situation for
you what's the best camp for you maybe
you went to Seminary everything was
about you you you and then you get
married and suddenly it's a we and
suddenly there's another human being
who's equally important whose needs are
equally significant and the ability to
stretch and learn to take another person
into account isn't so simple that's the
second reason the third reason why
marriages used to succeed and they no no
longer do is because unfortunately there
are so many UNH wholesome and
emotionally fragile
people now marriage is an institution
but folks it's not a hospital and
marriage will not cure any of the normal
problems it won't cure depression OCD
anxiety low self-esteem poor self-image
marriage will not cure that many people
think it does and they get married with
the Assumption I have an issue I have a
problem I'll get married and everything
will be wonderful so I'd like to share
with you marriage will cure only one
single thing that's called being single
but other than that it's not going to
cure anything now these three problems
we're not going to change these are
societal problems these are major issues
in life life we're not going to change
it but I believe there's a fourth reason
that we can really affect in a very real
reason the fourth reason why marriages
used to succeed and no longer do is
something we can impact let me share
with you what that is I have now at this
stage counseled literally hundreds and
hundreds of couples at this point
probably in the Thousand or above and on
a regular basis I'll meet with a couple
that'll be in my office and when they
leave I say to my wife the following
there are a match made in heaven
living in geh you see it's not like
Hashem used to be very good at this
thing called matchmaking and Hashem lost
his touch uhuh it's that people no
longer understand how to be married they
don't understand the relationship they
don't understand what's needed and I'd
like to share with you a statistic that
I don't know if it's 100% accurate but I
believe it's true 80% of the G that are
written today should not be written
again it's not like AEM used to be very
good at matching things and no longer is
it's that people people don't understand
what marriage requires they don't
understand what a successful marriage
needs and therefore it's really a lack
of understanding and that's what we're
going to focus on this evening we're
going to try to get at Le at least a
little bit of an introduction can we
turn the lights down a little bit so we
can see the screen a little better half
the lights down maybe if you could do
that without tripping that' be amazing
well look at
that there like a movie theater it's
great yeah oh yeah oh come on isn't that
great yeah oh popcorn anymore okay po
yeah oh no I can see the men I can't see
the women I don't know if that's good
we'll find out we'll find sometimes I'm
pop on this side sometimes not we're
going to find out remember if you get
back over there without tripping would
be amazing you're really a talent okay
so let us begin let us start with some
of the 10 really dumb mistakes the very
small couples made let's begin with the
following par opens up where opens his
eyes he looks up and he sees on the
horizon three Wayfarers three Wanderers
to his knowledge of just Arabs walking
the desert he runs out to greet them
bows down full sand full face in the
sand
says don't please do not pass he
welcomes him in he stands over them he
prepares food he prepares beverage and
he stands over them like a waiter at a
certain point one of the MIM say
to where is s your wife
answers she is in the tent now at this
point Rashi makes an important
observation these were the highest level
of they knew exactly where was why did
they ask that question because he was
going to respond she's in the oal she's
in the tent by saying that it would make
her more beloved in his eyes it would
stress the fact that she's a SN she's a
modest woman she's not out there in the
public eye by asking the question where
is your wife he would respond he he
she's in the tent it would emphasize to
him her modesty it would make her more
beloved in his eyes okay now I'd like to
ask a very obvious question the man
welcomes you in he prepares food he
prepares beverage he stands over you
like a waiter and you start asking about
his wife that sounds a little bit rude
it doesn't sound like a nice question at
all in fact it sounds very inappropriate
why did the MIM ask this question and if
you don't appreciate why this is a very
good question I'll share with you one
important observation what is the single
biggest obstacle to a successful
marriage let's put that out as a
question what is the single biggest
obstacle to successful marriage
anyone yeah at least someone knows I
have seveny olds also who are seveny old
grandkids who know every answer they
watch the video book and they know every
single one of them down path I have
three of them they sit there on the
couch and they okay anyway if you ask me
the single biggest obstacle to a
successful marriage is when I'm
self-centered when the world ends and
begins in my doas my four cubits when
I'm the center of the earth I am a
difficult person to be married to here's
the problem we're dealing with two of
the most other centered people you could
imagine the Paradigm
of his equal two tremendous sadik so
dedicated one to the other the morale
says in the course of history there was
never a bond between husband and wife
and there was between abam and sah so
here's the question why did M feel they
had to ask this question which might
even be rude overstep their bounds to
make her more beloved in his eyes they
had the near perfect marriage what was
the issue and if this question doesn't
trouble you let's follow the story line
a little bit s is on the other side
she's in the oh and she overhears the
conversation one of them saying next
year this time your wife will have a
child inside saying how could this
be my husband is too old it can't happen
my husband is too old to have children
at which point shortly thereafter says
to why did s laugh saying that she's too
old and that's not what s said what s
said was my husband is too old Adon and
yet Hashem changed it and Hashem said
why did s laugh saying v i s am to old
so Rashi picks up on the fact that
there's a contradiction here and Rashi
explains changed excuse my expression
lied
why is you're allowed to lie shom and
for that reason hasem changed the truth
Hashem didn't want AB to hear that Sarah
said he's too old so hasem changed the
story saying that Sarah said that she's
too old I heard my R asked a very
significant question on this Rashi when
are you allowed to lie for shom if
there's going to be a major m going to
be a major fight there's going to be
something that really causes tremendous
tremendous stri on very unusual very
unique circumstances you're allowed to
lie let's assume for a minute that Abu
heard that SAR said that he's to Old
have children what do you think would
have happened sir call me an old man I
don't think he would have even noticed
it I don't even think he would have
registered AB was at the prime of his
greatness every year in ab's life was
another tremendous accomplishment by the
way he has another 75 years to go at
this point in his life he's one of the
wealthiest men alive one of the most
powerful men alive and every single year
of his life was a tremendous tremendous
gain tremendous accomplishments I don't
think he was embarrassed about the fact
he was old what would have happened had
AB heard that Sarah said he's too old he
would have gone to
Pieces asked what was the reason why
hasm had the lie so these two questions
why did the MIM feel that they had to
ask as this question to make her more
beloved in his eyes question one and
question two is why did Hashem have to
change what was the issue okay now to
try to answer these questions let me
start with a very important question I
want to ask you and I'm asking for an
answer over here what is the leading
cause of divorce
today leading cause of divorce anyone
marriage is the leading cause of divorce
yes 100% true not a single single person
has ever been divorced that's correct at
least currently but other than marriage
what is the single biggest leading cause
of divorce anyone want to
offer socialia okay lack of money okay
money how about children money religion
in-laws right there a lot of reasons
right I'd like to share with you none of
those are the leading causes of divorce
there's only one reason why divorce
happens the leading cause of divorce is
something called fighting fighting yeah
but come on it's about the children the
money the in-laws uhuh it's not true at
all you see it's never the issues it's
how the couple deals with the issue that
determines their success or failure of
their marriage you see my friends it's
the climate of the relationship if that
relationship is one of love and
friendship my way your way we find a way
but if there isn't that love that bond
that connection that friendship between
them very shortly they fight they
quibble and it doesn't take much to burn
down the house and I'll show you what I
mean 70%
70% of successful marriages have at
least one irreconcilable difference an
irreconcilable difference means a
difference that can't be reconciled for
instance he has a business in Manhattan
she has severe allergies and needs to
live in San Diego Chicago doesn't cutter
for either of them he wants to bring the
kids up in aish way she wants a more of
a yes Lish way you can't send the kids
to Yeshiva with long curly pay us on one
side right an irreconcilable difference
is there's no reconciliation there's no
Poss POS way 70% of successful marriages
have at least one if not more
irreconcilable difference yet they're
still successful why because somehow we
work it out if there's a bond of love if
there's a connection if we're in this
together we're friends in this we find a
way to find we find a way to work things
out I'd like to share with you what I
mean John Gutman is a marriage
researcher he can tell with 94% accuracy
whether a couple will be divorced within
5 years
and explains his method he brings it
them into the lab he puts monitors on
both of them he measures everything the
respiration their heart rate he
videotapes it and he asks them to
discuss three topics one topic he calls
a neutral topic the other he calls kind
of a mutually pleasing topic and the
third topic is something that it calls a
flasho something that they typically
argue about and he's explaining what he
explains is he watches for one single
thing he plays the videotape afterwards
and he's looking for one reaction that's
called contempt now contempt is not
anger it's not frustration it's a sort
of rolling of the eyes he says if he
sees one sign of contempt without five
positive signs can neg that one that
couple is headed for deep deep trouble
you see my friends Hollywood got it 100%
right except Hollywood got it backwards
you see in the world of Hollywood Boy
Meets Girl she looked into his eyes and
they fall madly passionately in love
they fall into love they fall out of
love you fall into love you get married
fall out of love you get unmarried it's
the mystery of life you see my friends
Hollywood got it right the essence of a
successful marriage is love love is the
glue of the marriage but you see the
mistake that Hollywood makes is love
doesn't just happen love is built and if
you'd like to know the answer to this
Rashi I'll share with you that's exactly
the answer why did ask a question that
was rude the answer was Aram and S had
the near-perfect marriage
99.9% but the Mal felt it could be even
more you gave us food you give us
beverage they want to give back we want
to increase the love because that's the
essence of the successful marriage and
if you want to know why Hashem changed
had heard sah said that he's too old it
would have caused maybe maybe a tiny
tiny scratch maybe imperceptible and
Hashem says it's worthy for me to change
the truth it's worthy for me to lie why
because even the slightest slightest
scratch in a near-perfect relationship
is a terrible issue and my friends there
are two Yodas two foundational
principles that we learn from this
number one love is the glue of marriage
and number two shom Bas is Holy so holy
that hasem himself K would change with
excuse my expression say a lie to
protect shom bias
okay I get the phone call and it's only
too often that I get the same kind of
phone call and it sounds something like
this Rabbi I I have a problem what's the
problem it's my husband what's the
problem well he's responsible he's a
good guy he learns with the kids he has
a good job he takes care of the bills he
take I said so far sounds pretty good
what's the problem the problem is the
problem is I don't love him I don't love
him how long you married 10 years how
many kids five kids so folks what do you
do what do you do when you get the call
and the woman says she's married 10
years she has five kids and she doesn't
love her husband what do you do so I'll
tell you what I do I do what I typically
do I ask her the following question I
say Madam tell me this last week how
many times did you and your husband go
out well go out doesn't mean like to Bar
mits the wedding how many times did you
and your husband go out to connect the
bond we didn't okay how about last month
how many times did you and your husband
go out just to spend time together just
to be together we didn't month before
that we didn't month before that month
before that by about 8 or 9 I stopped
and I say don't you understand you guys
are like two ships in the night and if
you're not going to work on the bond if
you're not going to work on the
connection guess what you're going to be
distant and very very quickly you guys
are going to fight about everything and
anything and before you know it you're
going to be incredibly incredibly apart
my friends this is the number one number
one of the 10 really dumb mistakes
forgetting that love is a glue of a
marriage but you see this is the point
love requires work it requires going out
requires spending time together but not
just going out many vacations love notes
gifts texts during the day everything
that a couple in love need needs to be
doing and now I become very
unpopular why do I become very unpopular
because I turned to the men and I point
out something very important gentlemen
are you
ready it is a husband's role to romance
his wife let me say it again it is a
husband's role to romance his wife that
means you guys plan the dates your
responsibility your wife will take care
of the child care take care of the
babysitter you're responsible how many
guys have I heard say I told her if she
wants to go out just plan the date I you
blew it you blew it why because there's
one key message that a woman has to hear
that her husband loves her that her
husband cherishes her if a woman hears
that she'll be happy and if she doesn't
hear that at the core of her Essence
she's going to be miserable and
gentlemen you know what that means
you're going to be miserable because a
uh a happy wife is a happy life an
unhappy wife uhuh don't go there okay
now this is the the number one single
biggest mistake that very smart people
make they stop working on the love they
stop working the connection and they
wonder why is it that we're so distant
why is it that we're so apart and if you
don't work on the bond you don't work on
the connection guess what you're going
to be distant you're going to be a part
and I'd like to share with you anaras
listen to these words the STI that's K's
father the stier wrote these words the
main hope of a woman in her world is to
have a husband who loves her when she
sees that this isn't so it crushes us
spirit and can be closed to
be gentlemen do you hear this and this
is so easy to solve all you got to do is
plan the date all you got to do is the
love notes the gifts all the thing a
couple in love have to be but gentlemen
it's your job to plan the dates it's
your job to ro at your wife ladies we're
going to get to the ladies got things
they do wrong also we'll get there
pretty soon this is not a guy bashing
session over here but this one the first
one is up to you guys now um I get the
push back Rabbi come on go out once a
week my husband start a new job and he's
so so expensive who could afford it who
has a time I have an answer because I've
heard that push back by the way once a
week one second how often should a
couple be going out once a week not once
a month not once a YoVille not once a sh
once a week once a week Raab you crazy
once a week who has time for that okay
