The Divine Matchmaker

R. Levi opened [his discourse by quoting the verse]: For God is judge, lowering one and raising another (Psalm 75:8). A [Roman] matron asked R. Yosi bar Ḥalafta, saying to him, “In how many days did the Holy One create His world?” He said to her, “In six days, as it is written: For in six days God made the heavens and the earth (Exodus 31:17).” She said to him, “Since then, what has He been doing?” He said to her, “[God] sits coupling couples and matchmaking matches: the daughter of so-and-so for so-and-so, the wife of so-and-so for so-and-so, and so-and-so’s wealth for so-and-so.” She said to him, “[Consider] how many male servants and female servants I have, and in a short time I can [easily] create couples!” He said to her, “If this is so simple in your eyes, it is as difficult for God as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, as it is written: God settles individuals into a household (Psalm 68:7).”

Rabbi Yosi bar Ḥalafta returned to his home. What did she [the matron] do? She sent for and [had] brought one thousand male servants and one thousand female servants and aligned them in lines. She said to them, “So-and-so will marry so-and-so, and so-and-so will marry so-and-so.”

In the morning, they came to her, this one with a wounded head, that one with a blind eye, this one with a broken arm, and that one with a broken leg. One said, “I do not desire her,” and another said, “I do not desire him.” [The matron] sent for [R. Yosi] and said to him, “Beautiful is your Torah, it is pleasing and praiseworthy.” He said to her, “Did I not tell you that if it is simple in your eyes, it is as difficult for God as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds? As it says: God settles individuals into a household, God brings forth the captive into prosperity (Psalm 68:7).” What does prosperity mean? Crying and singing—these cry and those sing. What does the Holy One do? God brings them together against their will and matches this one with that one.

Translated byMatthew Goldstone.