In this greatest moment of your life you are not just entering into a union and partnership between yourselves, but you are, undoubtedly, also praying and eagerly anticipating the third partner — Hashem — who will be entering this venture.

The Gemara (Sotah 17a) says that the Hebrew word “ish” (איש) — “man” — includes a yud while the Hebrew word “ishah” (אשה) — “woman” — includes the letter hei. These two letters are part of the four-letter holy Name, the Tetragrammaton. The presence of the letters yud-hei are an indication that when a man and woman conduct themselves properly in their married life they merit that His Divine Presence should be among them.

Marriage is not merely an ordinary partnership, but a holy union. Therefore, under the Chuppah, when the Chatan addresses his Kallah, he says to her “harei at mekudeshet li” — “You are consecrated to me.”

In this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Shemot — we read of another episode in which a man prepared himself to meet Hashem. We are told that while Moshe was tending the sheep in the wilderness, he beheld a bush burning in fire which was not consumed. Moshe thought, “Let me turn aside and see this great sight — why will the bush not burn?” Hashem saw that he turned aside to see, and He called out to him from the bush “Do not come closer to here, take off your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground” (Shemot 3:1-5).

You, too, my dear Chatan and Kallah are standing now on holy ground, and hopefully throughout your life the home you will build and dwell in will be holy ground. At this moment there is a fire of love burning in both of you. It is not the type of fire which consumes and destroys, but rather a fire which unites and welds you together forever.

Clearly understanding Hashem’s message to Moshe will help you to learn how to maintain the holy Divine Presence in your home and perpetuate it as a holy ground.

Rabbi Shlomo Efraim Luntshitz, who wrote the Kli Yakar commentary (which is printed together with many editions of Chumash), also wrote a sefer Ollelot Efraim in which he explains that Hashem was informing Moshe of the intuition a leader must possess.

Unlike one who wears shoes, one who walks barefoot feels even the smallest piece of debris. In preparing Moshe to be the leader and teacher of K’lal Yisrael, Hashem stressed the importance of “sensitivity.” A leader must be sensitive to even the most minute detail concerning his people.

Sensitivity is also an important ingredient in a happy marriage. One must sense the minutest discomfort, dissatisfaction and displeasure the other partner may be experiencing and nip it in the bud.

An amusing story is told of a couple who came to a Rabbi for a divorce. To the Rabbi’s inquiry as to why she wanted a divorce, the wife replied “My husband is insensitive to me” and explained that during the past few nights she woke up very thirsty and went to get a drink. Her husband lacked the sensitivity to wake up and go get the glass of water for her. The husband angrily told the Rabbi, “Speaking of sensitivity, I am the one who should be upset. I felt her thirst, and went to the kitchen to drink water and she didn’t even feel what I was doing for her.”

Kidding aside, a little bit of sensitivity in speech and action goes a long way. Showing some tact and consideration can assure that the holy union will continue for many years to come and Hashem will enjoy being present in your midst.