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Hessed חסד



You may pronounce this Hebrew word with a soft h, some will even used a k, but to really say this word, you must gently breathe heavy in the back of your throat. Or, as some Americans would say, make the phlegm noise. This is a bit of an overstatement, because if you are really hocking some phlegm, then you are over-pronouncing this word. A true native Hebrew speaker learns to gently make this noise in a way that flows with the word: Hessed.



This word is multi-faceted, and requires many English words to describe it:



grace
mercy
loyalty
lovingkindness
faithfulness



God is hessed.



Hessed is very ingrained in Jewish culture. A couple weeks ago, I was browsing produce in the Jewish shuk (open market) when a man dressed head to toe in Orthodox Jewish attire spoke to me in perfect English with a British accent:



"Will you do me a hessed?"



I was startled by his British accent, given his long payot, tassels, and kippa. Most Orthodox Jews either won't talk to Gentiles at all, or if they do they will start in Hebrew or switch to heavily Hebrew accented English. But here he was, speaking to me and in an accent from the UK no less. His arms were full of many bags, and when I agreed to "do him a hessed" he asked me to select 5 nice apples for him and place the bag over his arm. After declining any further help, he thanked me and went on his way to purchase his produce.



You may be thinking, that this phrase, "will you do me a hessed" is similar to the English phrase, "will you do me a favor." Perhaps. But hessed is SO much more than just a favor. A favor is courteous, polite, between good friends, or sometimes even obligatory. Hessed is relentless mercy and love when the circumstances would dictate justice and anger. I say relentless because it encompasses loyalty--this isn't a one time occurrence. It is consistent. My favor for the man I met in the shuk, really was just a favor. But I spent the rest of the day pleasantly surprised that I got to hear the word used in real life.



In religious Jewish culture, hessed is one of the primary virtues. It is part of their cultural idea of tikkun olam---repairing the world--which "suggests humanity's shared responsiblity (with the Creator) to heal, repair, and transform the world." This is a huge part of Jewish faith and life.

This concept may be found in Christian doctrine, but is it really found in our lives?



Perhaps a key part of Christian faith is recognizing the reality that all men are capable of and give into darkness, wretchedness, and evil. We try to empty ourselves of this. But don't stop there (or else we'd be Buddhists). After we empty out the darkness we have to accept and be filled with the light.



Deep down I may be capable of wretchedness, but if I really believe that I have light in me, shouldn't I also believe that this light can be shared with the whole world? Wait a minute, isn't that our faith? So why can't we use this light for tikkun olam? Why can't God's light in us heal, repair, and transform the world?



For me, it's because I have my light, but I usually let it go to waste bottled up inside of me. I selfishly keep it to myself and forget how much healing and restoration the world needs.



"He has told you, O man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice, to love HESSED and walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8



Don't keep your light bottled up inside (hide it under a bushel, no). Love hessed. Show hessed to others. Be relentless. Heal and repair the world.