you're right it's very expensive and
very time consuming here's a quick
question how expensive is it to hire a
divorced lawyer and the alamon expenses
you don't have time how about running
two households and trying to figure out
which kids thing which night or which
place it is the best single investment
you're going to make in your shom bias
in your children in your family but
here's the single
biggest ladies and gentlemen I don't
have to tell you that children are the
biggest BR that you can imagine but I
would also like to share with you
something very very frightening the
single biggest competitor for the
success of your marriage is your
children why because children require a
lot of attention a lot of resources and
if you don't learn to set boundaries if
you don't learn to say this is our night
out I've heard so many times women
especially how can I get my my my rcky
will never do her homework and and M
will never do his work I guarantee you
if ruy doesn't know her math equations
perfectly and why she doesn't know the
she'll be okay but you see you guys are
10 ft tall to your kids you're the
center of gravity if the marriage itself
starts to come apart it's almost like
gravity ceases to work everything starts
to be unhinged the single best
investment you can make in your
children's success is the Shen bias in
your house if you want to bring up
children to be wholesome and healthy the
single biggest best investment you can
make is make sure you have a good
marriage but folks this is the point
they're no shortcuts you really have to
do it now it's going to sound crazy but
on a regular basis when I say these
shocking words that you should go out
once a week the push back I get is
incredible it's like you how whoever
does that who can ever dream and then
they come to me with the problems the
issues the she's this he's that she's
that so let me make it clear all you got
to do it's so easy it's
um I once had a I once did a marriage
Workshop these were 50 couples who had
really a lot of trouble a lot of they
married 10 years alone longer and had a
lot of trouble and I gave him an
assignment the first week to go out
spend the time together how many went
out two out of the 50 I gave an
assignment the second said you guys got
to spend time you got nothing I invented
a term it's called relationship anorexia
you know what anex is it's inexplicable
a woman a young woman especially she
stops eating she doesn't want to eat she
starves herself to death it's very
difficult to understand but it's a
serious issue I believe many people have
relationship anorexia I don't want to go
I don't want to spend time
okay you're going to pay the price
ladies and gentlemen this is the first
of the 10 really dumb mistakes and it's
so easy to cure but gentlemen this one's
on you okay let's go on let's go on to
mistake number two here we go to
understand mistake number two imagine we
have a couple woman's over here young
man's over here they're walking down the
street as they walk he trips and she
says I are you okay are you all right
that's case number one case number two
same couple walking down the street he
trips and a reaction is cluts what's
wrong what's wrong with you can't even
walk down the street right what's the
difference between case number one and
case number two
anyone case number one is their and kala
case number two they married already for
three
years and my friends this is the second
of the 10 really dumb mistakes that very
small couples make forgetting that
respect comes first you see it's love
and respect if I love my spouse but I
don't treat her with respect it's going
to be very very difficult for her to
love me and very difficult for her to
act as a friend to me and therefore you
have to work on respect but respect
means really working on respect on a
regular basis I hear a coupl say things
to each other that makes my hair stand
rcky that's the stupidest thing I ever
heard that's dumb utterly dumb how can
you say something so dumb wait do you
guys like each other let Al love each
other but Rabbi you want us to be formal
we can't be formal I don't want you to
be formal but you have to speak
respectfully by the way one of the best
tools for sh bias is is the telephone
this is an amazing thing amazing
thing the phone rings oh hi how are you
oh sure right absolutely 100 okay thanks
calling now if you think I'm making this
stuff up John Gutman the marriage
therapist the marriage researcher he did
another study when he brings his couples
into the lab and besides asking them to
interact one with the other at a certain
point he asked the woman to leave and
brings in another woman a strange woman
who the husband never met and he ask
them to discuss a few topics then he
brings the wife back in ask the husband
to leave and brings in a strange man
that the woman never met and here's what
he's looking for how do we react to our
spouse versus the way we we react to
strangers and here's what he finds if
you're married 2 years 20 years or even
longer we are far more polite to
strangers than we are to our own spouse
but even worse we argue far less with
strangers than we do with our own spouse
and if we do argue with a stranger we'll
be much much quickly to accept their
opinion than we would our own spouse and
this is mistake number two not working
on the respect in the marriage meaning
you have to work on love you have to
work on everything that a couple in love
need to be doing but you also have to
work on the respect and by the way I'm a
big advocate for breaking the phone but
and this little device has one app on it
that is very very good to you
it's called the tape recorder put it on
one day and supper when your kids aren't
around and listen to way you and your
spouse converse with each other but
listen for your part of the equation and
listen to see if you're polite if you're
respectful if you're nice and I've seen
this on a regular basis people of good
people find meos in their own homes for
some reason they feel it's okay to let
their hair down it's okay to let your
hair down but not if it means being rude
not if it means not being nice number
one working on on the love number two
working on the respect okay let's go on
to mistake number three I believe that
there are three pillars to a successful
marriage the first pillar is commitment
commitment means knowing that this is
the right one for me even though it
doesn't look so right now even though it
may take some work but knowing that this
is the one that's perfect for me
commitment comes from a single concept
and that is knowing that Hashem doesn't
make mistakes Hashem arranged the
perfect one for me and because that I'm
committed to this Union committed to
making it work that's the first pillar
of the successful marriage the second
pillar is love love we discussed that's
a relationship that's the bond the
connection friendship love Etc here's
the problem many couples are very very
committed and they even love each other
but they can't learn to live together
and this is the third pillar of a
successful marriage learning to live
together it's commitment love and
learning to live together and learning
to live together is not so simple let me
share with you an example Elizabeth
Newton earned a PhD in Psychology from
Stanford University for a very creative
experiment this was a PhD thesis she had
an experiment she made a groups called
the tappers and listeners she brought in
a few hundred people half of the group
she made tappers and half of the group
listeners the tappers job it was to tap
out a song she took a list of popular
song star stangle banner happy birthday
the tapper's job was to tap out the beat
of the song and the listener's job was
to guess the song okay now if you think
about it you quickly realize that it's
pretty hard to tell what the beat is to
what song here's what you found only
2.5% of the time did the actual
listeners guess it and you can see the
vide tapes the tap will be tapping and
The Listener doesn't get it only 2.5% of
the time did The Listener ever get it
but this is the interesting part she
asked the tappers what do you think the
odds are that the listener is going to
guess the song person after person
hundreds of people said at least 5050 at
least 50% but you understand what she
earned the PHD for it was the theory
