Chesed

The Hebrew noun khesed or chesed (חסד) is the Hebrew word for "kindness." It is also commonly translated as "loving-kindness," or "love." Love is a central Jewish value, and leads to many particular commandments. Chesed is central to Jewish ethics and Jewish theology. Many Jewish thinkers view chesed as the primary virtue, and Kabbalists also view Chesed as a name of God and as one of the sephirot.

Hebrew Bible

The Hebrew word khesed is closely linked in tradition with "compassion." Lack of compassion marks a people as cruel (Jeremiah 6:23). The repeated injunctions of the Law and the Prophets that the widow, the orphan and the stranger should be protected show how deeply, it is argued, the feeling of compassion was rooted in the hearts of the righteous in ancient Israel.^[1]

In Jewish life

Kindness is valued by religious Jews of all denominations. It may be seen as a virtue or as a value which contributes to repairing the world. It also is seen as the foundation of particular interpersonal commandments and of a variety of communal institutions.

The virtue of kindness

In traditional musar literature (ethical literature), chesed is one of the primary virtues. The tannaic rabbi Simon the Just taught: "The world rests upon three things: Torah, service to God, and bestowing kindness" (Pirkei Avot 1:2). Chesed is here the core ethical virtue.

A statement by Rabbi Simlai in the Talmud claims that “The Torah begins with chesed and ends with chesed.” This may be understood to mean that "the entire Torah is characterized by chesed, i.e. it sets forth a vision of the ideal life whose goals are behavior characterized by mercy and compassion." Alternatively, it may allude to the idea that the giving of the Torah itself is the quintessential act of chesed.^[2]

A person who embodies "chesed" (חסד) is known as a "chasid" (hasid, חסיד), one who is faithful to the covenant and who goes "above and beyond that which is normally required."^[3]

In Jewish political thought

The political theorist Daniel Elazar has suggested that "chesed" cannot easily be translated into English, but that it means something like "loving covenant obligation." Hesed "is the antidote to the narrow legalism that can be a problem for covenantal systems and would render them contractual rather than covenantal" and so forms the basis of Jewish political thought that goes beyond a concern with compliance with following laws.^[4]

Connection with commandments

The commandments to visit the sick, bury the dead, care for the mourners, and provide for a bride are among the commandments which are viewed as commandments which express chesed.

Chesed institutions

Across all streams of Judaism, many communal institutions dedicated to Chesed are common. Sometimes these institutions are created by synagogues, local Jewish councils, or individual rabbinic or lay leaders. Oftentimes, an individual starts the initiative without prior community or leadership support. Many chesed organizations are very large, while many others may be a small as a one man shop. Common institutions include:

• Bikur cholim organizations – organizations dedicated to visiting and caring for the sick and their relatives
• Gemach – an institution dedicated to gemilut chasadim (providing kindness), often with free loan funds or by lending or giving away particular types of items (toys, clothes, medical equipment, etc.). Such organizations are often named with an acronym of Gemilas chasadim: Gemach or GM"CH. A community may have dozens of unique (and sometimes overlapping) Gemach organizations
• Kiruv organizations – organizations designed to increase Jewish awareness among unaffiliated Jews, which is considered a form of kindness
• Hatzolah – organizations by this name typically provider free services for emergency medical dispatch and ambulance transport (EMTs and Paramedics)
• Chevra kadisha – organizations that perform religious care for the deceased, and often provide logistical help to their families relating to autopsies, transport of the body, emergency family travel, burial, running a Shiva home, and caring for mourners
• Chaverim (literally "friends") – organizations going by this name typically provide free roadside assistance and emergency help with mechanical or structural problems in private homes
• Shomrim (guardians) groups – community watch groups

Chesed-focused movements

A "chasid" (hasid, חסיד) is one who goes "above and beyond that which is normally required,"^[3] and a number of groups throughout Jewish history which focus on going "above and beyond" have called themselves "chasidim." These groups include the Hasideans of the Second Temple period, the Chasidei Ashkenaz in medieval Europe, and the Hasidic movement which emerged in eighteenth century Eastern Europe.^[3]

Sephirah

The Sefirot in Jewish Kabbalah
	Category:Sephirot	v · d · e

Main article: Sephirot

Chesed is one of the ten Kabbalistic aspects of God's revelation known as "Sephirot." It is given the association of kindness and love, and is the first of the emotive attributes of the Sephirot.

Description

In tree of life, its position is below Chokhmah, across from Gevurah and above Netzach. It is usually given four paths. To Chokhmah, Gevurah, Tiphereth, and Netzach (some Kabbalists place a path from Chesed to Binah as well.)

