At the core of Chesed is the first spark of the creative idea, symbolizing the Light of Goodness. Chesed reflects divine goodness in the thought of creation. In essence, creating is a continuous act of giving, a free gesture from G-d that shows His love. Thus, G-d feels like a constant Presence, which is love and binds everything together. Interestingly, G-d makes Himself smaller so that the finite world can receive Him.

The desire to give, the force that activates Chesed's energies, connects us with these spiritual forces. It makes us more like the Creator in terms of our "vibration." On the other hand, Gevurah is the desire to receive, the more passive part of our mind. This can be compared to the human desire for what we lack. Gevurah sets the boundaries and defines our limits.

But Chesed represents the active and positive part of our mind, the force that pushes us to open up, grow, and expand. It teaches us to transform our desire to receive into a desire to give, thus embodying the Sefirah of generosity. The love offered by Chesed goes beyond necessity and surpasses the strict justice of Gevurah, the strict application of the law of cause and effect.

Though they have different roles, both Chesed and Gevurah are necessary for our spiritual growth. The boundless energy of Chesed would create nothing if it were not contained by the limits of Gevurah. The world could not exist with only rigor or only mercy. The balance between the two is found in Tiferet, another Sefirah, which in Hebrew is called Rachamim and means compassion.

Tiferet balances Chesed and Gevurah, blending expansion with contraction both ethically and functionally. The impulses of Chesed and the constraints of Gevurah together form our identity in Tiferet. This balance aids in the development of our soul, which needs both the personal power of Gevurah and the capacity for love of Chesed.

Metaphorically, Chesed is the Sefirah of Jupiter, the planet associated with expansion, wisdom, and kindness, while Gevurah is Mars, a symbol of courage and struggle. Chesed carries the scepter, a symbol of power and authority. Chesed does not have personal authority but its authority comes from the higher Sefirot. Chesed is also known as Gedulah, which means greatness.

Just as Gevurah is associated with Fire, Chesed is related to Water. Water is a symbol of life and mercy in many cultures and spiritual traditions. Without water, life as we know it wouldn't exist. The nature of Chesed and its healing power are like water, essential for our spiritual well-being.

As a healing force, Chesed connects us with the divine light that heals. This connection is crucial when we are unwell, as Chesed is the ultimate form of giving and the channel for everything that comes from higher levels. When we align with Chesed, we use its power to enable healing.

Illness is often seen as a disconnect or separation between the body and the soul. This disconnect happens when the soul loses its connection to the divine light that gives life to the body. Therefore, to begin healing, we must connect with the energy of Chesed.

Chesed urges us to say yes, to be kind to others. But we must also remember to be kind to ourselves. As the biblical rule says, "love your neighbor as yourself," indicating that we cannot be kind to others if we do not first love ourselves.

A significant issue in the realm of Chesed occurs when we are so kind that we neglect ourselves. There is a mistaken belief that we must always give more to others than to ourselves, thinking that self-care is selfish. But it is not selfish; it is essential.

If we cannot be happy with what we give ourselves, we cannot make others happy or truly give because we cannot give what we do not have. We can only be genuinely kind to others if we have learned to be kind to ourselves first.

Finding balance in Chesed means giving ourselves the same amount of love and care that we give to others. It's not about loving others more than ourselves but about finding a balance. A key aspect of giving is doing so unconditionally. But do we understand what it means to give unconditionally?

The intention behind giving is very important. We must give according to the needs of others, tuning in to what they truly need. Giving help based on what we think others need, without considering their actual needs, is not true Chesed. It becomes a projection of our own needs and desires. Chesed is, therefore, an act of humility, where we recognize and align with the needs of others instead of imposing our own. It is giving even despite our own desire to receive.

In Chesed, we find people who show too much mercy or who abuse their power. Taking more than necessary, whether materially or spiritually, becomes excess. If authority gets out of control, it turns into tyranny. False kindness in Chesed is hypocrisy, and if the connection with the divine becomes unbalanced, it turns into fanaticism and intolerance.

Chesed also has a hard-to-see illusion: we think that only our beliefs are true and that we have special access to the Divine. But beliefs are limited and do not capture the whole truth of the divine, which is infinite and beyond our understanding. If we want to get closer to the divine, we have to let go of our limited beliefs.

The true essence of Chesed is love, which does not go hand in hand with the flaws mentioned before. To align with this Sefirah, we must cultivate qualities like tolerance, patience, prudence, and generosity. Everything we are and have comes from a divine source, and we must recognize this humbly.

The directive in Chesed is to observe Shabbat, the day of rest. This is a way to tune in to the divine, to step back from our daily lives and connect with something greater. Chesed teaches us that being and not being are two aspects of the same divine reality. During the week, we work and do things, but on Shabbat, we stop to see everything from a broader perspective, in relation to the divine. It is a time for "non-action," to set aside our daily routines and goals, and thus draw closer to the divine essence.

From the human perspective, Chesed is the seventh Sefirah if we count upwards, which relates to evolution. The six days of effort refer to the first six Sefirot from Malkuth to Gevurah, where there is work and struggle. Chesed represents the seventh day, a divine day of rest, bringing Malkuth back to its original place in Daat. It is like moving the physical world towards Binah, symbolizing that everything will be Shabbat in the future.

The negative side of Chesed is giving more than we can, showing generosity just to impress others, or lacking compassion for others. This excess of giving harms the idea of having compassion for oneself. True mercy, in fact, begins with oneself.

Moreover, the false version of Chesed appears when we lack genuine compassion or show false humility and kindness just to receive praise. It is not true Chesed if our main goal is to be lauded for what we do.

On the other hand, the positive aspect of Chesed is that we can give in a balanced way, both to ourselves and to others. It is the first Sefirah associated with positive emotions like love, kindness, grace, and mercy. If we manage these emotions well, we can lead a complete and happy life. But if we do not manage them well, they can lead us to disorder and chaos. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain balance in this energy in our lives.