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Community Building

The Far-Reaching Power of Loving-Kindness

At the heart of Jewish tradition is the importance of acts of loving-kindness. What is meant by loving-kindness? It means going beyond what is strictly required; and performing acts of compassion, generosity, and goodwill toward others, especially those in need.

We are given examples in our tradition of acts of loving-kindness, such as visiting the sick, comforting mourners, welcoming guests, helping the needy, and offering support to those going through difficult times. The rabbis go as far as to say that this is actually superior to, say, charity. We are going to now take a look at a few texts that talk about the impact our actions have on the world around us.