The Bahir^[5] states: "What is the fourth (utterance): The fourth is the righteousness of God, His mercies and kindness with the entire world. This is the right hand of God." ^[6] Chesed manifests God's absolute, unlimited benevolence and kindness.^[7]

Nature

The first three of the Ten Sephirot, are the attributes of the "intellect", while Chesed is the first sephira of the attribute of "action".

Chesed, translated as "kindness", is often thought of as being synonymous with niceness; but the connotation of Chesed is much deeper. Chesed can be properly described as an act that has no "cause".

Chesed is proactive – it is the initiator of interaction, and must therefore be the first in the sephirot of action. Chesed deals with the level of the visible and, in the chain of social dynamics, is the primary spark that initiates subsequent action.

Chesed is also known as Gedulah (גדולה).

Ethical Qualities

In Moses Cordovero's Kabbalistic treatise Tomer Devorah, the following are actions undertaken in imitation of the qualities of Chesed:^[7]

• love G-d so completely that one will never forsake His service for any reason
• provide a child with all the necessities of his sustenance
• circumcise a child
• visiting and healing the sick
• giving charity to the poor
• offering hospitality to strangers
• attending to the dead
• bringing a bride to the chuppah marriage ceremony
• making peace between a man and his fellow

Translations

Translation into English

"Kindness" is the most common^{[citation needed]} and simplest English translation of chesed.^{[citation needed]}

"Loving-kindness" is also often used as an English translation of chesed (or, hesed), originating with the Coverdale Bible of 1535. Some^[who?] consider it to be a somewhat archaic translation, though it remains one of the most common translations.^[8]

"Love" is often used as an English translation of chesed.^{[9][10][11][12][13]} Daniel Elazar has suggested the translation of "covenant-love."^[14]

"Grace"^[15] and "compassion"^[16] are occasionally used as a translations as well.

Translation into Greek and Latin

"Eleos" (often understood as mercy or pity) is the word used by the Septuagint to translate "chesed" into Greek. The Latin translation of the Bible by Jerome used the Latin equivalent, "misericordia."^[17] Chesed has also been understood as linked with the Greek word agape and its Latin equivalent, caritas (charity).^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Loving-kindness
• Jewish views on love
• Jewish ethics
• Agape Greek word, given the association of "loving-kindness" or "love"
• Mettā Sanskrit word, given the association of "loving-kindness" and "friendliness"

External links

• MyJewishLearning.com on acts of loving-kindness
• Basics in Kabbalah, The Ten Sefirot: Chessed (inner.org)
• Lessons in Tanya
• Kabbalah 101: Chesed

References

1. ^ http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=699&letter=C&search=compassion |The Jewish Encyclopedia
2. ^ Eugene Korn, "Legal Floors and Moral Ceilings: A Jewish Understanding Of Law and Ethics," Edah Journal 2:2, page 10
3. ^ ^{a b c} Daniel Elazar, Covenant as the Basis of the Jewish Political Tradition. Accessed December 6, 2010.
4. ^ Daniel Elazar, HaBrit V'HaHesed: Foundations of the Jewish System
5. ^ Bahir, translated by Aryeh Kaplan (1995). Aronson. (ISBN 1-56821-383-2)
6. ^ Arthur Green. A guide to the Zohar
7. ^ ^{a b} The Palm Tree of Devorah (Heb. Tomer Devorah). Cordovero, Rabbi Moshe.
8. ^ Yudit Kornberg Greenberg, Encyclopedia of love in world religions: Volume 1 – Page 268: The Hebrew hesed (plural hasadim) is usually translated as “grace” or “loving-kindness,” but sometimes also as “mercy” or “love.”
9. ^ Adin Steinsaltz, In the beginning: discourses on Chasidic thought‎ – Page 140
10. ^ My People's Prayer Book: Welcoming the night: Minchah and Ma'ariv ed. Lawrence Hoffman ‎ – Page 169
11. ^ Miriyam Glazer, Dancing on the edge of the world: Jewish stories of faith, inspiration, and love‎, Page 80
12. ^ Sefer Yetzirah‎, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, p. 86
13. ^ "The Rabbinic Understanding of the Covenant," in Kinship & consent: the Jewish political tradition and its contemporary uses by Daniel Judah Elazar, p. 89
14. ^ Covenant and the Federal Constitution" by Neal Riemer in Publius vol. 10, No. 4 (Autumn, 1980), pp. 135–148
15. ^ A Rabbinic anthology, World Pub. Co., 1963
16. ^ Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, Judaism and Justice: The Jewish Passion to Repair the World – Page 64
17. ^ http://www.bible-researcher.com/chesed.html. Accessed December 6, 2010.