(א) אַהֲבָה רַבָּה אֲהַבְתָּֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ חֶמְלָה גְדוֹלָה וִיתֵרָה חָמַֽלְתָּ עָלֵֽינוּ: אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ בַּעֲבוּר אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁבָּטְ֒חוּ בְךָ וַתְּ֒לַמְּ֒דֵם חֻקֵּי חַיִּים כֵּן תְּחָנֵּֽנוּ וּתְלַמְּ֒דֵֽנוּ: אָבִֽינוּ הָאָב הָרַחֲמָן הַמְ֒רַחֵם רַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְתֵן בְּלִבֵּֽנוּ לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל לִשְׁמֹֽעַ לִלְמֹד וּלְ֒לַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ בְּאַהֲבָה: וְהָאֵר עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּֽנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵֽנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ: וְלֹא נֵבוֹשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשְׁ֒ךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא בָּטָֽחְנוּ נָגִֽילָה וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ: וַהֲבִיאֵֽנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָֽרֶץ וְתוֹלִיכֵֽנוּ קוֹמְ֒מִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ: כִּי אֵל פּוֹעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת אָֽתָּה וּבָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ מִכָּל־עַם וְלָשׁוֹן. וְקֵרַבְתָּֽנוּ לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל סֶֽלָה בֶּאֱמֶת לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ וּלְיַחֶדְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה:
(1) [With] unbounded love You have loved us Adonai our God; [With] great and abundant pity you have You pitied us. Our Father, our King! for the sake of our forefathers who trusted in You, and whom You taught statutes of life, so too, be gracious to us and teach us. Our Father, merciful Father, Who acts with compassion have compassion on us and put into our hearts to comprehend, and to be intellectually creative, to listen, to learn, and to teach, to preserve, to practice, and to fulfill all the words of instruction in Your Torah with love. And enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and cause our hearts to hold fast to Your commandments, and unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name; and may we never be put to shame, for in Your holy, great, and awesome Name— have we trusted; may we exult and rejoice in Your deliverance. And bring us to peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us upright to our land. Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance, from among all peoples and tongues, and You have brought us close to Your great Name, forever in truth; that we may give thanks to You, and proclaim Your Oneness, with love. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who chooses His people Yisrael with love.
(א) אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּ֒ךָ אָהָֽבְתָּ תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים אוֹתָֽנוּ לִמַּֽדְתָּ: עַל כֵּן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּשָׁכְבֵֽנוּ וּבְקוּמֵֽנוּ נָשִֽׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּֽיךָ וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶֽךָ וּבְמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: כִּי הֵם חַיֵּֽינוּ וְאֹֽרֶךְ יָמֵֽינוּ וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָֽיְלָה: וְאַהֲבָתְ֒ךָ אַל תָּסִיר מִמֶּֽנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אוֹהֵב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(1) [With] An everlasting love You loved the House of Israel, Your people. You taught us Torah and commandments, statutes and laws. Therefore, Adonai our God, when we lie down and when we rise, we will discuss Your statutes, and rejoice in the words of Your Torah and in Your commandments forever. For they are our life and they lengthen our days, and on them we will meditate day and night. [May] Your love never be removed from us. Blessed are You, Adonai Who loves His people Israel.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ יְהֹוָה אֶחָד:
Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one.1Deuteronomy 6:4.
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ בְּכָל֯־לְ֯בָבְ֒ךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁ֒ךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ: וְהָיוּ הַדְּ֒בָרִים הָאֵֽלֶּה אֲשֶׁר֯ אָ֯נֹכִי מְצַוְּ֒ךָ הַיּוֹם עַל֯־לְ֯בָבֶֽךָ: וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶֽיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּ֒ךָ בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּ֒ךָ בַדֶּֽרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּ֒ךָ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ: וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל֯־יָ֯דֶֽךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶֽיךָ: וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל־מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶֽךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all that is yours. And these words which I command you today, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them sharply to your children. And you shall discuss them when you sit in your house, and when you travel on the road, and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for totafos between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gateways.
