Emor
At the moment we are right in the middle of the Omer Count. Its Source this weeks Parsha:
You shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbat, from the day on which you bring the Omer offering; seven complete weeks they shall be . . . (23:15)
Rabbi DovBer, the Maggid of Mezeritch has a fascnating explation of what the purpose of this counting is based on the Hebrew word Sefirah. The word sefirah, “counting,” also means “illumination.” On each of the forty-nine days of Sefirat HaOmer (the “Counting of the Omer”), we refine, develop and illuminate another of the forty-nine traits of our soul.
Seen in this context counting the Omer is not just about anticipating the receiving of the Torah but about building our personalities so that we can actually absorb the teachings of the Torah.
The purpose of the torah is to draw down Godliness into the world, but this is only possible if the human heart is open to the divine.
The 7 weeks of the Omer correspond to the 7 emotions of the Soul
Briefly : Love, Awe, Compassion, Endurance, Humility, Connection and Sovereignty
The truth is that these are based on very ancient Jewish sources and each trait requires an in depth explanation to understand why it is fundamental to the development of the soul.
But lets look at this past weeks Trait, Endurance (Hebrew Netzach lit. victory)
In the words of Rabbi Simon Jacobson
” Endurance and ambition is a combination of determination and tenacity. It is a balance of patience, persistence and guts. Endurance is also being reliable and accountable, which establishes security and commitment. Without endurance, any good endeavour or intention has no chance of success.
Endurance means to be alive, to be driven by what counts. It is the readiness to fight for what you believe, to go all the way. Without such commitment any undertaking remains flat and empty. It is an energy which comes from within and stops at nothing to achieve its goals. This, of course, requires that endurance be closely examined to ensure that it is used in a healthy and productive manner.
Ask yourself: How committed am I to my values? How much would I fight for them? Am I easily swayed? What price am I ready to pay for my beliefs? Is there any truth for which I would be ready to give my life?”
During this lock-down where almost every aspect of our lives has changed we can sometimes struggle to hold onto the things we usually hold dear. We may become lax in one aspect or another of our lives where previously we were more careful.
Especially in our religious lives where normal religious routines have been obstructed we can easily “let go of the baton”
But this is the challenge we face and we can overcome anything with the trait of “Endurance”
I have been so moved in recent weeks to see how many are joining for the Kabbalat Shabbat Zoom.
This is an example of how we can as a community continue to hold onto our Jewish values praying together and connecting with each other and Hashem.
Shabbat Shalom
