LOVE | AHAVAH | אהבה
PHRASE/SLOGAN
Become beloved by loving others
You receive what you put out
Love is as fierce as death, connection as fierce as disconnection
Love, thank, and bless the Lover with all your heart, including for the suffering given
Love the Giver of life and all of life
You receive what you put out
Love is as fierce as death, connection as fierce as disconnection
Love, thank, and bless the Lover with all your heart, including for the suffering given
Love the Giver of life and all of life
SOUL TRAIT (MIDDAH) SPECTRUM
ETYMOLOGY
Ahavah / אהבה
- love
- root - אהב
- to love
- devote completely to another
- relating intimately
- loved passionately
- became beloved
- fell in love with
- was loved by
- caused to love
MUSSAR
ראוי לך אחי שתבין ותדע כי כל מה שקדם לנו זכרו בספר הזה מחובות הלבבות והמדות ונדבת הנפשות הם מעלות ומדרגות אל הענין העליון הזה אשר התכוננו לבארו בשער הזה, וגם ראוי לך לדעת כי כל חובה וכל מדה טובה מושכלת או כתובה או מקובלת הם תכונות ומעלות שעולים בהם אל הענין הזה והוא תכליתם וסופם אין מדרגה למעלה ממנו ולא אחריו,
It is proper for you, my brother, that you understand and that you know, that everything we previously mentioned of the duties of the heart and limbs, and the volunteering of the soul, they are all rungs and steps leading to this sublime matter, which is our intent to clarify in this gate. It is also proper for you to know that every duty and every good quality, whether it comes through reason, scripture, or tradition, are all steps and stages by which one ascends to this matter, and it is their ultimate purpose and destination. There is no level above it or after it.
שֶׁאֵין כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ כְדַאי כַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּתַּן בּוֹ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכָּל הַכְּתוּבִים קֹדֶשׁ, וְשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים.
For the whole world is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the writings are holy but the Song of Songs is the holy of holies.
שִׂימֵ֨נִי כַֽחוֹתָ֜ם עַל־לִבֶּ֗ךָ כַּֽחוֹתָם֙ עַל־זְרוֹעֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־עַזָּ֤ה כַמָּ֙וֶת֙ אַהֲבָ֔ה קָשָׁ֥ה כִשְׁא֖וֹל קִנְאָ֑ה רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ רִשְׁפֵּ֕י אֵ֖שׁ שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה׃
Let me be a seal upon your heart, Like the seal upon your hand. For love is fierce as death, Passion is mighty as Sheol; Its darts are darts of fire, A blazing flame.
מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֗ים לֹ֤א יֽוּכְלוּ֙ לְכַבּ֣וֹת אֶת־הָֽאַהֲבָ֔ה וּנְהָר֖וֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּהָ אִם־יִתֵּ֨ן אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־כׇּל־ה֤וֹן בֵּיתוֹ֙ בָּאַהֲבָ֔ה בּ֖וֹז יָב֥וּזוּ לֽוֹ׃ {ס}
Vast floods cannot quench love, Nor rivers drown it. If a man offered all his wealth for love, He would be laughed to scorn.
כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוְת אַהֲבָה, תַּקִּיפָא הִיא, כִּפְרִישׁוּ דְרוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא. דְּתָנִינָן, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבַּר נָשׁ מָטֵי לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא מִן עַלְמָא וְחָמֵי מַה דְּחָמֵי, רוּחָא אָזְלָא בְּכָל (ויקרא קכ''ו ע''ב) שַׁיְיפֵי דְגוּפָא וְסָלִיק גַּלְגַּלּוֹי, כְּמַאן דְאָזִיל בְּיַמָּא בְּלָא שַׁיָּיטִין, סָלִיק וְנָחִית וְלָא מְהַנְיָיא לֵיהּ, אֲתָא וְאִישְׁתָּאִיל מִכָּל שַׁיְיפֵי גוּפָא, וְלֵית (לון) תַּקִּיפוּ כְּיוֹמָא דְּפָּרִישׁ רוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא. כָּךְ תַּקִּיפוּ דִּרְחִימוּ דְּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּתַקִּיפוּ דְמוֹתָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבָעֵי רוּחָא לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא מִן גּוּפָא.
