So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies,.... It is a common saying with the Jews, that a man's wife is כגופו, "as his own body" (r); and it is one of the precepts of their wise men, that a man should honour his wife more than his body, ואהבה כגופו, and "love her as his body" (s); for as they also say, they are but one body (t); the apostle seems to speak in the language of his countrymen; however, his doctrine and theirs agree in this point: wherefore
he that loveth his wife loveth himself; because she is one body and flesh with him.
(r) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 24. 1. & Becorot, fol. 35. 2. Maimon. Hilchot Becorot, c. 2. sect. 17. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 2. (s) T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 62. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 76. 2. Derech Eretz, fol. 17. 4. Maimon Hilchot Ishot, c. 15. sect. 19. (t) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 3.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies,.... It is a common saying with the Jews, that a man's wife is כגופו, "as his own body" (r); and it is one of the precepts of their wise men, that a man should honour his wife more than his body, ואהבה כגופו, and "love her as his body" (s); for as they also say, they are but one body (t); the apostle seems to speak in the language of his countrymen; however, his doctrine and theirs agree in this point: wherefore
he that loveth his wife loveth himself; because she is one body and flesh with him.
(r) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 24. 1. & Becorot, fol. 35. 2. Maimon. Hilchot Becorot, c. 2. sect. 17. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 2. (s) T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 62. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 76. 2. Derech Eretz, fol. 17. 4. Maimon Hilchot Ishot, c. 15. sect. 19. (t) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 3.