behind it you see when I tap out a song
I can't help but play the song in my
mind when I play it in my mind it's so
obvious and so how could you not get it
what are you da how can because it's
playing in my mind when I hear the song
in my head I can't relate to the fact
that you don't hear it you don't know it
and folks this is the third of the 10
really dumb mistakes that very smart
couples make assuming that my experience
defines reality assuming that if I know
something obviously you know it if I
feel a certain way obviously you feel a
certain way this is my experience
obviously this is reality and I'll show
with you two examples of this one a
small minor example the other one is a
big deal
example um to this day one of the
interesting things in my my life is
shabas morning I typically get up very
early the house is quiet I learn it's m
a few hours later I bring my wife a
coffee in bed she likes having coffee
and to this day I go through the
following experience as I'm preparing
the coffee I reach for the creamer and I
have to stop because my wife doesn't
like her coffee with creamer she likes
it with skin milk but I know it doesn't
tastes good it tastes horrible with skin
milk at least 4% fat at least something
and to this day I for the Crea and I
stop and I have to pour the skin milk
begrudgingly why because I understand
that skin milk and coffee doesn't taste
good but here's the problem that's not
the way my wife experiences it and
understanding that the way I experience
things is the way I experience it but
doesn't mean my spouse experiences it
the same way is one of the keys to
growth in any relationship but
especially in marriage understanding
that I feel one way doesn't make it
reality
this is a small example a coffee cup let
me share with you a much bigger example
here we go a young man gets married and
he's um he's learning Cola at 6:30 at
night he comes home he's about to put
his key in the apartment door and he
says to himself ah bar I married such a
sober grounded woman not one of these
flighty Dames ah bar puts his key in the
door opens the door walks in and sees
his wife up on the chair what is it what
what what what what what a cockroach a
cockroach kill it do something what a
cockroach do
something okay he say himself grounded
huh okay anyway doesn't think much about
it but listen that's what life is all
about so hey two weeks later he gets a
call he's in the Bas medish he's
learning he zamas he doesn't even take a
phone into the Bas medish a friend of
his brings a phone and says your wife's
on the phone you better take the call
whats up come home please what's the
matter there please come home who what
there there are two of them there two of
them go what what she wants me to leave
the B stop learning to kill two stupid
bug steam coming out gets in his car
drives home without to put his key in
open the door this sh on where are
they I hope you're satisfied turns back
heads right back to his car ladies and
gentlemen
here's the question who was right who
was right was she right after all she
was terrified was he right after all
coming home to kill two stupid bugs who
was right who was right is an excellent
question to ask in a court of law maybe
a divorce court but who was right is a
terrible question to ask in a marriage a
far better question to ask would be what
was she experiencing what was going on
now I don't know why this is but I
have't to have four daughters and two
sons why I can't explain this phenomena
but the girls were afraid of bugs since
they were born and the boys weren't in
fact when there was a bug in one of the
girls' room they call that baby brother
by they just have to make sure he didn't
eat the bug but okay I don't know why it
is but the boys were not afraid of bugs
girls were okay here's the point the
problem is what he didn't relate to was
the fact that she was experiencing
something very real at that moment when
she was up on that chair what was she
experiencing something called Terror now
the problem is in his World bugs are not
scary in his world it's a stupid bug
step on it and stop it but he judged her
based on his experience if you want them
to be a little bit more fair we change
the case a little bit let's imagine it
wasn't her alone imagine it was him
alone home in the apartment and imagine
it wasn't two cockroaches imagine it was
two German Shepherds would he be up on
the chair uh-uh he'd be down the fire
skape down the block white because
German Shepherds are scary bugs aren't
but that's your experience but your
experience doesn't Define reality and
understanding that my experience doesn't
Define reality is a key to any human
relationship but especially in marriage
and this is one of the biggest of the 10
really dumb mistakes that very small
couples make forgetting that my spouse
experiences things differently
understanding that my spouse has a
different emotional world and when he
says he's really bothered by this don't
just dismiss it when she says she really
really bothers by the way
my wife we have BR we have a great
marriage I love my wife married 36 years
now coming up on 37 and to this day she
still asked me the following please
close the closet doors what's the big
deal it's a jar a little bit what's
because it bothers and I sorry why does
it bother you it's just a closet door
it's not a mess in the house but it does
and understanding that it bothers her
and she's legitimately troubled by it
and it's not a mishos it's not a
craziness that's who she is and learning
that requires has an awful lot and again
this is 36 years into the game and I'm
still learning it okay okay ladies and
gentlemen are you ready what are the two
most important words in your marriage
two most important I'm sorry I'm sorry
I'm sorry good words I'm sorry they're
good words two most important words in
your marriage you're right you're right
by those important words two most
important
what who was wrong I'm wrong those are
the most difficult words to say I know I
was wrong she knows I was wrong I know
she knows but I was I was I can't say
the
word very hard to say but not the two
most important
words I'm sorry thank you thank you yes
dear I was wrong please I'm sorry thank
you good no I love you by the way it's
three words I did the math I'm
mathematician okay every scientific
experiment was preceded by an expression
most people think before the scientist
made the big Discovery he said the words
Eureka I've discovered it actually it's
not true almost every every scientific
discovery was preceded by the words
that's strange a fellow took Chemical X
and chemical y expecting Z and got a
that's strange he researches and
discovers penicillin reseearch discovers
a new type of rubber almost every
scientific discovery was preceded by the
words that strange and then the person
stepped back looked with scientific
curiosity and understood what was going
on my folk my friends these words that's
strange are the most important words you
could say in a marriage why because if
you step back and actually try to
understand your spouse with scientific
curiosity to try to dig in and
understand why does it get so bent out
of shape when I do X Y and Z why does it
bother her so much when I said this if
you step back and say the words that's
strange you actually can look into the
inner World understand them and you
might understand your spouse but a very
important caveat you say the words to
yourself you do not say them to your
spouse that's strange you say say to
yourself that's strange why did she get
so upset all I did was and then you
climb into her inner world and you begin
to understand it really matters to her
when your husband gets all bent out of
shape for no reason whatsoever it's just
being a guy well guess what you're right
he's being a guy but it really bothers
him and if you're able to actually dig
in and learn the inner world of your
spouse you'll have a much easier time
being successfully married and this is
the third of the 10 really dumb mistakes
assuming that my experience defines
reality and not learning to understand
the inner world of my spouse okay let's
move on to number four okay here we go
ladies this question is for you ladies
what is the single most important
ingredient in a successful
marriage I'm sorry communication
communication trust anyone okay now um
it's interesting I've asked this
question to thousands of thousands of
couples and I've gotten answer from
women communication interesting enough
Ted Houston is a psychologist University
of Texas he studied 264 couples in depth
and he asked them this question what is
the most important issue in the S
satisfaction of relationship and here's
what he found almost all the women said
communication almost none of the men
said that same line as a matter of fact
the most common claim you hear marriage
therapists say what they hear from women
is we never talk and almost all marriage
therapist say what they hear from men is
all we do is talk talk talk talk talk
now somebody's got it right somebody's
got it wrong what's going on would you
like to know the answer to this
sociological phenomena I'll share with
you the answer go to a kidish go to a
Kish Shas morning and listen to the men
talk and listen to the women talk okay
let's go we go to the women's side of
The Blocking okay and I go to wom inside
and this what it sounds
like oh
oh great talking to okay now let's go
over to the men's side men's side
conversation sounds like
this hey great talking you guy okay why
is it that we make all women make all
those noises the oo the a oh you need a
lexicon to just understand what they're
saying what are those noises about
validation okay Deborah tannan is a
professor of linguistics at Georgetown
University she wrote a number of very
important books and here's what she say
she says if you listen to why women talk
and you listen to why men talk you'll
understand what the listening noises are
about why do women talk women talk to
create a relationship to bring you into
their world to bring themselves into
your to to connect that's to ahuh oh o
ah ah so what do women talk about they
talk about people occurrences what
happened what she said what he
said oh oh oh okay why do men talk men
talk to communicate communicate maybe
ideas Concepts doing may talking
learning so what do men talk about they
talk about politics Sports business
money okay so gentlemen are you ready
anyone here want to be
happy okay we have three people want to
be happy okay good four people want to
be happy um this is a serious question
gentlemen who would like to be happy
yeah five people six people all not bad
we're getting seven no no you don't want
to be happy is your wife here said you
go straight to G if you're not happy oh
but you live in gam
here and it ain't worth it believe me
and by the way I got bad news for you
you know I women especially say my
husband's going to get H uh I got bad
news so you go together as a
couple
yep you spend this world together and
the next World too so let's hope your
husband's not going to get him let's
hope he okay so do you want to be happy
yeah happy wife is a happy life so you
got to learn the big big you so you have
to learn how to talk to your wife you
have to learn how to listen to your wife
you have to learn to communicate but
gentlemen this is the point we
communicate all the time amongst guys
but the way we communicate amongst guys
is very different than Wom wom talk and
it's very very good to pay attention to
the way your wife talks to her sisters
to her girlfriends I know a woman who
tells the same story to five different
women every night every night every
night she goes this one and that one
that one five different people and she
does the same things over like okay I
don't know why but okay anyway so let me
tell you rule number one I'm going to
give you some tips for talking tip
number one is
listen listen means listen the average
person listens for 17 seconds before
interrupting 17 seconds is not a long
time now what you have to do is you have
to listen but listen to understand
listen to relate listen to feel what is
she going through what is she
experiencing and then have to learn to
share so tip number one is learn to
listen tip number two this one I learned
the hard way I was a rebi uh in
Rochester New York High School Reby uh
about 15 uh 13 Years anyway um I felt a
big part of the re's job was obviously
teach the F had to learn but more
important I felt teaching guys about
life guys who come over to me with life
questions issues that have very good
relationship with them and years later
20 years later guys will come over sh
for the advice you gave me back in high
school I use it today thank you so much
okay so I thought I did a decent job of
reading the situation and giving advice
and guy after guy would be very
satisfied very happy and I thought I had
a decent handle on this and then an odd
thing would happen when I'd go home my
wife was never happy with my advice it
was like the minute I crossed the
threshold my IQ dropped 40 points I me
like it made no sense and I made the
Great Discovery after 10 years of
marriage you know why she didn't like my
advice she wasn't asking for advice she
was asking to share to communicate to
bring me into her world to let her know
let me know what she was feeling so here
is the big you so gentlemen if you don't
know the already don't fix a problem
just listen just listen just listen just
share communicate try to hear try to
empathize with her empathy empathize
what does it mean empathize empath
validate validate anyone invalid over
here we validate invalid we inv validate
validate oh yeah yeah yeah yeah you know
what I'm talking about you know what I'm
talking about
no yeah yeah it's a hard thing it's a
hard thing to learn because I talk all
the the time in the male World we'd
speak one way and learning to
communicate with your wife means
learning how to listen learning how to
speak and learning how to share so how
to listen so your wife talks and how to
talk so your wife listens so you do
things like how was your day by the way
I got married when I was 24 years of age
from0 to 24 you know how many people ask
me how was my day Zero not a single
person asked me my wife get we get
married my wife says how was your day I
don't know why what happened somebody
died how my day I don't know what you
mean how's my day
okay you know whatever wait what
something supposed to be C like how's
the day mean nothing happened no nothing
happened nothing no we learned whatever
I don't know what you nothing you don't
talk to me it was
but how would your day is is a bid for
communication for connection She Wants
by the way this is not a joke after 20
years of marriage I realized that I owed
my mother Allah Shalom blessing memory
an apology I went to Yeshiva and on a
regular basis I called my mother and my
mother would ask me that question that
every Yesa B fears the question is
what's
new what's new I don't know I learned
the new to
learn what's new I nothing's new what do
what's new and for 20 years I didn't get
it you know what she was asking her son
left home she wanted to connect she
wanted to be in my world she wanted to
be a part of my life and she was asking
me what's okay you hear what I'm saying
okay happy wife happy life learn to
communicate Le to talk okay that's it
now it's time to get even gentlemen I
bashed you twice here tonight right are
we going to do something on this side
of yeah we're
gonna what next seven mistakes next
seven
mistes someone's counted someone's
counting we're up to four already okay
mistake number four is this mistake
forgetting I talk me some to women let's
move over to mistake number five okay
here we go now ladies I'm sorry to say
this but I think you guys are much more
guilty of this mistake it's much more on
this side but here we go it is my firm
belief that every young woman as she
walks down the has a 10o home
improvement policy in place and it's
that guy under the who is going to be
the recipient of that 10-point Home
Improvement policy first of all the ties
got to go and the sloppiness and the
coming late and the dumb jokes now she's
got it all planned out now we'll give
her
credit she behaves herself she doesn't
say a word but after they settle in you
know about 10 days into the marriage she
starts on her home improvement policy
you know why your mess is a your desk is
a mess okay no I mean you'd be much more
efficient if you if you would need her
okay and and he doesn't get like all
warm and fuzzy even though she's only
doing it because she she loves him so
it's clear that she he doesn't get it m
i mean you know it's it's a big mess and
