Love of all creatures is also love of God, for whoever loves the One God loves all the works He has made.

Judah Loew

Love of All Creatures

Topic: Love, Compassion, & Kindness

Love of all creatures is also love of God, for whoever loves the One God loves all the works He has made. When one loves God, it is impossible not to love His creatures. The opposite is also true. If one hates the creatures, it is impossible to love God Who created them.

Judah Loew

Rabbi Judah Loew, commonly known as the Maharal of Prague, was born around 1525 and lived until 1609. He was a prominent rabbi, scholar, and community leader primarily based in Prague. As the chief rabbi there, he had a significant impact on Jewish education and communal life.

The Maharal wrote extensively on Jewish ethics, law, and philosophy. Among his notable works is Nesivos Olam, which explores moral and ethical paths for living a good life. His writings have become foundational texts in Jewish thought, studied and revered to this day.

His influence has not waned over the centuries; his teachings continue to be relevant in Jewish education and philosophy. Although he passed away in 1609, his intellectual legacy has endured, making him one of the most significant figures in Jewish history.

(1525-1609) Judaism
Nesivos Olam (Ahavas Harei)

Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011, p. 657 [Nesivos Olam, Ahavas Harei, 1].

Judah Loew

About Nesivos Olam, Ahavas Harei, 1 [Commentary]

The quote is from the book Nesivos Olam (Paths of the World) by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, also known as the Maharal of Prague. In this book, the Maharal discusses the 33 pathways to a moral and ethical life.

The quote is from the first pathway, Ahavas Harei (Love of the World). In this pathway, the Maharal argues that love of God is inseparable from love of the world. He writes that “whoever loves the One God loves all the works He has made.” This means that if we truly love God, we will also love all of creation, including animals, plants, and even inanimate objects.

The Maharal’s view of love of God is very inclusive. He does not say that we must love God in a particular way or follow a certain set of rules. Instead, he says that love of God is expressed through our love of the world. When we care for the world and all its creatures, we are showing our love for God.

The Dalai Lama Quoting Judah Loew, the Maharal of Prague (1525-1609)

The word hasid derives, I am told, from the Hebrew hasad, which means “loving kindness,” “mercy,” or “love” in biblical usage, implying reciprocity of compassionate relations between man and God and man and man. So, according to a famous sage, Judah Loew, the Maharal of Prague (1525-1609):
“Love of all creatures is also love of God, for whoever loves the One God loves all the works He has made. When one loves God, it is impossible not to love His creatures. The opposite is also true. If one hates the creatures, it is impossible to love God Who created them.”
Inevitably in Judaism, the aims of merging with God and the imitation of God both imply the pursuit of compassion…

—The Dalai Lama [Toward A True Kinship of Faiths—How The World’s Religions Can Come Together] p. 103.

Love of All Creatures

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