Dr. Daniel C. Matt (Trans.), The Zohar: Pritzker Edition (Vol. III: Genesis)(2006)
For love is as fierce as death—as fierce as separation of spirit from body. We have learned: When a human is about to depart from the world, and he sees what he sees, the spirit moves through each member of the body, climbing its waves—like crossing the sea without oars, going up and down ineffectively—and it goes to ask leave of every member of the body. There is nothing as fierce as the day of separation from the body. The fierceness of love of Israel for the blessed Holy One is like the fierceness of death at the moment when they must separate—spirit from body. (Vayechi)
כַּ֭מַּיִם הַפָּנִ֣ים לַפָּנִ֑ים כֵּ֤ן לֵֽב־הָ֝אָדָ֗ם לָאָדָֽם׃
As face answers to face in water, so does one person's heart to another.
Dr. Alan Morinis, With Heart in Mind: Mussar Teachings to Transform Your Life (2014)
This means that whatever you project from your heart is what you can expect to receive in return. If you take no interest in others, they will take no interest in you. If, on the other hand, you are warm and caring, you can also expect to attract warmth to yourself. (Chp. 29: Being Beloved)
This means that whatever you project from your heart is what you can expect to receive in return. If you take no interest in others, they will take no interest in you. If, on the other hand, you are warm and caring, you can also expect to attract warmth to yourself. (Chp. 29: Being Beloved)
Dr. Alan Morinis, With Heart in Mind: Mussar Teachings to Transform Your Life (2014)
He [Rabbi Dessler] notices the connection between love and generosity, and he asks which comes first. Do we give to the person we love, or do we love the person we give to? He concludes that love follows giving. When you give to someone, be it a smile, a hand, some time, money, goods (according to their need), that sets the stage for love to grow. The key to being beloved is therefore to be generous . . . Too often, we seek love from a place of need and want. We may not have realized that we become beloved by giving to others and feeding them (literally and metaphorically). . . . the best way to become beloved is to give your love to other people. . . . proactively seek to connect . . . (Chp. 29: Being Beloved)
He [Rabbi Dessler] notices the connection between love and generosity, and he asks which comes first. Do we give to the person we love, or do we love the person we give to? He concludes that love follows giving. When you give to someone, be it a smile, a hand, some time, money, goods (according to their need), that sets the stage for love to grow. The key to being beloved is therefore to be generous . . . Too often, we seek love from a place of need and want. We may not have realized that we become beloved by giving to others and feeding them (literally and metaphorically). . . . the best way to become beloved is to give your love to other people. . . . proactively seek to connect . . . (Chp. 29: Being Beloved)
ואמר לחכם מי מבני אדם תאהב יותר? אמר מי שרבו טובותיו אצלי [ואם לאו מי שרבו עונותי אצלו]:
284. The sage was asked, whom he loved most, Either him, he said, who has experienced the greatest kindness from me, or I from him.
Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler (1892–1953), in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
Love is a consequence of giving. When a person gives, it is as if he is giving part of himself. He therefore loves the recipient because he finds in him something of himself. If his giving assumes great proportions and he lavishes loving-kindness on his neighbor with abundance, he will find himself included entirely in the other. Then he can love his neighbor as himself—completely as himself—without any distinction. (Week 15, Day 6)
Love is a consequence of giving. When a person gives, it is as if he is giving part of himself. He therefore loves the recipient because he finds in him something of himself. If his giving assumes great proportions and he lavishes loving-kindness on his neighbor with abundance, he will find himself included entirely in the other. Then he can love his neighbor as himself—completely as himself—without any distinction. (Week 15, Day 6)
Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas (1518–1592), The Beginning of Wisdom (Reishit Chochmah), in A. Morinis, With Heart in Mind: Mussar Teachings to Transform Your Life (2014)
Even though your body’s material substance separates you from your friend, the nefesh-soul of both of you is a spiritual entity and the tendency of the spirit is to make you cleave to your friend with unbroken unity. When your nefesh-soul becomes aroused to love a friend, your friend’s nefesh-soul will be equally aroused to love you in return until both of your souls are bound to form one single entity. (Chp. 29: Being Beloved)
Even though your body’s material substance separates you from your friend, the nefesh-soul of both of you is a spiritual entity and the tendency of the spirit is to make you cleave to your friend with unbroken unity. When your nefesh-soul becomes aroused to love a friend, your friend’s nefesh-soul will be equally aroused to love you in return until both of your souls are bound to form one single entity. (Chp. 29: Being Beloved)
אבל מה ענין האהבה באלהים, הוא כלות הנפש ונטותה בעצמה אל הבורא כדי שתדבק באורו העליון, והוא שהנפש עצם פשוט רוחני נוטה אל הדומה לה מהאישים הרוחניים, ומתרחקת בטבעה מאשר הוא כנגדה מן הגופות העבות.
