“Ahavat Olam” is a prayer said in the Arvit / Ma’ariv / Evening service, both on weekdays and Shabbat / festivals. “Ahava Rabba” is in the morning service. Both come after Barchu but before the Shema, and are the Revelation prayer (of the Creation, Revelation, Redemption arc), thanking G-d for revealing the Torah to us as an expression of love (“Ahava”). This difference was in place by the time of the Tosafot (Rashi’s grandchildren) in the 1100s. Sefardi Jews replace the words “Ahava Rabba” with “Ahavat Olam”, but then continue with the rest of the “Ahava Rabba” prayer that other Jews say — this is based on a different reading of Brachot 11b:8-9 (see also the Tosafot on this text). It has been suggested that the reason Ashkenazi Jews say "Ahava Rabba" in the morning is because in Lamentations 3:23 the words "morning" and "rabba" are both in the same verse.
אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּ֒ךָ אָהָֽבְתָּ תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים אוֹתָֽנוּ לִמַּֽדְתָּ:
[With] An everlasting love You loved the House of Israel, Your people. You taught us Torah and commandments, statutes and laws.
How does providing rules show love?
עַל כֵּן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּשָׁכְבֵֽנוּ וּבְקוּמֵֽנוּ נָשִֽׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּֽיךָ וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶֽךָ וּבְמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
Therefore, Adonai, our God, when we lie down and when we rise, we will discuss Your statutes, and rejoice in the words of Your Torah and in Your commandments forever.
Which parts of the Torah make you rejoice?
כִּי הֵם חַיֵּֽינוּ וְאֹֽרֶךְ יָמֵֽינוּ וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָֽיְלָה:
For they are our life and they lengthen our days, and on them we will meditate day and night.
Additionally, the phrase “meditate day and night” is a paraphrase of Psalms 1:2. That verse says that in contrast to the counsel of the wicked, a person will be happy if they delight in G-d’s teaching and meditate on it day and night. The phrase is also an echo of Joshua 1:8, where G-d tells Joshua that reciting the Torah day and night, and then faithfully observing all that is written in it, will lead to success and prospering in his undertakings.
How might following what’s in the Torah lead to a living a longer life?
וְאַהֲבָתְ֒ךָ אַל תָּסִיר מִמֶּֽנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אוֹהֵב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
[May] Your love never be removed from us. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who loves God’s people Israel.
How have you felt G-d’s love in your life?
אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּ֒ךָ אָהָֽבְתָּ תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים אוֹתָֽנוּ לִמַּֽדְתָּ: עַל כֵּן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּשָׁכְבֵֽנוּ וּבְקוּמֵֽנוּ נָשִֽׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּֽיךָ וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶֽךָ וּבְמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: כִּי הֵם חַיֵּֽינוּ וְאֹֽרֶךְ יָמֵֽינוּ וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָֽיְלָה: וְאַהֲבָתְ֒ךָ אַל תָּסִיר מִמֶּֽנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אוֹהֵב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
[With] An everlasting love You loved the House of Israel, Your people. You taught us Torah and commandments, statutes and laws. Therefore, Adonai, our God, when we lie down and when we rise, we will discuss Your statutes, and rejoice in the words of Your Torah and in Your commandments forever. For they are our life and they lengthen our days, and on them we will meditate day and night. [May] Your love never be removed from us. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who loves God’s people Israel.
Which of these are most appealing to you? Why?
אַהֲבָה רַבָּה אֲהַבְתָּֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ חֶמְלָה גְדוֹלָה וִיתֵרָה חָמַֽלְתָּ עָלֵֽינוּ:
[With] great love You have loved us, Lord, our God; [with] great and abundant compassion have You had compassion upon us.
When have you had compassion on somebody? When has someone had compassion on you?
אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ בַּעֲבוּר אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁבָּטְ֒חוּ בְךָ וַתְּ֒לַמְּ֒דֵם חֻקֵּי חַיִּים כֵּן תְּחָנֵּֽנוּ וּתְלַמְּ֒דֵֽנוּ:
Our Parent, our Sovereign — for the sake of our ancestors who trusted in You, and whom You taught laws of life, so [too] be gracious to us and teach us.
Have you ever experienced "Z'chut avot", something positive happening to you because of the merit of your ancestor?
אָבִֽינוּ הָאָב הָרַחֲמָן הַמְ֒רַחֵם רַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְתֵן בְּלִבֵּֽנוּ לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל לִשְׁמֹֽעַ לִלְמֹד וּלְ֒לַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ בְּאַהֲבָה:
Our Parent, merciful Parent, Who acts with compassion, have compassion on us and put into our hearts [comprehension] to understand and to discern, to listen, to learn and to teach, to keep, to practice, and to fulfill all the words of the teachings in Your Torah with love.
