Omer 2025 Day 3

 Day 2 | Day 4

Day 3: The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Tiferet in Chesed, Beauty in Loving-kindness

"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

This was one of my favorite books as a child. I came back to it again and again, finding warmth and comfort in the emotional connection between a boy and his toys. The velveteen rabbit begins its life as a beautiful toy, but love and constant play turn the rabbit into a worn, old thing. Still, the boy's love for the toy doesn't fade with its beauty. Those imperfections are signs of fun and love. Even when the rabbit becomes real, he stays near the boy and the boy recognizes something of the love in him, sensing familiarity.