Let’s face it: Celebrating Valentine’s Day appeals to the Jewish nature. It may not have originated as a Jewish holiday, but the idea of doing nice things for others just for the sake of someone else’s feelings and benefit is, the rabbis tell us, a core Jewish tradition.
Yet, the question of whether this former saint’s day can legitimately be celebrated by Jews is still a topic of concern for many readers. One has only to log onto the net and search for “Jewish Valentine’s Day” to realize that its debate has not fully been put to bed. The question then, may not be whether one can celebrate a secular holiday that was once a Christian religious observance, but how to go about doing so.
The Jewish Mitzvah Love Thy Neighbor
Is there a Jewish way to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Does one buy chocolate and Judaica for their spouses and friends, as many now do? Is there a Judaic sentiment that is expressed on this day?
Some have said that acknowledging the February 14 holiday is in its own way, an expression of the mitzvah “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” But are there other ways to express that edict than through gifts and cards?
Rabbi Benjamin Blech, in his article, A Jewish Valentine's Day on Aish.com suggests that the mitzvah also calls attention to our need to love and appreciate ourselves.
“To be truly human, you must begin with self-acceptance and self-esteem,” says Blech. “Only then can you move forward to a feeling of affection for others ...”
The Jewish Concept of Love and Valentine's Day
Thus, Blech goes on to say, loving another as oneself takes a much greater part of oneself than just the expression of love or appreciation. It takes the fortitude to recognize what is important to ourselves – what ethically makes each of us in our own eyes, a good person and deserving our own self respect. And doing so is an inherently Jewish concept.
“According to the Torah, it's a first step we all have to take before we proceed on the journey of love of others ...,” says Blech.
And that may be one reason that this holiday so successfully crosses cultural boundaries, and appeals to Jews: By giving a part of ourselves to others, we are reinforcing what we know inherently as true, that we are good, and deserving of love.
Acts of Loving Kindness - Gemilut Hasadim
The act of giving tzedakah, of visiting the sick, of comforting the grieving, of helping the stranger are all different – inherently Jewish and inherently human – ways of giving to others and at the same time, restating our goodness as people. They express not just our connection with Judaism, but our compassion and willingness to do nice things for other people.
So if the act of giving candy hearts or chocolate, or of offering and receiving cards in the name of a former Christian saint seems inherently not Jewish, there may be dozens of other ways to express the goodness and profoundly Jewish concepts that go with love of one’s fellow human being. Acts of loving kindness – gemilut hasadim – come in packages large and small, as expressions of affection and gestures of kindness and compassion, and are in their deepest expression, wholeheartedly Jewish.
Sources:
- Aish.com
- Jewishmediagroup.com
Jan Lee - Jan Lee has been writing for online and print publications for more than 20 years and have been published in five countries.
Join the Conversation