Abounding In Hesed

Author: Dwight A. Pryor

SHIMON THE RIGHTEOUS, a member of the Great Assembly from the time of Ezra,
stated that the orld is established o! three "illars #Avot $:%&: the 'ord of God #Torah&(
the ser)i*e or orshi" of God #Avodah&( a!d a*ts of +i!d!ess #Hesed&,
Hesed is a *hief *hara*teristi* of the God of Israel a!d a *ore *o)e!a!tal *o!*e"t, Its
ra!-e of mea!i!- is ide a!d dee": lo)i!-+i!d!ess, mer*y, steadfast lo)e, *o)e!a!t
loyalty a!d e)e! -ra*e,
The .salmist de*lares: I will sing of the lovingkindness [hesed] of the LORD forever
For I have said, Lovingkindness shall !e !"ilt "# forever$%& '()*+,-., The Hebre ord
ola/, tra!slated as /fore)er,0 *a! also be read as /orld,0 The Sa-es *o!*luded that the
orld is built u" o! hesed, o! a*ts of +i!d!ess 1 both God2s a!d ours,
The LORD is righteo"s [t0edek] in all his wa1s, and kind [hesed] in all his doings&
'+23*4., The "eo"le of God, li+e the Almi-hty himself, should abou!d i! hesed a!d be
+!o! for a*ts of lo)e a!d +i!d!ess,
The ord hesed *a! also mea! to -o beyo!d established bou!daries, A! authe!ti* Hasid
i! 3udaism is o!e ho -oes beyo!d the letter of the 4a( he obeys ith a heart attu!ed to
the s"irit of God2s i!stru*tio!s,
5y !ature huma!s te!d to be self6*e!tered, but a*ts of hesed tra!s"ort us beyo!d our
!atural bou!daries, I!deed, a*ts of +i!d!ess fulfill the 7i)i!e i!8u!*tio! to love 1o"r
neigh!or as 1o"rself& 'Lev +)*+(., This mitz)ah a**ordi!- to 9eshua is e:ual to the
-reatest *omma!dme!t of the Torah #Mat %%:;<6=>&,
IN THIS SAME ?ONTE@T, the Torah *omma!ds: in righteo"sness 1o" shall 5"dge
1o"r neigh!or& 'Lev +)*+3., 'hat does this mea!A 7oes /ri-hteous!ess0 refer to some
absolute sta!dard of moral "erfe*tio! to hi*h e are to hold o!e a!other a**ou!tableA
3eish traditio! tea*hes that this *omma!d e!*oura-es us to /"ut the best *o!stru*tio! o!
the deeds of your fellome!,0 I! other ords, to 8ud-e /ri-hteously0 is to assume the
best of the other, It is to 8ud-e ith a! attitude of hesed or +i!d!ess,
This "arallels the Rabbi 9eshua2s tea*hi!- he! he *autio!ed, 6"dge not, and 1o" shall
not !e 5"dged$ 7onde/n not, and 1o" shall not !e 8onde/ned& 'L"ke 9*:4., I! other
ords, /7o!2t be 8ud-me!talB0 7o !ot ha)e a! i!*li!atio! to *o!dem!, but rather ha)e a
dis"ositio! toard +i!d!ess a!d mer*y, Cor by the )ery measure ith hi*h you 8ud-e,
hether by *o!dem!atio! or by +i!d!ess, so also ill you be 8ud-ed,
ON?E A 'OMAN as *au-ht i! the a*t of adultery a!d ta+e! before 3esus for
8ud-me!t, Her a**users ere ready to sto!e her to death, 5ut the Rabbi from Nazareth
*halle!-ed them: He who is witho"t sin a/ong 1o", let hi/ throw a stone at her first&
'6ohn (*4., The *o!dem!i!- *rod dis"ersed ithout a si!-le sto!e bei!- thro!, a!d
the oma! as left sta!di!- alo!e ith the Master,
Note *arefully hat he says !eDt: ;o/an has no one 8onde/ned 1o"<% =he said,
>o one, Lord$% And 6es"s said to her, >either do I 8onde/n 1o"? go and sin no /ore%&
'6ohn (*+@,++.,
Here e see a! a*t of +i!d!ess 1 >either do I 8onde/n 1o"& 1 8oi!ed to a it!ess to the
truth, Ao and sin no /ore$& Mer*y a!d truth met to-ether( ri-hteous!ess a!d "ea*e
+issed #.s EF:$>&,
9eshua did !ot i-!ore her si!, He affirmed a!d a*+!oled-ed the truth 1 she as
*ul"able 1 but *autio!ed her to si! !o more, Hesed "re)e!ted him from *o!dem!i!- her,
I! effe*t the Master eDte!ded the oma! a! i!)itatio! to re"e!t of her lifestyle a!d, i!
res"o!se to the +i!d!ess of a -ra*ious God, to tur! arou!d a!d al+ i! the ay that leads
to life, Do 1o" not know that AodBs kindness is /eant to lead 1o" to re#entan8e<& 'Ro/
-*2.,
'e see i! the life of 3esus the embra*e of truth a!d +i!d!ess, I! him, ri-hteous!ess #the
hi-h sta!dards of the Torah& a!d "ea*e #the mer*y of a -ra*ious Cather& embra*e, I!deed,
the Messiah embodies the ay of truth that leads to life, I! the So! e see a Cather ho
abou!ds i! hesed,
This year let us e!-a-e i! a*ts of +i!d!ess, g%/ill"t hasadi/, that hallo His !ame a!d
hel" re"air a orld "rese!tly bro+e! but desti!ed to de*lare the Cather2s -lory,
G %>$= The ?e!ter for 3udai*6?hristia! Studies,
All ri-hts reser)ed,