you'd be much more efficient you'd get
much more done if if it was neater and
he doesn't get all wow it's so nice and
feels so low so obviously he doesn't get
it so she uses sense hum much mean you
mess so messy how do you even find
yourself in that
mess and he doesn't laugh after the life
of her she can't figure out what the
problem is so ladies let me make it
clear if you would like to improve your
husband make your husband better change
your husband you're making a fundamental
error that will cause you
tremendously let me share with you what
I mean I get the phone call the phone
call is only too typical it sounds
something like this sha you got to help
me okay what's up what's up it's my
husband what's the problem he's 40 years
old okay good and he leaves his socks on
the floor so what's problem I yelled I
yell he still leav the socks on the
floor what's wrong with the
guy I said Madam tell me something Have
you ever mentioned this to him before
yeah about 10,000 times so why doesn't
he pick up the side
that's my question what's wrong with the
guy I say okay man let me ask you a very
very important question is he a nice
guy yeah is he
responsible yeah so why doesn't he pick
up the this exactly my question what's
wrong with the guy I said Madam don't
you understand we all have strength and
we all have deficits your husband is a
put together guy with many strengths
many talents many abilities and he also
has Kronos he also has shortcomings and
if you're going to recognize it
shortcomings and you're going to accept
that you'll be happily married but if
you're going to try to change him you're
not going to be happy at all and I told
her a story not long before that phone
call I've been speaking at a Show's
seminar and a fellow comes over and says
Rabbi you got to help me I'm a doctor I
work in the ER and I'm around these thin
young pretty nurses all day long and I'm
trying not to look but my wife you know
she had her first kid she put on some
weight she didn't lose that weight she
had a second kid she put on some more
weight she had a third kid she's 40 lb
overweight and I don't know what to do I
offered her nutritionist I offered her
an xite plan I offered a guy to come to
the and she just won't lose weight Rabbi
what am I going to do to get it to to
finally lose the weight I said young man
I want to ask you a question have you
ever met a woman who wakes up one day
looks in Mir and says oh 40 lbs
overweight just what I always want them
to be that's great that's right why
doesn't she just use a nutritionist use
the exercise plan I said I'll explain to
you why
right now for whatever reason there's
just a little bit too much on her plate
three kids might be a big part of it but
you have to recognize one reality she is
who she is and she's not going to change
you either Embrace her as she is or you
suffer she's not going to lose the
weight you either Embrace her as she is
or your suffer I said to this woman with
the socks you have a choice to make you
either accept your husband as he is or
you suffer should your husband work on
being needer absolutely but at the same
time you have to recognize all have
strengths all have weaknesses and guess
what that's his weakness okay now folks
this became like a a mantra I told the
story so many times that at one a little
while back I was in Chicago and I was
speaking and a woman raised her hand and
says RAB shaer do you remember you were
here two years ago I said I do she said
do you remember what you spoke about I
said I don't she said well you told the
socks on the floor story and it changed
my marriage I said what do you mean she
said well in my case it wasn't socks on
the floor but it was jackets on chairs
Sunday night my husband would wear a
suit he'd take that jacket off and leave
it on the dining room chair Monday night
he'd be wearing a different suit put
that jacket on the chair Tuesday night
another Jack in The Chair by Thursday
his wardrobe was entire wardrobe was
around the dining table I said where you
stoping I said scream I said yell I said
well what happened well you told the
socks on the floor story so now Sunday
night he brings his jacket leaves it on
a chair I take it upstairs Monday night
he takes another jacket I take it
upstairs I said How's your sh bu now she
said it's wonderful I asked the women in
that class to stand up and clap why
because she got it but why doesn't he
just pick up his stuff what we all
should be better all should improve um I
just need a little bit of water oh I
have a little water here look at
that so if you are ready to change your
spouse I have a little exercise the
single most important self-growth excise
you'll everever experience ladies are
you ready are you ready this takes
courage
yes or no yes yes ready okay here we go
if you would like to improve yourself
improve your relationship improve you as
a human being I have an exercise I want
you to go home tonight when no one's
around I want you to look in the mirror
I want you to point and I want you to
say these words I am a difficult person
to live with I am a difficult person to
live with I am a difficult person to
live with mean I'm obnoxious I'm a
difficult no listen we all got stuff I'm
either too late or too early or too on
time or too whatever we all have
idiosyncrasies quirks that's just the
reality so why do I need to change him
so much because his problem could be so
solvable I once had a woman these ladies
you'll forgive me for saying this I once
had a woman who was ragging on her
husband he's this and he's that is this
and I didn't take me long to realize
this woman was like a a real work of art
over here okay so um and at a certain
point I said M I hear a lot of
complaints husand I recognize a lot of
shortcoming but tell me could it be that
there are some things that you do that
maybe bothered him as well she thinks
her says yeah probably but listen me I
have to live with him I could change oh
brilliant I love it I love it so ladies
let me make it clear don't change your
husband it doesn't work don't change
your husband it doesn't work now why am
I beating up the ladies men do it also
you know why I'm beating up the ladies
for one reason if I stand up in front of
a group of men and for 45 minutes say
don't do it it never works don't do it
it never works don't do it never
eventually they say I get it and they
stop doing it never once have I
succeeded with women never once never
but if I love them how can
I you think I don't love them I
guarantee he'll he'll know that you love
him even if you don't change him even if
you don't make him
better so let me make it very clear
ladies don't do it okay now how do I
know there's such a problem I was once
giving a sh bias by the way the Smo Is
Not Just sh bias just of late I went
into this little kick because because I
wrote this book so I have to go on book
tour but um sh deals with all issues of
Life do okay anyway bottom line is
speaking in a uh in in Brooklyn we did a
five-part sh um uh seminar it was each
month in shs for five weeks and because
it was a very large audience we worked
it was after when I was done speaking
someone brought around cards and people
write questions on the cards and they
bring the cards up for me to read okay
so in any case um I sent the the cards
came up and um the cards really first
first came the women's group um okay let
me try to get these slides up here watch
this okay okay oh we just did that I'm a
difficult person to live with I remember
that one okay watch this anyway so the
cards come up this was the session where
I did the socks on the floor don't
change your husband don't do it it never
works it get everyone's relationship
just get people angry okay the very
first question I get it reads like this
and it's from a woman it says um what if
I try to change him by being nice I said
no no no don't do it it wrecks the
relationship it just gets him angry it
never works anyway because you're trying
to change his nature you're trying to
change somebody that's the essence of
him it's not going to work all it's
going to do is get him angry get upset
and it's not going to okay so next
question I get the card says what if I
try to change him by having a sense of
humor I said no no no don't do it it
never works it gets him angry gets him
upset it's not going to change anyway
it's his nature it's his temperament