(ג)... וְאַהֲבַ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ עַל־כֵּ֖ן מְשַׁכְתִּ֥יךְ חָֽסֶד׃
(3) ...
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness
(א) כִּ֛י נַ֥עַר יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וָאֹהֲבֵ֑הוּ וּמִמִּצְרַ֖יִם קָרָ֥אתִי לִבְנִֽי׃
(1) I fell in love with Israel
When he was still a child;
And I have called [him] My son
Ever since Egypt.
(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט) כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם. חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יד) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ד) כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ:
(14) He [Rabbi Akiva] used to say: Beloved are human beings that they were created in the image [of God]; but even more beloved, in that it was made known to them that they had been created in the image [of God], as it is said: "For in the divine image did God create humankind" (Genesis 9:6). Beloved is Israel, in that they are called the children of the Omnipresent; but even more beloved, in that it was made known to them that they are called the children of the Omnipresent, as it is said: "You are the children of Adonai your God" (Deuteronomy 14:1). Beloved is Israel, to whom was given a beloved tool; but even more beloved, in that it was made known to them that they were given the beloved tool with which the world was created, as it is said: "As I have given you a good doctrine, forsake not My Torah." (Proverbs 4:2)
(ז) לֹ֣א מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם מִכׇּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים חָשַׁ֧ק יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וַיִּבְחַ֣ר בָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֥ם הַמְעַ֖ט מִכׇּל־הָעַמִּֽים׃ (ח) כִּי֩ מֵאַֽהֲבַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶתְכֶ֗ם וּמִשׇּׁמְר֤וֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַאֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֑ה וַֽיִּפְדְּךָ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(7) It is not because you are the most numerous of peoples that יהוה grew attached to you and chose you—indeed, you are the smallest of peoples; (8) but it was because יהוה loved you and kept the oath made to your fathers that יהוה freed you with a mighty hand and rescued you from the house of bondage, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
(21) And I will espouse you forever:
I will espouse you with righteousness and justice,
And with goodness and mercy, (22) And I will espouse you with faithfulness;
Then you shall know Adonai.
וארשתיך I will betroth you to Me: These exquisite lines from the Book of Hosea speak of God's covenant with Israel as a marriage - a mutual pledge of faith, born of love. Wrapping the strap of the hand-tefillin around the middle finger like a wedding ring, we remind ourselves of God's love for Israel, and Israel's love for God.
(ב) ושל יד קושר אותה על שמאלו על הקיבורת והוא הבשר התופח שבמרפק שבין פרק הכתף ובין פרק הזרוע שנמצא כשהוא מדבק מרפקו לצלעיו תהיה תפלה כנגד לבו ונמצא מקיים והיו הדברים האלה על לבבך.
The phylactery of the hand is bound on the left arm over the biceps muscle which is the flesh that stands out on the upper arm that is between the shoulder blade and forearm, so that when the upper arm is held close to the ribs, the phylactery will be opposite the heart and thus the precept will be fulfilled, " And these words ... shall be upon your hear." (Deut 6:6)
(א) (ה) ואהבת את ה' אלהיך, עשה מאהבה
(1) (Devarim 6:5) "And you shall love Adonai your God": Act out of love.
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,
What is love of God? It is the longing of the soul - and its turning, on its own, to the Creator, so that it can cleave to God's supernal light. For the soul is of an essence which is pure and spiritual, it tends towards spiritual things similar to itself.
(א) ואהבת את ה' אלהיך. אחר שאין לנו אלוה כי אם הוא לבדו, חייב אתה שתאהבנו ושתקיים המצות מאהבה, כי המקיימם מיראה אין עבודתו עבודה שלמה. וענין האהבה, שיתבונן האדם בתורתו ובמצותיו וישיג בהם הש"י ויתענג באותה השגה בתכלית התענוג, ולכך סמך לו מיד והיו הדברים האלה, באר בזה ענין האהבה בהשי"ת איך היא,
(1) ואהבת את ה' אלו-היך, “You shall love Adonai your God.” Seeing that we have no other than God alone, we are bound to love God. The point of “loving God” is to perform God's commandments out of a sense of love. If someone serves God out of fear, their service is not serving God with a wholeness of service. The essence of this love is the study of Torah and mitzvot and through it the joy and purpose in doing so and a better understanding of what God expects from us. Therefore, we will enjoy having gained deeper insights of what God wants from us. This is the essence of loving God.