What is love of G-d? It is the longing of the soul - and its turning, on its own, to the Creator, so that it can cleave to His supernal light. For the soul is of an essence which is pure and spiritual, it tends towards spiritual things similar to itself. By nature, it removes itself from what is opposite to its nature, namely the coarse physical bodies.
והמחשבה תמיד בהשקפתו על סתרך וגלויך ומצפונך ונראך והנהגתו אותך וחמלתו עליך ודעתו הנסתר והנגלה בעבר ובעתיד ממעשיך ומחשבותיך והבטחתו לך והקרבתו אותך
A constant awareness that He contemplates your hidden and revealed, your inner and outer life, and that He is guiding you, and has compassion on you, and that He knows all of your thoughts and deeds which you did in your past and will do in the future, and that He has promised to you, and has drawn you close to Him.
אָהַ֤בְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה
I love you, said God
תראה צורותם שעלה עליהם האור. ואם תעמוד על הלבבות תראה לבבות נשברות לאלהים ובשיחתו נושבות ובעסקי העולם נשמות,
When you look at them, their faces appear radiant, and if you could peer in their hearts, you will see a broken heart to G-d. In His word they are resident, but in worldly matters they are desolate.
חַיָּיב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ עַל הַטּוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וְגוֹ׳״. ״בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ״ — בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֶיךָ, בְּיֵצֶר טוֹב וּבְיֵצֶר הָרָע. ״וּבְכׇל נַפְשְׁךָ״ — אֲפִילּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ. ״וּבְכׇל מְאֹדֶךָ״ — בְּכָל מָמוֹנְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: ״בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ״ — בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֵד לְךָ הֱוֵי מוֹדֶה לוֹ.
The mishna articulates a general principle: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he recites a blessing for the good that befalls him, as it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “With all your heart” means with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination, both of which must be subjugated to the love of God. “With all your soul” means even if God takes your soul. “And with all your might” means with all your money, as money is referred to in the Bible as might. Alternatively, it may be explained that “with all your might” means with every measure that He metes out to you; whether it is good or troublesome, thank Him.
Rabbi Arthur Green, Judaism for the World: Reflections on God, Life, and Love (2020)
How and when did Jews learn to speak about the love of God? . . . The description of our relationship with God as a loving one first occurs in Deuteronomy, the source of most of our vocabulary to describe religious emotion: ahavah, yir’ah, devequt, ḥesheq: love, awe, attachment to Y-H-W-H, and passion. This concluding book of the Torah is cast as a series of Moses’s parting admonitions to Israel before his death. There he speaks both of God’s love for His people and of our obligation to love God “with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might.
Why are we never explicitly told that God loves Abraham, that He redeems us from Egypt because He loves us, or that He is giving us the Torah out of Love? One hasidic author suggests that the daily face-to-face contact with God known by that generation obviated the need for the articulation of love as such. Only when there is a possibility of separation, after the child is weaned, we might say, does the parent need to say “I love you” and begin to ask the child: “Do you love me?" (Judaism As a Path of Love)
How and when did Jews learn to speak about the love of God? . . . The description of our relationship with God as a loving one first occurs in Deuteronomy, the source of most of our vocabulary to describe religious emotion: ahavah, yir’ah, devequt, ḥesheq: love, awe, attachment to Y-H-W-H, and passion. This concluding book of the Torah is cast as a series of Moses’s parting admonitions to Israel before his death. There he speaks both of God’s love for His people and of our obligation to love God “with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might.
Why are we never explicitly told that God loves Abraham, that He redeems us from Egypt because He loves us, or that He is giving us the Torah out of Love? One hasidic author suggests that the daily face-to-face contact with God known by that generation obviated the need for the articulation of love as such. Only when there is a possibility of separation, after the child is weaned, we might say, does the parent need to say “I love you” and begin to ask the child: “Do you love me?" (Judaism As a Path of Love)
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary (2018)
While Jews are commanded to show compassion to all human beings, ahavat hab'riyot, we also have the mitzvah to love fellow Jews, ahavat Yisrael, and take responsibility for fellow Jews, arvut. (Chp. 5)
While Jews are commanded to show compassion to all human beings, ahavat hab'riyot, we also have the mitzvah to love fellow Jews, ahavat Yisrael, and take responsibility for fellow Jews, arvut. (Chp. 5)
Rabbi Arthur Green, Judaism for the World: Reflections on God, Life, and Love (2020)
There is no response to the love of God other than that of sharing it, acting with love toward God’s creation. (Judaism As a Path of Love)
There is no response to the love of God other than that of sharing it, acting with love toward God’s creation. (Judaism As a Path of Love)