"I give, therefore I love."

[Rachel Rugelach]

The title of this topic could be a paraphrase of Descartes' famous quote: "I think, therefore I am." It's also the title of this week's "Hebrew Word of the Week" -- a weekly subscription I receive from Chabad.org that examines in depth the meaning of a different Hebrew word emailed to me each week.

This week's Hebrew word is ahava (אהבה), meaning "love," and I was especially struck by this quote that was included in the lesson I received in my email:

"True love, then, is not about how you feel in someone else’s presence; it’s about how you make them feel in yours."

Whereas in popular culture, "true love" seems most often associated with romance, "The Hebrew word for love is ahavah, which is rooted in the more molecular word hav, which means to give, revealing that, according to Judaism, giving is at the root of love."

For anyone interested in reading the entire article, here is a link: Hebrew Word of the Week: Love

I'm interested to know: How do you define the word "love"? Do you think that religion (regardless of whatever your religion is now or has been in the past) has had an influence on how you define what love is?

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

How do you define the word "love"?

I see there as being many forms, such as:

Do you think that religion (regardless of whatever your religion is now or has been in the past) has had an influence on how you define what love is?

Religion, not really. The people I met while exploring religious paths? Yes.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

I see there as being many forms, such as:

View attachment 80263




Religion, not really. The people I met while exploring religious paths? Yes.

I like all those Greek words to describe different kinds of love -- especially "Philia" which can also be a girl's name.

The Hebrew word for love -- "Ahava" -- can also be used as a personal name. "Ahava" can also be applied to all of those different forms of love that you indicated above, as stated in my linked article: "The Jewish tradition has a lot to say about love. Love of G‑d, love of one’s neighbor, love of the stranger and the dispossessed, love of oneself, and of course, romantic love. As different as these loves may be, they are all called by the same name, alerting us to the fact that love is multifaceted and complex, not just the stuff of fairy tales or happy endings of Hollywood."

 

[Quintessence]

Love is like magic.

Both are words that work far too hard in the English language meaning far too many things and causing much confusion when they are used. Both are words that attempt to simplify inherently ineffable and inexpressible phenomena that can't actually be distilled down to a simplistic placeholder like a word. Both are words whose meaning is determined significantly from context rather than of its own accord. Both are words that I often avoid using in favor of more precise or descriptive (long-winded) language.

There is a usage of the term that's particular to contemporary Paganism. A phrase - "perfect love and perfect trust." I've seen various takes on the unpacking of that phrase. I don't really use the term in my tradition, but I remember when encountering it I just thought about unconditional love since I've experience with that. Perfect acceptance and appreciation for everything that person is, no matter what they do, for all time. Rejection is an impossibility, fracturing of relationships a never thing.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Love is like magic.

Both are words that work far too hard in the English language meaning far too many things and causing much confusion when they are used. Both are words that attempt to simplify inherently ineffable and inexpressible phenomena that can't actually be distilled down to a simplistic placeholder like a word. Both are words whose meaning is determined significantly from context rather than of its own accord. Both are words that I often avoid using in favor of more precise or descriptive (long-winded) language.

There is a usage of the term that's particular to contemporary Paganism. A phrase - "perfect love and perfect trust." I've seen various takes on the unpacking of that phrase. I don't really use the term in my tradition, but I remember when encountering it I just thought about unconditional love since I've experience with that. Perfect acceptance and appreciation for everything that person is, no matter what they do, for all time. Rejection is an impossibility, fracturing of relationships a never thing.

"perfect love and perfect trust"

Beautiful!

 

[sun rise]

That beautiful sentiment has been said in somewhat different ways. Here's another:

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

 

[sun rise]

Related is this story which expresses truth:

Elijah the Prophet in Minsk

A chassid went to the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh and said, “Rebbe, I want to see Elijah the Prophet.”

“It’s simple,” said the Baal Shem. “I’ll tell you what to do. Get two boxes and fill one with food and the other with children’s clothes. Then, before Rosh Hashanah, travel to Minsk. On the outskirts of town, right before where the forest begins, is a dilapidated house. Find that house, but don’t knock on the door immediately; stand there for a while and listen. Then, shortly before candle-lighting time at sunset, knock on the door and ask for hospitality.”

The chassid went home and told his wife he would be away for the holiday. “How can you leave your family?” she said. “The children want their father to take them to the synagogue!” He told her, “I have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Elijah the Prophet!” Finally, she agreed that it was something that he could not pass up.

So he went and did as the Baal Shem Tov told him. He filled the parcels with food and clothing and went to Minsk, where he found the broken-down house at the edge of town. He arrived shortly before evening and stood in front of the door, listening. Inside, he heard children crying, “Mommy, we’re hungry. And it’s Yom Tov and we don’t even have decent clothes to wear!” He heard the mother answer, “Children, trust in G‑d. He’ll send Elijah the Prophet to bring you everything you need!”

