The night was calm and silent. Yaakov finally found time to open his new book and dwelved deep into questions about faith and the world. How wisdom is spread by every word!

Batia was folding the laundry with her headphones on. The lecture talked about exciting topics on children's education, opening up various new perspectives.

Suddenly, a cry disturbed the pastoral atmosphere. Batia snatched the wires from her ears, put the MP3 in the first suitable place she could find and look for who had shouted and why.

After freeing Yosef's foot from in between the bars of the bed where he got stuck, she continued caressing his cheeks and wiping his tears and returned to the living room.

"Poor Yosef. This is not the first time I have performed the Mitzvah of ‘rescuing the prisoners’.”, she said to her husband.

He raised his head completely surprised and asked, "What's going on?"

"You did not hear Yosef screaming?" Batia replied.

"How do you want me to hear him? I was immersed in my book."

Man

The man cuts himself off from his environment and focuses on one single point.

This is how he was created and this explains his exceptional ability to study the Gemara and his ability to concentrate for a long time.

When a man is absorbed in something, he does not hear or see anything else. When he speaks on the phone, even if a child falls and cries, he will remain immersed in his business and will not notice it on the spot.

Woman

The woman keeps an overview and is not able to cut herself from those around her.

Even when she focuses on something important, she stays connected to all her other obligations. She will always hear her children and what her husband is doing in the background.

This is how Hashem created her and that is how she can fulfill all of her functions perfectly.

Solution

Do not request from your husband to remain connected to his surroundings when he is focussing on something specific. Respect the differences between man and woman and acknowledge that this is how he has been created and fulfills his role in this world.

Do not be offended if he does not see you or pay any attention to you when he is absorbed by a particular subject.

Do not offend him; Hashem created him for the purposes of his role in the study of Torah or for the purposes of his work.