The verb for “loving” appears in the Bible for the first time when Hashem commands Abraham to offer up his son “that he loves” (Gen. 22:2) — Isaac. Afterwards, Isaac himself becomes the subject of ahavah, as the Bible reports that after he married his wife Rebecca, “he loved her” (Gen. 24:67). Later on, Isaac is said to “love” his son Esau (Gen. 25:28) and asks him to prepare for him the delicacies that he “loves” before receiving special blessings (Gen. 27:4, 27:9, 27:14). The theme of ahavah continues in the book of Genesis with Rebecca “loving” Jacob (Gen. 25:28), Jacob “loving” his wife Rachel (Gen. 29:18, 29:30), Jacob “loving” his son Joseph (Gen. 37:3, 44:20), and so forth. In all of these passages — and many more — variations of the term ahavah are used. This two-part essay attempts to hone in on the exact meaning of ahavah, and how the idea it represents may differ from other terms or conceptions of “love.” In Part I, we focus exclusively on ahavah and its etymological implications, while in Part II, we focus on the apparent synonyms of ahavah, like r’chim, chibah, and agav, exploring their etymologies and cognates in an attempt to show how exactly they differ from ahavah.

Rabbi Pinchas Eliyahu Horowitz of Vilna (1765–1802) in his work Sefer HaBrit discusses the concept of ahavah at great length, and categorizes different types of ahavah as well as the interplay between ahavah and yirah. He especially elaborates on the distinction between what the rabbis (Avot 5:16) call “love which depends on a matter” and “love which does not depend on a matter.” His most basic definition of ahavah is that “Love is the expansion of the soul and its joy in something that pleases it, desiring it more than anything else. It opens the chambers of the heart, and the vital spirits within it will run alongside all the parts of the body.” Essentially, his definition of ahavah highlights “love” as an emotional experience that involves a deep connection, joy, desire, and the positive physiological and psychological impacts it has on an individual. He emphasizes how love is a profound and transformative emotion that extends beyond mere physical attraction or fondness. His description of the “opening of the chambers of the heart” and the “flow of vital spirits” suggest a profound, almost spiritual, connection associated with “love.” Rabbi Horowitz applies this understanding of “love” both to the commandment to “love” Hashem (Deut. 6:5) and the commandment to “love” fellow Jews (Lev. 19:18).

However, Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian (Lev Eliyahu vol. 1 p. 110) explains that most people are mistaken in their understanding of the concept of “love.” People think that love refers to a pleasant feeling that fills a person when in the company of someone defined as their “beloved.” Meaning,........

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