At our second night seders on Sunday night, we will begin counting the omer, entering the period of time on the Jewish calendar between Passover and Shavuot. These seven weeks are spiritually a time for self-reflection and personal growth, moving ourselves from a narrow mindset toward freer self-expression. The time also marks the journey in the Torah from when Israelites left Egypt to when we reached Mt. Sinai and received the Ten Commandments. Shavuot is the holiday that celebrates our people receiving the Torah from God, the book that makes us the "people of the book." So, as we count up to Shavuot this year, I want to highlight books that help us open up our minds, expand our understanding of ourselves and others, and express the seven sefirot (attributes) of the omer:
- Chesed (חסד): loving kindness
- Gevurah (גבורה): strength, power, justice, bravery
- Tiferet (תפארת): beauty, balance, compassion
- Netzach (נצח): eternity, endurance, victory
- Hod (הוד): splendor, majesty, glory, humility
- Yesod (יסוד): foundation, connection
- Malchut (מלכות): leadership
I'll highlight all genres - children's literature, popular fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and the occasional graphic novel - and try my best to avoid spoilers. I hope you'll share books that you think fit as we go along.
Looking forward to counting with you this year!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.