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28 lip 2023 · The Hebrew word for love is ahavah, which is rooted in the more molecular word hav,1 which means to give, revealing that, according to Judaism, giving is at the root of love. What does this etymological insight teach us both about the function of love and about how love functions?
From the Chai to the Hamsa, discover the depth of Jewish symbols that represent love, protection, and devotion. Learn their origins and timeless significance.
Yichud, the word most descriptive of the Jewish idea of love, is defined as "together," "alone, with no one else present, in a room or in an enclosure." This one-word concept describes many of the aspects of the love that Judaism proposes.
The Hebrew verb אהב (ahav, pronounced ah-HAV, with the final bet pronounced as a "v") is a Biblical Hebrew word meaning "to love." The noun form of this word is אהבה (ahavah, pronounced ah-ha-VAH) meaning "love." Ahav and ahavah cover a broad spectrum of concepts of love.
Ahavah Rabbah and Ahavat Olam describe one such way — a parental love that God expresses for the Jewish people through the giving of Torah. Rabbi Elliot Dorff explains: Support My Jewish Learning
After the Star of David, the chai is probably the next most popular Jewish pendant. Chai is Hebrew for “life.” The word is written with just two letters, chet and yud, which have the combined numeric value of 18. This explains why Jews love giving birthday presents, donations and other gifts in multiples of 18 (36, 54, 72, 90 etc.).
The version of the blessing that we recite as part of the morning service is sometimes called Ahavah Rabbah, “deep is Your love,” after its first words. The text of Ahavah Rabbah asserts that God’s love for us is boundless and that the mitzvot are an expression of that love.