It also gets at a discussion by the rabbis about whether study or action is more important, with the final conclusion being that study is more important because study leads to action (Kiddushin 40b:8). It also alludes to Pirkei Avot 4:5, which says that those
When is a time that you have understood, discerned, listened, learned, taught, kept, practiced, and/or fulfilled something in the Torah?
וְהָאֵר עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּֽנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵֽנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ:
And enlighten our eyes with Your Torah, and attach our hearts to Your mitzvot, and unify our hearts to love and revere Your Name;
“Torah" can mean just the first 5 books of the Bible, or the entire Bible, or all of Jewish teaching (Mishnah, Talmud, Midrash, and anything that somebody might teach in the future - Leviticus Rabba 22:1). Thus, the custom of "studying Torah" at the Tikkun Leil Shavuot on the first night of Shavuot can be expansively interpreted to mean studying anything Jewish.
Is there a particular mitzvah that you are attached to?
וְלֹא נֵבוֹשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשְׁ֒ךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא בָּטָֽחְנוּ נָגִֽילָה וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ:
and may we never be embarrassed, for in Your holy Name— [which is] great and awe-inspiring— have we trusted; may we delight and rejoice in Your deliverance.
The rabbis interpreted the Sixth Commandment of "Do not murder" as also meaning "Don't embarrass". What's the connection?
וַהֲבִיאֵֽנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָֽרֶץ וְתוֹלִיכֵֽנוּ קוֹמְ֒מִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ:
Bring us in peace [wholeness] from the four corners of the earth; and lead us upright to our land.
At this point in the prayer there is a custom from the late Middle Ages for those who are wearing a tallis to gather the four tzitzit together, symbolizing a unity with G-d as well as a unity among the Jewish people (these tzitzit get kissed on the word "tzitzit" in the Vayomer paragraph of the Shema). What can you do to help make a more united and/or inclusive Jewish people?
כִּי אֵל פּוֹעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת אָֽתָּה וּבָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ מִכָּל־עַם וְלָשׁוֹן. וְקֵרַבְתָּֽנוּ לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל סֶֽלָה בֶּאֱמֶת לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ וּלְיַחֶדְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה:
Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance, and You have chosen us from among all peoples and languages, and You have brought us close to Your great Name in truth; to thank You and unify You with love.
The idea of being chosen should not be thought of as “we’re better than everybody else”. After all, in the Haftarah for Acharei Mot, Amos quotes G-d as saying “To me, O Israelites, you are just like the Ethiopians — declares the Lord; true, I brought Israel up from the land of Egypt, but also the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir” (Amos 9:7). G-d basically is saying that the Israelites were chosen for a specific mission, but everybody has their own relationship with G-d. If the mission of the Israelites was to spread G-d’s message then they have been remarkably successful, because half of the world today subscribes to a religion based in part on the Jewish Bible (Judaism, Christianity, or Islam).
Regardless of whether you think of G-d as an invisible being, a force for good, or something else, when do you feel close to G-d?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה:
Blessed are You, Lord, Who chooses the people Israel with love.
Right after we say this line, we go into the Shema and then the V'Ahavta. In the V'Ahavta we are told that we should show our love for G-d. Is it easier to love G-d knowing that first G-d loves us?
(א) אַהֲבָה רַבָּה אֲהַבְתָּֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ חֶמְלָה גְדוֹלָה וִיתֵרָה חָמַֽלְתָּ עָלֵֽינוּ: אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ בַּעֲבוּר אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁבָּטְ֒חוּ בְךָ וַתְּ֒לַמְּ֒דֵם חֻקֵּי חַיִּים כֵּן תְּחָנֵּֽנוּ וּתְלַמְּ֒דֵֽנוּ: אָבִֽינוּ הָאָב הָרַחֲמָן הַמְ֒רַחֵם רַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְתֵן בְּלִבֵּֽנוּ לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל לִשְׁמֹֽעַ לִלְמֹד וּלְ֒לַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ בְּאַהֲבָה: וְהָאֵר עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּֽנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵֽנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ: וְלֹא נֵבוֹשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשְׁ֒ךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא בָּטָֽחְנוּ נָגִֽילָה וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ: וַהֲבִיאֵֽנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָֽרֶץ וְתוֹלִיכֵֽנוּ קוֹמְ֒מִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ: כִּי אֵל פּוֹעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת אָֽתָּה וּבָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ מִכָּל־עַם וְלָשׁוֹן. וְקֵרַבְתָּֽנוּ לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל סֶֽלָה בֶּאֱמֶת לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ וּלְיַחֶדְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה:
(1) [With] great love You have loved us, Lord, our God; [with] great and abundant compassion have You had compassion upon us. Our Parent, our Sovereign — for the sake of our ancestors who trusted in You, and whom You taught laws of life, so [too] be gracious to us and teach us. Our Parent, merciful Parent, Who acts with compassion, have compassion on us and put into our hearts [comprehension] to understand and to discern, to listen, to learn and to teach, to keep, to practice, and to fulfill all the words of the teachings in Your Torah with love. And enlighten our eyes with Your Torah, and attach our hearts to Your mitzvot, and unify our hearts to love and revere Your Name; and may we never be embarrassed, for in Your holy Name— [which is] great and awe-inspiring— have we trusted; may we delight and rejoice in Your deliverance. Bring us in peace [wholeness] from the four corners of the earth; and lead us upright to our land. Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance, and You have chosen us from among all peoples and languages, and You have brought us close to Your great Name in truth; to thank You and unify You with love. Blessed are You, Lord, Who chooses the people Israel with love.
