Parshat Va'etchanan: Loving is Listening

The ancient kabbalistic work "Sefer Yetzera" deals extensively with the creative power of speech. However, when it lists the three organs of love, it does not mention the mouth. The three organs of love according to "Sefer Yetzera" are the heart and the two ears. Loving is listening. This point is often missing as speaking is perceived as giving and listening as receiving. As a result, people want to give to those whom they love, so while conversing they often wait impatiently for the other person to finish speaking so that they can begin giving. However, in reality love is both expressed and achieved by listening.