Then the chassid knocked on the door. When the woman opened it, he asked if he could stay with them for the holiday. “How can I welcome you when I don’t have any food in the house?” she said. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I have enough food for all of us.” He came in, opened the box, gave the children the food, and they ate. Then he opened the other box and the children all took clothes for themselves: this one a shirt, that one a jacket, the other one a hat. He was there for two days, waiting to see Elijah the Prophet. He did not even sleep. How could he sleep? How often do you get a chance to see Elijah the Prophet? But he saw no one.

So he returned to the Baal Shem Tov and said, “Master, I did not see Elijah the Prophet!” “Did you do everything I told you?” asked the Baal Shem Tov. “I did!” he said. “And you didn’t see him?” “No, Rebbe.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, Rebbe! I didn’t see him!” “Then you’ll have to return for Yom Kippur,” said the Baal Shem Tov. “Go back before Yom Kippur, with a box of food, to the same house. Again, be sure to arrive an hour before sunset, and don’t knock immediately. Wait for a while and just stand in front of the door, listening.”

The chassid went back to his wife and told her he would be away for Yom Kippur. “How can you leave your children again?” she asked. “But the Baal Shem Tov says I’ll be able to see Elijah the Prophet, like one of the great tzaddikim!” he said, “How can I not go?” His wife agreed that it was worth going away for two or three days if he could see Elijah the Prophet.

So he went back to Minsk before Yom Kippur. This time, he went earlier and stood in front of the door, listening. Inside he heard children crying, “Mommy, we’re hungry! We haven’t eaten the whole day! How can we fast for Yom Kippur?” “Children!” said the mother. “Do you remember you were crying before Rosh Hashanah that you had no food or clothes? And I told you, ‘Trust in G‑d! He’ll send Elijah the Prophet, who’ll bring you food and clothing and everything else you need!’ Wasn’t I right? Didn’t Elijah come and bring you food and clothing? He stayed with us for two days! Now you’re crying again that you’re hungry. I promise you that Elijah will come now, too, and bring you food!”

Then the chassid understood what his master, the Baal Shem Tov, had meant. And he knocked on the door.

Yitzhak Buxbaum

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Thanks for that wonderful story by Yitzhak Buxbaum, @sun rise!

Yitzhak Buxbaum (of blessed memory) was a great maggid (inspirational storyteller) during his lifetime. Here's a favorite of mine, which I'll present here in an edited version. But you can also read the story at this link: "When the Chassidic Rebbe Danced with the Antisemites" by Yitzchak Buxbaum

"Rebbe David of Dinov was once celebrating the Purim feast in the synagogue with his chassidim; it had started in the late afternoon and continued with full strength into the evening. They were all enjoying the food and drinking liquor, as is customary... But even though they were joyful, one problem was on everyone’s mind. There was a rumor that some of the gentiles in Dinov were planning a pogrom that was to take place a month hence—on Passover, when pogroms were often carried out by drunken peasants incited by their priests. It was said that the pogrom would be on the first night of Passover, when all the Jews would be in their homes, celebrating the Seder. In fact, Rebbe David had heard that these anti-Semites were meeting right then in a tavern on the gentile side of town to plan their evil deeds...."

Rebbe David had a plan.

"The rebbe led the Chassidim in a joyous song, and they danced with ecstatic abandon. They sang the Chassidic melody over and over until everyone present had entered fully—with head, hands, feet, and even boots—into the supernal realm of joy. In the midst of this exuberant and elated singing and dancing, which carried everyone present to the heights of joyous ecstasy, the rebbe suddenly called out, 'The time has come. Let’s go!' He got up and led the Chassidim and the musicians outside the synagogue, and they all piled into wagons and started riding through the streets—with the musicians playing and the Chassidim singing—right into the gentile neighborhood." When they arrived in the gentile neighborhood "the Chassidim climbed down from the wagons and followed the rebbe into the tavern, all of them singing and dancing in joyous abandon."

"The peasants were by this time a little drunk and had begun to curse the Jews. But just then Rebbe David walked in the door, holy and pure and shining like an angel of G‑d. He walked right up to the leader of the anti-Semites, took his hand, and started to dance with him. Then each chassid took the hand of an anti-Semite, and they all began to dance in great joy. The whole room became filled with holiness and sweetness."

"After an hour or two of singing and dancing, they sat down to rest, and all the peasants and chassidim crowded around Rebbe David. Turning to the peasants, he said, 'My dearest brothers, there’s something I must ask you. I’m so happy to be with you, and I’m so glad I came. But I have to tell you: I heard that you hate Jews! Is there somebody here that hates us?'

"The leader of the anti-Semites, looking down at his feet, shook his head in denial and said embarrassedly, 'No, that’s not true!' All the peasants looked around at one another, and each one said, 'Not me! Maybe someone else; I don’t hate Jews!'

'I’ve heard an unbelievable rumor—though I’m sure it’s not true!—that you were planning a pogrom against us,' said the rebbe.

'Not us!' said the leader, looking around evasively and blushing with shame at his fellow plotters.

'If that’s so,' said Rebbe David, 'then why shouldn’t we be the best of friends?'

"All the peasants were so moved by the rebbe’s holiness and love that they all shouted out, 'Yes, Rebbe, yes! Be our best friend!'

"Then the real dancing began."