תורה 69

7. Now, at times the robber is as one who despises the wife of his youth and covets his neighbor’s wife. Other times, he wants them both: he wants his own money and also his neighbor’s. This is the aspect of a person who ‘brings trouble into his house.’

The prophet warned against this, as it is written (Malachi 2:15-16), “[Curb your spirit] and do not betray the wife of your youth. That which you despise, send away.” The meaning is: If your portion is not enough for you, and you despise your wealth, which you find insufficient—“send away.” That is, rectify it: give charity, which is an aspect of “send away,” as it is written (Ecclesiastes 11:1), “Cast your bread upon the waters.”

This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: If a man sees that his livelihood is meager, let him turn it into charity (Gittin 7a). The reason a person’s livelihood is meager is that the forces of evil have control over the soul, the feminine aspect, as in “Her feet descend to death.” By overpowering her, the evil forces leech off her and diminish her light. This is why [her husband] lacks money. But by giving charity, he removes her from the evil forces, since “Charity saves from death” (Proverbs 10:2)—i.e., from the previous state of “Her feet descend to death.” Therefore, by giving charity he can rectify his wealth, which corresponds to the wife of his youth, and not be unfaithful to her. This is the meaning of: “That which you despise, send away.”