Chesed
Encyclopedia
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.
s 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.
. It also is seen as the foundation of particular interpersonal commandments and of a variety of communal institutions.
(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.
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."
of the Second Temple period, the Chasidei Ashkenaz in medieval Europe, and the Hasidic movement which emerged in eighteenth century Eastern Europe.
and love
, and is the first of the emotive attributes of the Sephirot.
, 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 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." Chesed manifests God's absolute, unlimited benevolence and kindness.
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).
's Kabbalistic treatise Tomer Devorah
, the following are actions undertaken in imitation of the qualities of Chesed:
" is the most common and simplest English translation of chesed.
"Loving-kindness
" is also often used as an English translation of chesed (or, hesed), originating with the Coverdale Bible
of 1535. Some consider it to be a somewhat archaic translation, though it remains one of the most common translations.
"Love
" is often used as an English translation of chesed. Daniel Elazar has suggested the translation of "covenant-love."
"Grace" and "compassion
" are occasionally used as a translations as well.
" (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
." Chesed has also been understood as linked with the Greek word agape
and its Latin equivalent, caritas (charity
).
Loving-kindness
Loving-kindness is a term coined by Myles Coverdale for his Coverdale Bible of 1535, as an English translation of the Hebrew word chesed ; in that text it is spelled "louinge kyndnesse". It is also used in this sense in the American Standard Version and various other versions of the Bible...
," or "love." Love is a central Jewish value, and leads to many particular commandments. Chesed is central to Jewish ethics
Jewish ethics
Jewish ethics stands at the intersection of Judaism and the Western philosophical tradition of ethics. Like other types of religious ethics, the diverse literature of Jewish ethics primarily aims to answer a broad range of moral questions and, hence, may be classified as a normative 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 ProphetProphet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
s 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.
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 worldTikkun olam
Tikkun olam is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world." In Judaism, the concept of tikkun olam originated in the early rabbinic period...
. 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 literatureMusar literature
Musar literature is the term used for didactic Jewish ethical literature which describes virtues and vices and the path towards perfection in a methodical way.- Definition of 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.
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."
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.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 cholimBikur cholimBikur cholim refers to the mitzvah to visit and extend aid to the sick. It is considered an aspect of gemilut chasadim . It is traditional to recite prayers for healing, such as the Mi Shebeirach prayer in the synagogue, and Psalms on behalf of the sick...
organizations – organizations dedicated to visiting and caring for the sick and their relatives - GemachGemachGemach is a Jewish free-loan fund which subscribes to both the positive Torah commandment of lending money and the Torah prohibition against charging interest on a loan. Unlike bank loans, gemach loans are interest-free, and are often set up with easy repayment terms.Gemachs operate in most Jewish...
– 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: GemachGemachGemach is a Jewish free-loan fund which subscribes to both the positive Torah commandment of lending money and the Torah prohibition against charging interest on a loan. Unlike bank loans, gemach loans are interest-free, and are often set up with easy repayment terms.Gemachs operate in most Jewish...
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
- HatzolahHatzolahHatzolah/Hatzalah is a volunteer Emergency Medical Service organization serving mostly Jewish communities around the world. Most local branches operate independently of each other, but use the common name...
– organizations by this name typically provider free services for emergency medical dispatch and ambulanceAmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
transport (EMTEmergency medical technicianEmergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
s and Paramedics) - Chevra kadishaChevra KadishaA chevra kadisha is a loosely structured but generally closed organization of Jewish men and women who see to it that the bodies of Jews are prepared for burial according to Halacha and are protected from desecration, willful or not, until burial...
– 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
- ShomrimShomrim (volunteers)Shomrim are licensed organizations of volunteer Jewish civilian patrols which have been set up in Hasidic and Haredi neighborhoods in the United States and England to combat burglary, vandalism, mugging, assault, domestic violence, nuisance crimes, and antisemitic attacks. They also help locate...
(guardians) groups – community watch groups
Chesed-focused movements
A "chasid" (hasid, חסיד) is one who goes "above and beyond that which is normally required," and a number of groups throughout Jewish history which focus on going "above and beyond" have called themselves "chasidim." These groups include the HasideansHasideans
The Hasideans were a Jewish religious party which commenced to play an important role in political life only during the time of the Maccabean wars, although it had existed for quite some time previous. They are mentioned only three times in the books of the Maccabees.- Account in Maccabees:In I...
of the Second Temple period, the Chasidei Ashkenaz in medieval Europe, and the Hasidic movement which emerged in eighteenth century Eastern Europe.
Sephirah
Chesed is one of the ten Kabbalistic aspects of God's revelation known as "Sephirot." It is given the association of kindnessKindness
Kindness is the act or the state of being kind, being marked by good and charitable behaviour, pleasant disposition, and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions ....
and love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, and is the first of the emotive attributes of the Sephirot.
Description
In tree of life, its position is below ChokhmahChokhmah (Kabbalah)
Chokhmah in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the uppermost of the Sephirot of the right line . It is derived from the Hebrew word chokhmah which means "wisdom". It is to the bottom right of Keter, and with Binah across it. Under it are the sephirot of Chesed and Netzach...
, across from Gevurah
Gevurah (Kabbalah)
The Hebrew feminine noun gevurah or geburah The Hebrew feminine noun gevurah or geburah The Hebrew feminine noun gevurah or geburah (גבורה in the Kabbalah of Judaism is the fifth of the Sephirot of the tree of life, and it is the second of the emotive attributes of the Sephirot. It sits below...
and above Netzach
Netzach (Kabbalah)
Netzach is the seventh of the ten Sephirot in the Jewish mystical system Kabbalah. Located beneath Chesed, at the base of the "Pillar of Mercy" also consisting of Chokhmah and Hesed...
. It is usually given four paths. To Chokhmah, Gevurah, Tiphereth
Tiphereth (Kabbalah)
Tiferet or Tifaret, Tifereth, Tyfereth, Tiphereth is the sixth sefira in the Tree of Life in Kabbalah, which is the spirituality of Rabbinic Judaism...
, and Netzach
Netzach (Kabbalah)
Netzach is the seventh of the ten Sephirot in the Jewish mystical system Kabbalah. Located beneath Chesed, at the base of the "Pillar of Mercy" also consisting of Chokhmah and Hesed...
(some Kabbalists place a path from Chesed to Binah
Binah (Kabbalah)
Binah, , in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the second intellectual Sephirah on the tree of life. It sits on the level below Keter , across from Chokmah and directly above Gevurah...
as well.)
The Bahir 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." Chesed manifests God's absolute, unlimited benevolence and kindness.
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 CordoveroMoses Cordovero
Moses Cordovero was a physician who lived at Leghorn , Tuscany in the seventeenth century. David Conforte praises him as a good physician, and also on account of his scholarship and philanthropy. He was always eager to secure the release of prisoners through his personal influence as well as by...
's Kabbalistic treatise Tomer Devorah
Tomer Devorah
Tomer Devorah was written in Hebrew in the middle of the 16th century by Moses Cordovero, a Jewish kabbalist in Safed, Israel. This short text deals mostly with the Imitation of God through the acquisition of divine traits, especially those of the sephirot. The first edition was published in...
, the following are actions undertaken in imitation of the qualities of Chesed:
- 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
Translation into English
"KindnessKindness
Kindness is the act or the state of being kind, being marked by good and charitable behaviour, pleasant disposition, and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions ....
" is the most common and simplest English translation of chesed.
"Loving-kindness
Loving-kindness
Loving-kindness is a term coined by Myles Coverdale for his Coverdale Bible of 1535, as an English translation of the Hebrew word chesed ; in that text it is spelled "louinge kyndnesse". It is also used in this sense in the American Standard Version and various other versions of the Bible...
" is also often used as an English translation of chesed (or, hesed), originating with the Coverdale Bible
Coverdale Bible
The Coverdale Bible, compiled by Myles Coverdale and published in 1535, was the first complete Modern English translation of the Bible , and the first complete printed translation into English . The later editions published in 1539 were the first complete Bibles printed in England...
of 1535. Some consider it to be a somewhat archaic translation, though it remains one of the most common translations.
"Love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
" is often used as an English translation of chesed. Daniel Elazar has suggested the translation of "covenant-love."
"Grace" and "compassion
Compassion
Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...
" are occasionally used as a translations as well.
Translation into Greek and Latin
"EleosEleos
In Greek mythology, Eleos was the personification of pity and mercy.There was an altar in Athens dedicated to him, at which children of Heracles sought refuge from Eurystheus' prosecution...
" (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
Misericordia
Misericordia is the Latin translation of the Hebrew word "hesed" and refers to a number of places:* Misericordia Church, Sé, Braga, Portugal* Misericordia Community Hospital, Edmonton, Canada...
." Chesed has also been understood as linked with the Greek word agape
Agape
Agape is one of the Greek words translated into English as love, one which became particularly appropriated in Christian theology as the love of God or Christ for mankind. In the New Testament, it refers to the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God; the term...
and its Latin equivalent, caritas (charity
Charity (virtue)
In Christian theology charity, or love , means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others.The term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving.- Caritas: altruistic love :...
).
See also
- Loving-kindnessLoving-kindnessLoving-kindness is a term coined by Myles Coverdale for his Coverdale Bible of 1535, as an English translation of the Hebrew word chesed ; in that text it is spelled "louinge kyndnesse". It is also used in this sense in the American Standard Version and various other versions of the Bible...
- Jewish views on love
- Jewish ethicsJewish ethicsJewish ethics stands at the intersection of Judaism and the Western philosophical tradition of ethics. Like other types of religious ethics, the diverse literature of Jewish ethics primarily aims to answer a broad range of moral questions and, hence, may be classified as a normative ethics...
- AgapeAgapeAgape is one of the Greek words translated into English as love, one which became particularly appropriated in Christian theology as the love of God or Christ for mankind. In the New Testament, it refers to the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God; the term...
Greek word, given the association of "loving-kindness" or "love" - MettāMettaMettā or maitrī is loving-kindness, friendliness, benevolence, amity, friendship, good will, kindness, love, sympathy, close mental union , and active interest in others. It is one of the ten pāramīs of the Theravāda school of Buddhism, and the first of the four sublime states...
Sanskrit word, given the association of "loving-kindness" and "friendliness"