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Rabbi Shai Held makes the case that love — not law — is the animating force of Jewish theology. How the Hebrew Bible constructs a God who loves fiercely and demands that humans love each other with the same intensity.
This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.
Canon
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Held: in Jewish theology, love is a commandment — not a feeling you wait for but a responsibility you practice. This transforms love from emotion to discipline, making it reliable rather than contingent.
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Held: the Talmudic tradition of 'judging favorably' (dan l'kaf z'chut) is the Jewish version of the most generous interpretation. You are commanded to interpret others' behavior in the most favorable light possible.
Highlights
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Love in the Hebrew Bible is not a feeling — it is a practice of loyal action on behalf of the vulnerable
Held argues that the biblical concept of love (ahavah/chesed) is not an emotion but a covenant: a commitment to act loyally on behalf of those who depend on you, especially the vulnerable.•
The stranger command is the most repeated ethical instruction in the Torah — and the most countercultural today
Held notes that love the stranger appears 36 times in the Torah — more than any other ethical command. In an era of nationalism and xenophobia, this ancient command is more radical than ever.Was this useful?