In the Jewish tradition, kindness is expressed with the Hebrew word chesed (beginning with a “ch” sound, as heard in the name “Bach,” and rhyming with “bless-ed”).
Chesed, like many Hebrew words, does not translate precisely into English. The word means more than simply “kindness.” Often translated as “loving-kindness,” chesed means giving oneself fully, with love and compassion.
THE VALUE OF CHESED
The concept of chesed appears in the Torah more than 190 times. For this reason, many Jewish thinkers hold the value of loving-kindness up as Judaism’s primary ethical virtue.
In talks about chesed, contemporary Jewish scholar and teacher Avivah Zornberg has said chesed is “not just loving-kindness as it’s usually translated, but is also courage and imagination.”
Indeed, Judaism teaches us to lift up each day and make it special. With acts of chesed, we do just that.
CHESED & PJ LIBRARY
Looking for other chesed-related resources?
Printable Lunchbox Notes to Spread Kindness
Jewish Children’s Books about Kindness
Activities to Share the Warmth
Kindness Card Games & Activities
« Find more activities, book lists, interviews, and recipes
June 3, 2015
FAQs
Chesed expresses itself bidirectionally: receiving love and expressing love. Each aspect requires its own psychological scaffolding. The quality of our lives is intricately linked to how well we empower ourselves to receiving chesed from others and well we are able to express chesed to those whom we most love.
What is the Jewish value of chesed? ›
The word means more than simply “kindness.” Often translated as “loving-kindness,” chesed means giving oneself fully, with love and compassion.
What is the chesed in Jewish tradition? ›
Chesed (Hebrew: חֶסֶד, also Romanized: Ḥeseḏ) is a Hebrew word that means 'kindness or love between people', specifically of the devotional piety of people towards God as well as of love or mercy of God towards humanity.
What are the three core values of Judaism? ›
Gmilut Hasadim Our tradition teaches us that the world is founded upon three principles: Torah, Worship, and Acts of Loving Kindness. Gemilut Hasadim literally means 'the giving of loving-kindness' and applies to all types of charitable works.
How do you practice chesed? ›
Here is a Chesed practice. Sit comfortably and take some deep breaths, scanning the body for places of tension; breath into these places and feel them relax. Feel your mind settle into your body with alert presence. Imagine a specific moment when you were treated kindly in the past.
What is the meaning of loving kindness? ›
Definitions of loving-kindness. tender kindness motivated by a feeling of affection. type of: kindness. the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic.
What is US chesed? ›
As the cost-of-living crisis persists, the United Synagogue Chesed (Welfare) Department and our incredible synagogue volunteers perform countless acts of kindness – providing critical support to thousands of our members and those in the wider community every single day.
What is the difference between tzedakah and chesed? ›
If we encounter a hungry person, whether or not he is Jewish, we can either choose to feed him (an act of Chesed), give him money to buy food (Tzedakah), or ask why he is hungry in the first place and lobby for governmental reform so that fewer people go hungry in the future ( Tzedek).
Is it chesed and hesed? ›
According to the Enhanced Strong's Concordance, the Hebrew word חֶסֶד, transliterated checed or hesed (H2617), is a masculine noun pronounced like this kheh'•sed. The first time hesed is used in the Old Testament is in Genesis 19:19 with the last occurrence being found in Zechariah 7:9.
What is the origin of the word chesed? ›
In Judaism, chesed is considered one of the thirteen attributes of God. The Jewish sages derived this idea from God's revelation of Himself to Moses (Exodus 34:6–7). Israeli couple on vacation in Israel's Negev Desert. Chesed, in fact, is God's kind of love.
A summary of what Jews believe about God
- God exists.
- There is only one God.
- There are no other gods.
- God can't be subdivided into different persons (unlike the Christian view of God)
- Jews should worship only the one God.
- God is Transcendent: ...
- God doesn't have a body. ...
- God created the universe without help.
The fundamental values of Judaism are the fundamental values of the state – namely, love of man, the sanctity of life, social justice, doing what is good and right, preserving human dignity, the rule of law, etc. – values bequeathed by Judaism to the entire world.
What are the values and virtues of Judaism? ›
The choice to embrace a set series of strengths that lead people to achieve optimal living and the values that make life more fulfilling are comprised of 24 character strengths that fall under six broad virtue categories: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence.
Is chesed a mitzvah? ›
Different mitzvot – both positive and negative – are quantified in different ways. The mitzvah of chessed (or gemilut chassadim) is a positive, rabbinic mitzvah (mi-derabanan – מדרבנן; i.e. not a Torah commandment[WU1] ).
What is the Middah of chesed? ›
The first quality (middah) is chesed, or unconditional love. The outpouring of support, love, and encouragement that is the foundation of human flourishing. Other translations of Chesed are: Loving-kindness.
What does Olam chesed Yibaneh mean? ›
OLAM CHESEDYIBANEH (THE WORLD IS BUILT ON KINDNESS)
Psalm 89:3.
What are the virtues of the Jews? ›
i. 18): "Upon three things is the world established; viz., truth, justice, and peace," can well be taken to mirror the virtues which appeared to the Jewish mind as fundamental. [Compare Paul's triad of Christian virtues: faith, hope, and charity (I Cor.
What are the tiferes of chesed? ›
Tiferet is the force that integrates the Sefira of Chesed ("Kindness") and Gevurah ("Strength, also called Din, "Judgement"). These two forces are, respectively, expansive (giving) and restrictive (receiving).
