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.

Omer 2024 Day 9

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Day 9: Gevurah in Gevurah, Strength in Strength

There are many types of strength, as we will explore over the course of this week of gevurah and over the course of the omer. As we delve into the layers of strength within strength, it becomes apparent that there are various ways we can amplify our strengths within our lives.

Earlier this week, when I asked my daughters what strength means, they both made a muscle. Physical strength is often the most visible and obvious form of strength. Engaging in activities that strengthen our bodies, not only builds muscle but also boosts our endurance and overall happiness (think about all those endorphins). One of the constant complaints we hear from the Israelites in the desert is about their physical discomfort: the lack of food and water, the heat of the desert and the years of wandering. And once they make it to Israel, they will turn in fear of the physical size of the land's inhabitants, and refuse to enter. The fear of being weaker than their opponents will condemn them to another 40 years in the desert.

It is emotional strength that enables us to weather the storms of life without losing our sense of self. Having emotional strength is about being self-aware. It provides us with the perspective that helps us see the different layers of strength within ourselves and move forward with confidence in the world. The Israelites who saw themselves as grasshoppers compared to the giants living in the land of Israel could have used more emotional strength to help them manage their fears.

By recognizing our strengths and working to strengthen those aspects of ourselves that we see as weaker, we can overcome challenges and grow.

Omer 2024 Day 8

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Day 8: Chesed within Gevurah, Lovingkindness within Strength

Last week, we discussed how we find strength in kindness. Today, we are looking at the reverse: seeking kindness in strength.

While we established last week that kindness and strength are not opposing concepts, they often feel like they are. We often expect less kindness from strong people, less emotion, less empathy. We often expect strength and power to harden people, and conversely assume that kind, empathetic people are less strong. If you're a fan of the show Ted Lasso, this is a theme that the show played into quite effectively. Ted is overly kind and, as such, is often misjudged by those around him. This scene of Ted playing darts with his boss' ex-husband (who is not a good guy, in case you couldn't tell from the context) is a good example:

Kindness has a way of making us think that people are weak or can be walked all over. But showing kindness, even when we have the upper-hand (perhaps especially when we have the upper-hand) is the kind of strength to which we should aspire.