Omer 2016 Day 8: Michal

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Day 8: Chesed in Gevurah, Love in Strength

"When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that Michal daughter of Saul loved him, Saul grew still more afraid of David." (1 Samuel 18:28)

Michal was King Saul's youngest daughter, whom he gave in marriage to David in the hopes that she would be his downfall. Unfortunately for Saul, Michal truly loved David and her love gave him even more power. Michal herself found strength in her love for David as well, defying her father to help David escape Saul's attempts to kill him.

Michal's story was complicated in 2 Samuel 6:16-23, when her royal understanding of decorum caused a rift between her and David, who by that point had become king. The love they shared turned to hate and Michal lost her strength, represented by the fact that, because of their argument, Michal never had children.

Omer 2016 Day 7: Abigail

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Day 7: Malchut in Chesed, Leadership in Kindness/Mercy

In 1 Samuel 25, soon-to-be-king David meets a wealthy, but "boorish" man named Nabal. David and his army had recently helped two of Nabal's shepherds whom they had come across in the wilderness and, upon returning the shepherds and their flocks safely to Nabal, David asked him for food and supplies to continue their journey. The ungrateful Nabal refused and David and his men set out to kill him. David was talked down from his revenge by the "intelligent and beautiful" Abigail, Nabal's wife, who quickly prepared food, rushed out to stop David, begging him to show mercy on her husband.

How Nabal ever managed to marry a woman as wonderful as Abigail is a mystery, but her quick-thinking leadership, kindness toward David, and plea for mercy saved her husband (temporarily) and won David's respect and love. Nabal died shortly thereafter, freeing Abigail to marry David.

Omer 2016 Day 6: Rebecca

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Day 6: Yesod in Chesed, Foundation in Love

"Sister, may you become thousands of myriads; may your descendants take possession of the gates of their foes!" (Genesis 24:60) 

"And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah; he took Rebecca, and she became his wife and he loved her." (Genesis 24:67)

The first quote above was said by Rebecca's family as she left to marry Isaac. It is a blessing to all Jewish brides to this day, part of the bedeken (veiling) ceremony at Jewish weddings. The love that was the foundation of Rebecca and Isaac's relationship should be the foundation of all relationships.