ויברח יעקב שדה ארם ויעבד ישראל באשה ובאשה שמר ... (הושע יב-יג)
What is the connection between the notion of Yaakov Avinu fleeing to the fields of Aram and the fact that he worked for and guarded sheep for a wife?
The Arizal explains that when a man and woman get married, part of the man’s spiritual essence becomes infused into the woman, something which does not leave the body of his wife even after her death. In the case of Yaakov, whose essence was infused into his two wives, Rachel and Leah, it is interesting to note that the essence embedded in Rachel eventually passed on to her son Binyamin, as the pasuk says: "ויהי בצאת נפשה כי מתה ותקרא שמו בנימין" - “It happened when her soul left her, for she was about to die…she called his name Binyamin.” The spiritual essence which Yaakov infused Rachel with was called "נפשה" and eventually became Binyamin. The spirit Yaakov had infused Leah with, however, remained within her, and eventually became implanted within the righteous Avigayil HaCarmeli, wife of Dovid HaMelech. This also brings to light the concept of Yibum and how a levirate marriage is based on the brother of the deceased being able to access this residual spirtiual essence of his deceased brother within his widowed wife.
Says the Arizal, this brings to light the understanding that Yaakov fled his single status and not only simply “worked for a wife” but also “guarded sheep for a woman - his wife. Nothing is ever truly lost in this world. Eventually - it may take generations - something will come out of such an action.