(2) Serve/worship the Adonai in gladness;
come into God's presence with shouts of joy.
Rabbi Abraham Noah Paley, The Manners of the Life of Torah
The Magen Avraham comments (Shulchan Arukh Orech Chayim 63) that it is forbidden—even for a mitzvah—to hint with our eyes during the Shema, since we may not interrupt it; but even so we see that it is permitted to interrupt the Shema in order to return a greeting for the honor of another…This was said regarding the dignity of another, for humans are beloved for having been created in the image of God…And why is it that for another commandment we may not even interrupt the Shema with a hint, but for the mitzvah of respecting another we may interrupt? It must mean that the commandment of “Love thy neighbor as thyself” is the image of the mitzvah of “Love the Lord thy God” and both are one.
And so we learn that even when we are in the midst of the greater kinds of distractions, we must maintain the dignity of others. For this is the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, to coronate our peers and reply to their greetings out of respect for them…Thus the Rabbis combined the commands “coronate your creator morning and night” and “coronate your peer over yourself,” for both are one and the same, and we cannot fulfill one without the other, for when we are lacking in the commandment of coronating others, so we are lacking in the commandment of coronating our Maker.
Somehow, Anne Lamott p. 12
We are called to be the love that wears socks and shoes, like God's Love We Deliver, the secular group based in New York City whose volunteers bring food to the sick and dying. ...if you want to have loving feelings, do loving things. You take a bag of canned food and Oreos to the nearest food bank. You call your cranky uncle to say hello and stay on the phone even after he goes into full weirdness. You foster old pets or donate to people who do. There are nearly infinite ways to be love in communal expression.
Shai Held, Judaism is About Love. pp. 379-400
We are created with love, for love. We are created, given a gift of life that we did not earn, and thus our lives are (or ought to be) oriented around gratitude. Genuine gratitude includes both generosity and responsiveness-to God and to the needs of others. With love. Loved into beig, we are always already loved; we don't earn God's love, we strive to live up to it. For love. Loved, we strive to be lovers ourselves. God's love is both a gift and a challenge: a gift in that it is unearned and unconditional; a challenge, in that it comes with hopes and expectations for who and how we can be, and for what we can do in the world. To be(come) human is to grow in love, love for friends, family and community; love for all humanity, and especially the vulnerable and downtrodden; and love, ultimately for all creation.
Shai Held, Judaism is About Love. pp. 385-386
[The book of] Ruth is read on the festival of Shavuot, which is traditionally understood to commemorate the givng of the Torah on Mount Sinai. What's the connection between Ruth and revelation? The book of Ruth is all about love and kindness, and, tempted as we may sometimes be to forget it, so too is Torah as a whole: "the beginning and the end of Torah is loving kindness" (Sotah 14a)...Second, the book of Ruth opens by situation the story in dark times...Ruth's story reminds us that we are capable of deep, transformative love even (and sometimes especially) in the grimmest times and the bleakest places. A midrash tells us that when the people gathered at Sinai, they stood "as one person with one heart" (R. Chaim Shmuelevitz) How, asks R. Shmuelevitz, was it possible for six hundred thousand people with a long history of conflict and combativeness to be of one heart? When they arrived at the mountain, he explains, they began to take care of one another's needs; concretely assisting others, in turn, taught them to love on another, thus fulfilling and embodying the mandate to "love your neighbor as yourself. " For that brief moment at least, the people achieved a foretaste of what Torah demands and makes possible: a community centered on love and mutual care. It is a window into that kind of living--motivated by love and kindness, ever aware of their transformative and redemptive potential, even in times of crisis--that the book of Ruth provides us eeach year. We embrce the Torah and it leads us into love.