The-Word-Chesed
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
What is the meaning of the Hebrew
word Chesed?
חֶסֶד - Chesed is a rich Hebrew word meaning ‘loving-kindness’, ‘steadfast love’, and ‘mercy’. Because it is deeply layered, it is not captured by just one English word, but it also describes ‘love in action’ and ‘loyal commitment’ within a relationship.
Obviously, one of the Hebrew words for ‘love’
is ‘Chesed’ (חֶסֶד, pronounced ‘Cheh’sed’), and it is a difficult word to translate into
English. That is because there is a range of meanings for Chesed.
The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love (Chesed) for you will not be shaken”.
Let us look at Isaiah 54:10, in Ivrit –
Hebrew and its Translation:
הֶהָרִים
יָמוּשׁוּ,
וְהַגְּבָעוֹת
תְּמוּטֶינָה-וְחַסְדִּי
מֵאִתֵּךְ
לֹא-יָמוּשׁ,
וּבְרִית
שְׁלוֹמִי
לֹא תָמוּט,
אָמַר מְרַחֲמֵךְ,
יְהוָה
Below are two translations, 1. Is from a literal version, and 2. is the JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh.
1. “The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed: but my mercy shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD of thy mercies”.
2. “For the mountains may depart, and the hills be
removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee,
neither shall My covenant of peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath
compassion on thee”.
Chesed - חֶסֶד is not just a feeling,
but an ‘action’. It “intervenes on behalf of loved ones and comes to their
rescue”.
Hebrew Understanding of Love:
Chesed is not a romantic, ‘infatuation kind of love’. It is a
‘faithful’, ‘reliable’ love. When a wife prays for years
for her husband to know God. It is parents ‘lovingly caring for
their autistic child’. Chesed is
‘faithful’. It is ‘loyal’. And Chesed is
‘love put into action’.
And most importantly, Chesed is the unfailing love Elohim has for you.
Chesed is one of the most fundamental characteristics of Elohim,
consistent with what we know about His covenantal nature. Chesed is “wrapping up in itself all the positive
attributes of Elohim: ‘love’, ‘covenant faithfulness’, ‘mercy’, ‘grace’,
‘kindness’, ‘loyalty’ in short, ‘acts of devotion’ and ‘loving-kindnes’ that go beyond the requirements of
duty,” elaborated a well known Tanakh scholar.
Throughout our Tanakh, we see Chesed translated in a number of different ways. While
all those synonyms develop our understanding, they only just ‘skim the surface’
of this multifaceted, rich word.
Chesed Love in Action:
Thankfully, examples of Chesed abound throughout the Scripture.
In the book of Ruth, we meet Naomi in nothing
less than a bleak situation. She is living in a foreign land and has lost not
only her husband, but her two sons as well. While she has two beloved
daughters-in-law, she makes the difficult decision to leave the life she and
her family have established in
Naomi decides to return to her native
This is a wise suggestion, because in those
days women without a husband were in a vulnerable position. And these two women
could most likely remarry easily as they were still young and had no children.
A Love that Extends to Loyalty:
Orpah considers this, and with a heavy heart agrees to stay in
“And Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy Elohim my Elohim”. Ruth 1:16 (JPS-1917 version).
Ruth had ever right to start anew and pursue
a husband from within her own people. However, by affirming her fidelity to
Naomi and the people of
She affirms how important Naomi is to her,
despite these other considerations. Ruth clearly had a strong relationship with
her mother-in-law, so much so that she forsakes the easier path. Her display
of Chesed, the ‘love’ and ‘loyalty’ to Naomi is
just one of multiple examples found throughout the story of Ruth.
Chesed Love goes Above and Beyond:
Another tangible display of the ‘Chesed love’, which goes above and beyond, is an
organization in somewhere that provides home-cooked kosher meals to hospital
patients and their families. They do this completly free
of charge, regardless of background or affiliation.
In the 1950s there was a small community of
Holocaust survivors who recognized the value of supporting other survivors.
They wanted to help fellow survivors sustain our Hebrew tradition they had
before the war. And they would travel all around just to do just that.
They strived to maintain the same ambition as
in their founding days to help whoever needs it. Preparing and delivering home
cooked meals to others in the community extends beyond a simple act of
kindness. You could even say it’s… loving-kindness!
Chesed: Loving-kindness in Hebrew:
Loving-kindness is an interesting word
in the English language. Built out of two other words, it combines the
definitions of both and then some.
It means ‘tenderness’ and
consideration’ towards others. Those are the key words capturing the
essence of loving-kindness; it is always towards others. This is an
outward expression, not one of a self-seeking motivation. If this sounds
familiar, it is easy to understand why.
While “loving-kindness” can be considered
somewhat archaic, many English Tanakh translations use it in Psalms for Chesed. Alternatively, some translations use “steadfast
love”. Try studying the Psalms with translations that
use loving-kindness and you’ll discover a new depth of meaning and
understanding to these passages.
Here’s a few examples to get you started:
“Who forgiveth all thine iniquity; who healeth
all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy
life from the pit; who encompasseth thee with loving-kindness and tender
mercies”. Psalm 103:3-4. (JPS-1917 version).
Each time we come
across loving-kindness in these passages, the Psalmist is suggesting Chesed as the covenant love. Even though it’s not a
word we commonly use, it has a unique way of pointing to the enduring love of
Elohim.
Hebrew Definition of Unfailing Love:
My thoughts are that Chesed is
never merely an abstract feeling of goodwill, but always entails practical
action on behalf of another. How can we tangibly show our love to Elohim and
His people? Chesed. It is through a Chesed kind
of love that we worship Him and serve others. Through the abundance of Chesed that Elohim shows us, we can in turn be
abundant in our expression of Chesed love
for others!
This is a strengthening truth, a reliable
foundation. For Elohim’s love is like an ocean; you can see its beginning, but
not its end. Today, no matter what you face, you can rely on Elohim’s Chesed. In the best way, His love is predictable,
tenacious, and unchanging.
“For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall My covenant of peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath compassion on thee.” Isaiah 54:10. (JPS-1917 version).
When you read our beloved Tanakh, just
believe me knowing some Hebrew words will always enhance your understanding!
Amen.
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For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
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