Midrash sa Mga Awit 68:7: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Pesikta DeRav Kahana, Bamidbar Rabbah & Midrash Tanchuma

R. Samuel b. Isaac said that when Resh Lakish was to lecture on the subject of Sota he would say: "A wife is selected [in heaven] for each man, according to his deeds, as it is said (Ps. 125, 3) For the sceptor of wickedness shall not rest upon the staff of righteous." Raba b. b. Ghana said in the name of R. Jochanan: "To join couples is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea, for it is said (Ib. 68, 7) God places those who are solitary in the midst of their families; He bringeth out these who are bound unto happiness." Do not read Motzi (bringeth out) but read it K'motzi (like bringing forth). [Hence they are compared with one another.] Is it indeed so difficult to join couples? Behold! R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Forty days before the creation of a child a Heavenly voice comes forth and says: 'The daughter of so and so shall marry the son of so and so; the premises of so and so shall be the property of so and so;' hence it is prearranged. This is not difficult to explain. The latter deals with the first marriage, while the former deals with the second."

Rabbi Yonah of Botzrah opened: "When God judges, this one He brings low, and that one He raises up" (Ps. 75:8). A matrona inquired of Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta. She said to him, "In how many days did the Holy One Blessed be He create the universe?" He said to her, "In six days, as it is written, 'For in six days Hashem created, etc.' (Ex. 31:17)." She said to him, "And what has He been sitting and doing from that time?" He said to her, "Matchmaking couples -- the daughter of so-and-so to so-and-so, the wife of so-and-so to so-and-so, the property of so-and-so to so-and-so." She said, "Is that all? Even I am able to do that. I have many slaves and many maidservants, yet in a very short time (sha'ah kalah) I can match them all up." He said to her, "This may appear easy (kalah) in your eyes, but before the Holy One Blessed be He, it is as difficult as parting the Sea of Reeds." Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta took leave of her, and he went on his way. What did she do? She took a thousand slaves and a thousand maidservants, and stood them in row after row, and said, "This man shall marry this woman, this woman shall marry this man," and thus she matched them all up in one night. In the morning she came to them. This one's head was wounded, that one's eye was knocked out, and another's leg was broken. This one said, "I don't want her as a wife," and that one said, "I don't want him [as a husband]." She sent [a messenger] and had Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta brought to her. She said to him, "Truly, your (pl.) Torah is fine and praiseworthy. Regarding everything that you said to me, you spoke well." He said to her, "And did I not say thus to you -- 'This may appear easy in your eyes, but before the Holy One Blessed be He, it is as difficult as parting the Sea of Reeds'? What does the Holy One Blessed be He do? He matches them against their will and not to their liking (i.e., He knows what's best for couples even if they don't yet realize it themselves). Thus it is written, 'God settles individuals in a home; He removes prisoners bakosharot^*בכושרות, typically translated as "into prosperity".' What is 'bakosharot'? With crying (bechi) and singing (shirot)." Said Rabbi Berachya, [rather,] in this language, Rabbi Yosei bar Chalfta responded to her (i.e., to the question of what God has been doing since the Creation): "The Holy One Blessed be He sits and makes ladders. He causes this one to ascend, and that one to descend -- 'This one He brings low, and that one raises up' (Ps. 75:8)." Rabbi Yonah of Botrzrah and our Rabbis: Our Rabbis interpret that verse as referring to Aaron. With the word "this" (hazeh) he was brought low: "And I cast it into the fire and this (hazeh) calf emerged" (Ex. 32:24). And with the word "this" he was raised up: "This (zeh) is the offering of Aaron and his sons" (Lev. 6:13). Rabbi Yonah of Botzrah interprets that verse as referring to Israel. With the word "this" they were brought low, and with the word "this" they were raised up: With the word "this" they were brought low -- "For this (zeh) man Moses[, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him]" (Ex. 32:1). And with the word "this" they were raised up -- "[When you take a census [etc.],] this (zeh) they shall give [... half a shekel as an elevation-offering to Hashem]" (Ex. 30:12-13).

R. Jochanan (and according to others, R. Elazar), said: "The wife of a man does not die [frequently] unless he is requested to pay [his donation] and has not to pay, as it is said (Prov. 22, 27) If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?" R. Jochanan said again: "To him whose first wife dies, it is as if the Temple had been destroyed in his days, as it is said (Ezek. 24, 10) I will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes, etc., and (Ib.) And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening; and (Ib. 21) I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes." R. Alexandrai said: "To him whose wife dies, the world around him is dark, as it is said (Job 18, 6) The light becometh dark in his tent, and his lamp will be quenched above him." R. Jose b. Chanina said: Also his steps become shortened, as immediately it reads: The steps of his strength shall be narrowed. And R. Abahu said: "Also his advice is no more of use; as the end of the verse cited reads: And his own counsel shall cast him down." Rabba b. b. Chana said in the name of R. Jochanan: "Joining couples is as difficult as the dividing of the Red Sea, as it is said (Ps. 68, 7) God places those who are solitary in the midst of their families: He bringeth out those who are bound unto happiness. Do not read Motzi Assirim (bringeth out those who are bound), but read it K' motzi Assirim (like bringing out those who are bound). Do not read Bakosharoth (into happiness), but read B'chi V'shiruth (weeping and singing); i.e., at the Red Sea they wept first and then sang." Is this so? Has not R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Forty days before the embryo is formed, a heavenly voice goes forth and says: 'This and that daughter to this and that son.'" This is not difficult to explain. The latter deals with the first marriage, and the former with the second marriage. R. Samuel b. Nachman said: "For everything there may be an exchange, but not for the wife of one's youth, as it is said (Is. 54, 6) And as a wife of one's youth that was rejected." R. Juda taught to his son, R. Isaac: "One can find pleasure only in his first wife, as it is said (Prov. 5, 18) Thy fountain will be blessed; and rejoice with the wife (Ib. b) of thy youth." "Whom do you mean?" his son asked, and he answered: "Your mother." Is that so? Did not R. Juda teach to R. Isaac his son (Ecc. 7, 26) And I find as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, etc? And the latter asked him: "Who, for an example?" He answered: "Like your mother." True, she was irascible, but was easily appeased with a word. R. Samuel b. Unya said in the name of Rab: "A woman [unmarried] is an unfinished vessel, and she makes a covenant with [cares for] none but him who made her a vessel; as it is said (Is. 54, 5) For thy husband is thy master," etc. There is a Baraitha; No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, and no one feels the death of a woman more than her hushaud. No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, as it is said (Ruth 1, 3) Thereupon died Elimelcch, Naomi's husband; and no one feels the death of a woman more than her husband, as it is said (Gen. 48, 7) And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me.