I wonder if I have presumed too far upon the generous gift of a friend.
When I was married over a year ago I was graciously given a sabbatical rest from my labors as a Mere Orthodoxy contributor in keeping with the spirit, although not the letter, of Deuteronomy 24:5 which states, “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.” I say in keeping with the spirit because I spent the greater part of half of my first year of marriage out with the army and charged with the grave duty of transporting men and equipment into and out of the American theaters of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even so, the break from writing was quite welcome as I was free to devote my spare minutes and hours to my beautiful wife without the slightest twinge of a guilty conscience caught between matrimonial delight and editorial duty.
While we all live in societies that do not follow the specifics of Mosaic Law and are not given one year leaves of absence in order to lay a happy foundation with our spouses, I nevertheless recommend the spirit of such a law to any who may find themselves in the wonderful and terrifying position of being a newlywed and urge that as many responsibilities as may be laid by are most definitely dropped. It is not merely for sensual indulgence that God gave this command, but for the preservation of love and the fostering of a deep confidence between husband and wife, two things which, while being gravely important, remain elusive for thousands of men and women.
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