All you need is love

“When a person in in special need of God’s love, God sends them an opportunity to show love and give to another.” (Rebbe Nachman of Breslov)

Our days are filled with countless opportunities to give to others. We only need to open our eyes to appreciate how many ways we can exhibit generosity with people in our orbits and beyond.

Rav Dessler points out in his writings that kindness and giving is a catalyst for love. The more you give to others – the more you love them. This explains the unparalleled love that parents have for their children.

The Baal Shem Tov explains the verse in Psalms 121:5 “God is your shadow…” to mean that His interactions with us are based upon our actions. Just as our shadow moves in relationship to our movements, if we are generous with others, Hashem will be generous with us. If we love others, we will feel His love towards us.

Sharing is caring!

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

2 Responses

  1. When I was a child, I lived with my young single mother who worked very hard and would not accept charity. A righteous friend of hers once said to her, “When you won’t accept a gift, you are depriving someone of the act of giving.” It taught her and I that you can also show love by accepting what another person gives, especially at the expense of one’s own pride.

  2. Indeed. This dynamic works both ways. We can give to others when we allow ourselves to receive from them, as you point out. And the giver is also receiving through their act of kindness. The giver doesn’t lose by giving of them self – they gain immensely.

Leave a Reply

Don’t Stop Here

More To Explore

Wanting God

“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob…” (Exodus 6:3). This seems to be a very straightforward and unambiguous statement by God to Moses.

Question, Challenge, Pray

“You don’t learn by having faith. You learn by questioning, by challenging, by re-examining everything you’ve ever believed. And yet, all this is a matter

Flaunt not

“You have enough. Circle the mountain and turn to the north” (Deuteronomy 2:3). Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz, in his commentary Kli Yakar, spins this verse

contact

%d bloggers like this: