Olam Chesed yibaneh Shamayim tachin emunahscha bahev…Forever will (Your) Kindness be built…—Psalm 89:3
Often translated as “the World will be built with kindness”, Psalm 89 implies that kindness is the ultimate act of Creation, and kindness continues to sustain the World.
Without the constant creative and sustaining flow of love, we’d be left with Justice, and Creation couldn’t survive with strict Justice—we’d shrivel up under its exacting accounting.
Everything new begins with Chesed, kindness, including the beginning of everything—the act of Creation. Creation is the original purely altruistic act. After all, God didn’t need us, or anything else—He is a perfect unity. He Created the World out of pure Benevolence.
Having a basic grasp of the Kabbalistic aspects of Creation, however, is more than just an interesting topic or a party trick. Understanding that the quality of utter kindness is required to Create something from nothing (and sustain it), offers us clues into our own personal growth.
Revive Yourself
In Azamra, Likutey Moharan 282, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov explains that by judging ourselves favorably, and seeking and finding the good points in ourselves, no matter how minor they may appear to us, we will be able to “revive” ourselves. In fact, the word used, “yichayeh” literally means, “give life to” [one’s self].”
In other words, by treating ourselves with some basic kindness, looking for our good points (our good thoughts, words, and deeds) we are able to recreate ourselves, and even bring ourselves to life.
By starting we kindness, we move ourselves to joy.
Think of the greatest joys: Friendship. Spiritual growth. Shabbos. A wedding. A new baby. These joys bring yearning to connect and share with others. And to connect, share, and express our gratitude to the Creator.