that's the way he's born that's what
he's created you're not going to succeed
don't do it the next question is I'm not
making the stuff up next question is
what if I try positive reinforcement no
no no don't do it doesn't work the next
question B Guzman not a joke the next
question read like this what if I try to
use
consequences oh that's very good like M
you're not getting lunch tomorrow I'll
let you pick your socks up that'll get
you real far lady okay now I thought I
made my point very very clear you could
see the video tape of this this video
tape I thought I made it incredibly
clear that nobody could not get it
however I made a mistake this was in
Brooklyn I live in Muny it's an hour and
a half drive when I got back back M I
made the mistake of opening my emails
and the very first email that I read go
something this Rabbi if I don't try to
change about being nice s you posit re
enforcement or Consequences how am I
going to change
him okay very good the next email I read
it this like I like a comedy routine the
next email reads something like this
Rabbi schaer after all the time you
spent on this topic isn't it clear we
understand what you mean but we
disagree
oh and she's going to do everything she
can to change him with it kills him her
and the marriage which it will and so
ladies make it clear it doesn't work but
you know why it doesn't work because
you're trying to change his Essence his
nature and if you need to change him
look in the mirror and say I I'm not
difficult I'm so he's got oh yeah I bet
you I bet you if we ask your husband or
a team of jury of your peers they okay
anyway this is the point you either
embrace your spouse as they are or you
try to change them by the way what does
it feel like to be loved right what does
it feel like to be loved so I have a
bunch of words I use what does it feel
like to be loved respected accepted
approved cherished right what does it
feel like to be
changed uh not respected not accepted
not approved not cherished so here's the
point I'm going to make it very clear
because I don't know if I made it clear
yet not changing your spouse means your
will against their will why doesn't he
change right he's 40 years old why does
he change changing is really bullying
okay so don't do it okay so I made it
clear right okay no no I disagree with
you I'm sorry I know right I know I but
you know why cuz if I love them how can
I let them be that way how can I let
them continue it's so important I'm
sorry but I feel like change is
important and yes everybody should
everybody should change and I want you
we have to start with ourselves right I
want you to change you I want you to
work on all your issues and I want to
stand in the mirror and say these are my
issues 1 2 3 7 10 24 work on them
perfect them and when you're done then
we could continue but why you know why
cuz it's very e I'm going to be this is
not nice Raba you're not being nice Raba
you're being too straightforward be
polite I know like what I'm saying is
like this listen the reason why it's so
easy to look at him and change him is
because why doesn't he just look I'll
give you an example I have a guy said to
me like this I can't respect her she
she's not into health food she doesn't
work out with the kids she's not into I
I just can't respect her I explained to
him that he had a very real problem he
was one of the most disciplined people I
ever met in my life he WS wakes up 5:00
every morning jumps into a freezing cold
shower just to master himself then works
out for 45 minutes plans his day then
goes to doin he's one of the most strict
structured disciplined people I ever met
and his complaint about his wife is
she's just not so disciplined not so
structured I said that's very unfair why
because your strength is a great
strength it's a great talent but you
can't expect your spous to have that
same Talent if you have talent strength
ability that's great you should continue
to flourish with them use them the best
ability the reason why it's very easy by
the way invariably what is the one thing
that you have to change in your spouse
it's always I guarantee it's always
going to be your strength and your
spouse's weakness let's say I'm very
very neat it's going to be invariable I
can I can't help a notice that my wife
would be much much better if she was
neat if I'm very punctual I can't help
but notice it she's late that's the
problem it's always my strength and my
spouse's weakness that I noticed and by
the way we become experts at what a
spouse does wrong we can't help but
notice it we can't but see it and we
can't help but point it out and guess
what it doesn't work but you know why it
doesn't
work why why doesn't it
work because it's because that's his
nature it's his temperament ladies and
gentlemen here's an honest here's a
little moment of honesty over here again
I'm bar very happily married I love my
wife she's not here to disc to debate it
okay but we have a great marriage okay
however I am a natural born slob I am
I'm I'm just very un I'm just unemp I'm
all over the place now it's interesting
because I'm very discipline but for
whatever reason that's my temper that's
my nature now how easy do you think it
is for my wife not easy At All by the
way every one of these 10 mistakes I
could not write a book like this without
trying every one of these mistakes and
make sure that they worked I tried every
one of them and made sure that every one
of them is bonafied as a really dumb
mistake one of the really dumb mistakes
I made was assuming my wife has to put
up with my sloppiness now it is true
that I worked on myself and it's been
now 36 years and I do try to be needer
and I do try but she still has to put up
with me so here's that sort of balance
do I have to work on it absolutely but
there's a suit in reality it's not my
strength it's not my strong suit and she
has to learn to embrace that you me I
can't just be Cavalier I can't be
callous I can't just say I don't care I
have to work in it but at the same time
she has to recognize that it's not my
strength and by the way as great as my
wife is there are things that she could
use work on do I do I mention them to
her uhuh but why not I should help her
if I loved her I want to point it out
yeah right try that one at home right
you know what I'm saying yeah you know
what I'm
saying no still
disagree all right we'll talk after no
we won't talk after because I I know if
you
it's only out of love and concern if I
one second I was talking in um bet
gavriel it was a large group and it was
T anytime was doing it uh a live stream
and a guy brings me his text afterwards
he was talking to his wife he was
texting back and forth his wife was
watching him and the wife sends him a
message like this well my rabbitson said
that if you see your husband doing
something wrong and you don't point it
out you're not doing your job as an as
and you have to pointed out so I said
first of all I doubt the reiton ever
said that if she did maybe her husband's
A Towing divorce lawyer I don't know I
doubt she ever said that because that is
the worst advice you could ever give to
any human being why because we human
beings don't like being criticized we
don't like being bossed around we don't
like being changed and okay I made my
point right yes I am no I am I'm what's
called spitting in the wind that's what
this is called you know I know it's like
talking to death W okay anyway let's do
a recap the first point you guys agree
with I think right number one the first
of the 10 really Dum mistakes is not
working on the love the bond the
connection that's the essence of the
marriage and you got to go out you have
to spend time together but it's not just
going out it's a text it's a love notes
it gives all the things that a couple is
your wife text your wife is
here she's texting you
now she's on that
side oh no oh I don't want don't show it
to me do not show it to me my rabbit my
rabbit and Me by way as um what as con
his first year first
year AO AO what does AO
mean help me right I've searched and
I've reached researched every every Aon
not once did I see a single P say means
police lady boss bully bearder corrector
not once a cono means helpmate all right
anyway enough number one working on the
love and marriage that's the first
really dumbest thing number two working
on respect because there has to be love
and respect number three is
understanding that my
experience doesn't Define reality the
way I experience things is the way I
experience things it doesn't make my
spouse experiences things the same way
and learning to say the words that
strange to myself and then climbing into
the inner world of my spouse allows me
to understand the state number four is
not understand that talk means something
different to women than it does to men
gentlemen this one's on you you got to
talk to your wife you got to take her
out you got to spend time with her but
ladies I beg you please please please
don't change him just accept him Embrace
him as he is or
suffer Embrace him as he is or suffer by
the way I have a theory it's a 20-year
Theory many marriages it's not most
marriages have this first 20 years kind
of then suddenly they take off and much
better why is it for 20 20 years she
tries to change him change him change
him fin he's a stubborn a he's never
going to change and some he's a nicer
guy and sud they get along so much
better so don't do it gentlemen don't do
it either don't change her ladies don't
change husband don't do it okay good now
one last little punch line over here oh
yeah bully don't bully don't bully don't
do that okay um I'm going to go through
really quick I just want to leave one
point if I could scoop these slides be
better W look at this whole review did
this review here we go oh wait wait wait
wait wrong way wrong way stop that stop
that stop that go in okay here we go
here we go gentlemen I'm going to make
it as simple as pie if you treat her
like a queen she will treat you like a
king if you treat her like a servant she
will treat you like a slave got that
ladies I want to make it very very clear
ladies very very clear treat him like a
king they'll treat you like a queen
treat him like a slave uh I am going
there you know what I'm saying
but that's the point work on yourself
work on your by the way I have a 30-day
challenge if your marriage is good and
you want to make it great if your
marriage is you want to make it good or
if your marriage certainly is bad I have
a 30-day challenge I guarantee it's
going to change your marriage
dramatically two parts to it number one
make sure that you're spending time
together you're going out gentleman it's
more your responsibility to plan the DAT
but as a couple you got to spend time
you got to be together number two find
one of the 10 really dumb mistakes that
you do and work on it stop doing it
don't look at what your husband does
wrong don't look what your wife does
wrong look at the issues if you we only
went through five you take the book
there are five more go through one find
one and for 30 days work on not doing
that dumb mistake if you work on the
relationship and stop the dumb M I
guarantee your marriage improves
dramatically it's tremendous tremendous
change okay let me close with one last
thought the last thought is I'm going to
share with you a story um probably the
most romantic
um story I know of um
my I
learn um he was about seven years older
than the Ritson and he was Ill
especially towards the later years and
everyone understood what was going to
happen the was going to pass away and
leave the Ritson as an Alman as a widow
anyway that's not what happened the
Ritson took ill and very quickly passed
away and Thea got up to say a hpit of
eulogy at his wife's funeral now we were
B had no children we were B were in the
house all the time we saw a marriage the
respect that the rebon had for respect
represent it was unparalleled it was
incredible incredible thing to watch by
the way I never once heard represent
call Thea anything other than the
rashash Shiva she spoke to thir at least
when we were around the respect was
uncanny anyway sha gets up and he says
as follows everything we did we did
together we built the Yeshiva together
went to stroll together everything we
did we did together I didn't have to
worry about my food I don't have to
worry about my medicine everything we
did we did together she' be more
concerned about my health than I was she
was more concerned about me than I
everything we did we did together he
must have said that expression 12 maybe
14 times and then he said these words I
said a hpit I've said a eulogy for my
father I said a hpit over my mother I
cannot say a hpit for my wife saying a
hpit over my wife is like saying a hpit
about myself I can't do it he sat down
and with those words he defined a Torah
relationship one unit bonded connected
it takes a lot of work it takes a lot of
self-improvement not improving your
spous but self-improvement you work on
it you do that Hashem helps and
eventually you get there that's the goal
um I want to thank you again it's a
pleasure to be here pleasure to see you
in this role take advantage of him he is
a tremendous tremendous person um please
take a copy of the book and one more
thing also if you are anyone here under
30 yeah you're under 30 okay good here
we go I made an interesting Discovery
people under 30 are
illiterate no it's true no I another
question I had guys come over it's a
great book I love it what page you up to
page 30 how long have you had it three
months I guys say to me I'm up to page
12 now wait a minute this table of
contents this introduction it starts in
page 10 he's up to page 12 okay so I
made the discovery you 30 years young
you are illiterate so therefore what I
did was I came out with something called
the video book basically I did battle
and as I came out with the video book
the video book is exactly that it's a
it's a video book it's um it's you
really he read your book actually each
osyn habits our own particular way of
doing things making for another
[Music]
person hope engaging journey of first
one love this onee and relationships
along the way we're going to meet some
very smart couples doing some very dumb
things and hopefully we'll learn how to
avoid the 10 really dumb mistakes that
very smart C has made watch this first
one I love this first
one this is a tale of sha and beny con
sha and beny are your All American
couple both bright talented and
successful both brought up in good homes
both confident and goal oriented and
both a bit surprised with what marriage
has brought them here's Shan's version
dating beny was exhilarating he was full
of energy always moving he gave me a
sense of excitement and Adventure but
after 3 years of marriage his ADHD is
driving me crazy he's always late he
never puts things away and he's
constantly forgetting he forget the baby
at the store if I didn't remind him why
can't he just get it together and as his
own take when you were going out I felt
like her night in shiny armor she would
get nervous and I would step and thr
smooth things over if something happened
to do her and one of her friends I would
Cal her down I felt mobile and gallent
rescuing with damel distress but now I
feel like her anxiety is over the top
every a shop is is high drama and she's
the queen why can't she just calmed
down Shane and beny spend the next 20
years trying to change other but neither
of them are successful all right you got
the point it's it's anyway um how much
how much okay they're on so if you buy
them here the $25 you buy them online
the $49 um I have a few copies here and
you could PayPal zel or venmo um and but
either way please take a book if you're
if you're literate and you could read
take a book but if not no either way the
video book is a lot of fun I again I
have seveny old brand three the whole
thing there all it's as all time it's
the content of the book basic essence of
it not as detailed as the book but it's
pretty good um but it's very
entertaining bring it for your kids I
have three I my daughter has twins and
my other daughter has a seven-year-old
so they're both they're all three the
same age they sit no they're not
marriage anyway no no watch this all
three of them are on the couch watching
listening to different parts I have a
video tap each one is has one oh you
gota watch this one zes and this one
this one good got they give their
parents marriage advice s okay anyway
thank you very much thank you very
anyone's interested
please
here thank you so mucher for coming all
the way from in the weather and really
dispensing this very very helpful and
experienced
advice