Omer 2024 Day 10

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Day 10: Tiferet in Gevurah, Balance in Justice

The Israelites' journey from slavery to freedom is a story of liberation, resilience, and community. Yet, what makes this journey intriguing is the nuanced concept of freedom that it presents—a freedom that is not devoid of constraints, but necessarily intertwined with them.

The seven weeks of the omer mark the period between the Exodus from Egypt and our arrival at Mount Sinai, where God gave us the Torah. We are moving toward a relationship with God, and all the mitzvot (laws/commandments) of the Torah. This begs the question: What does it mean to be free?

Freedom is often perceived as a lack of restrictions, but what the omer and the Torah teach us is that true freedom is not found in the absence of constraints but in the ability to navigate them. As my kids get older, they gain more freedoms (drop-off play dates, later bedtime, more decision-making power for themselves), but there are still limits. Their new freedoms are intertwined with new responsibilities, and they (and me too, really) need to learn to adjust to the new rules.

The Israelites were freed from slavery and then given the choice to become klal Yisrael (the community of Israel). Community only works with limits and rules. Unchecked autonomy leads to chaos and anarchy. Freedom together, collectively, requires balancing individual needs with community needs. The mitzvot help us create a society by providing guidelines for ethical conduct and justice and fostering a sense of community.

The seven weeks of the omer give us space to reflect on our own paths toward freedom—both individually and collectively—and to embrace the balance between liberty and responsibility.