(1) [With] everlasting love You have loved us Lord, our God; [With] great and abundant pity have You pitied us. Our Parent, our Sovereign! for the sake of your great Name and for the sake of our ancestors who trusted in You, and whom You taught statutes of life, to carry out Your will with a perfect heart, so too, be gracious to us and teach us. Our Parent, merciful Parent, Who acts with compassion, have compassion on us and put into our hearts comprehension to understand and to be intellectually creative, to listen, to learn, and to teach, to preserve, to practice, and to fulfill all the words of instruction in Your Torah with love. And enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and cause our hearts to hold fast to Your commandments, and unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name; and may we not be subject to shame, disgrace or stumbling forever, for in Your holy Name— great, mighty and awesome— have we trusted; may we exult and rejoice in Your deliverance. And may Your mercy Lord our God, and Your abundant kindness never forsake us. Hasten and bring upon us blessing and peace quickly from the four corners of the earth; break the yoke of the nations from our neck and speedily lead us upright to our land. Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance, and You have chosen us from among all peoples and tongues, and You have brought us near our Sovereign to Your great Name, forever in truth; with love, that we may give thanks to You, and proclaim Your Oneness, with love. and love Your Name. Blessed are You, Lord, Who chooses God’s people Israel with love.
Which of these are most appealing to you? Why?
(ד) בַּשַּׁחַר מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וְאַחַת לְאַחֲרֶיהָ, וּבָעֶרֶב שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. אַחַת אֲרֻכָּה וְאַחַת קְצָרָה. מָקוֹם שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְהַאֲרִיךְ, אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לְקַצֵּר. לְקַצֵּר, אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לְהַאֲרִיךְ. לַחְתֹּם, אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי שֶׁלֹּא לַחְתֹּם. וְשֶׁלֹּא לַחְתֹּם, אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לַחְתֹּם:
(4) In the morning one says two blessings before it [Shema] and one after it, while in the evening one says two blessings before it and two after it, a long one and a short one. Where they said to make the blessing long – he may not shorten it. [Where they said] to make the blessing short – he may not lengthen it. [Where they said] to conclude it – he is not permitted to omit the conclusion. [Where they said] not to conclude it – he is not permitted to conclude.
ורבנן אמרי אהבת עולם וכו' - הלכך תקינו לומר בשחרית אהבה רבה ובערבית אהבת עולם:
Since we have a baraita that says eternal love the law has been established as: For Shacharit Ahavah Rabbah and for Arvit Ahavat Olam...
The version of the talmudic passage that was before many codifiers presented an earlier tradition, supporting the opinion of the Rabbis that ahavat olam should be said. Consequently, these halachists ruled that ahavat olam should be said. This is the accepted ruling in the Sephardi rite and the practice in hassidic communities (Rif, 11th century, Morocco, and others). As in the version of the talmudic discussion that we have before us, others saw the earlier tradition as supporting the view of Samuel, and hence they preferred the alternative formulation - ahava rabba (quoted in Rashba).
https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/judaism/world-of-the-sages-abundant-and-everlasting-love
בְּרָכָה שְׁנִיָּה אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם: הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַהֲבָה רַבָּה וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין בְּכָל אַשְׁכְּנַז.
The second blessing is 'Ahavat Olam'. (COMMENT: There are those who say 'Ahavah Raba', and this is in fact the custom in all lands of Ashkenaz.)
(ז) ברכת אהבת עולם פוטרת ברכת התורה אם למד מיד בלי הפסק:
(7) The blessing of Ahavat Olam exempts [one from] the Blessing of the Torah if one learned immediately [afterwards] without an interruption.