His wife rules him, his wife rules over him
His wife is the one who manages his life or decides certain things for him in his life.
(“The Rabbis taught: There are three whose lives are not lives, and these are: one who waits for his friend’s table, one whose wife rules over him, and one whose body is ruled by suffering. And some say: also one who has only a single garment.” (Beitzah 32b). Similarly: “With the permission of our teachers everywhere, and with the permission of my wife who rules over me and to whom I have sold myself and my pen.” (Berdyczewski, Ktavim, II, 140))
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
אִשְׁתּוֹ מוֹשֶׁלֶת בּוֹ, אִשְׁתּוֹ מוֹשֶׁלֶת עָלָיו
Definition (Hebrew)
אִשְׁתּוֹ הִיא זוֹ שֶׁמְּנַהֶלֶת אֶת חַיָּיו אוֹ קוֹבַעַת עֲבוּרוֹ דְּבָרִים מְסֻיָּמִים בְּחַיָּיו.
("תַּנּוּ רַבָּנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה חַיֵּיהֶן אֵינָם חַיִּים, וָאֵלּוּ הֵן: הַמְּצַפֶּה לְשֻׁלְחַן חֲבֵרוֹ, וּמִי שֶׁאִשְׁתּוֹ מוֹשֶׁלֶת עָלָיו, וּמִי שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין מוֹשְׁלִין בְּגוּפוֹ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא חָלוּק אֶחָד"- בֵּיצָה לֵב ע"ב, וְכֵן:"בִּרְשׁוּת מָרָנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי דַּי בְּכָל אֲתָר וַאֲתַר, וּבִרְשׁוּת אִשְׁתִּי הַמּוֹשֶׁלֶת עָלַי וְשֶׁנִּמְכַּרְתִּי לָהּ אֲנִי וְעֵטִי"- בֶּרְדִּיצֶ'בְסְקִי/ כְּתָבִים, ב, 140)