Yedi'a

DAY 22 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

My apologies for the delay in sending this one our last night.

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 22: Chesed she b’Netzach

The Blessing (Day 22):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Endurance, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Hayom shnaim v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot v yom echad l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-second day, which makes three weeks and one day of the Omer

Week Four – Netzach (Endurance, Perserverance, Continual Energy)

Today begins a new week of the Counting of the Omer, one that is associated with Netzach, the energy of persistence and endurance. At this time, many of us may be struggling to continue with the count of the Omer. It is like the Wednesday or Hump Day of our practice, where the novelty has worn off, but the end is not visible yet. It is perfect that this week we will concentrate on Netzach, on endurance and perseverance, as we may need to push through this middle time of our 49 day count. The energy of Netzach is constant, forceful, enduring; it is the kind of energy we need to overcome obstacles. Netzach energy is not random, but rather it is organized toward a particular goal. This energy (Netzach) is in full force whenever we are called upon to meet the challenge presented to us with confidence and calm.

Day Twenty-two: Chesed she b’Netzach (Lovingkindness within Endurance) – RIGHT SHOULDER to RIGHT HIP

Chesed she b’Netzach is energy infused with love. Many of us know well the phrase that is repeated 26 times in Psalm 136 – “G-d’s mercy endures forever.” As we are created in G-D’s image, we are inspired and committed to tikkun olam, improving the world. This work requires a lot of Enduring stamina. When this energy is powered by Love and Kindness, it keeps us going, even when we hit difficult times.

With one of my careers having been in the health profession, I have seen first hand the perserverance and endurance of some of our medical professionals to carry on through both dangerous and exhausting situations. Being in the hospital with many of these workers, I’ve seen what it takes to give your own energy, fueled by compassion, to another human being. I’ve watched nurses pull double shifts to care for a person who is in crisis. I’ve watched doctors head back into the operating room after a full day of work to perform an unexpected surgery to save a person’s life. And I’ve constantly been in awe of our first responders, the EMTs and paramedics who provide emergency support in what are not always the cleanest of environments, from helping someone who collapsed on a dirty street of a city to seeing them work amidst the chaos of a tragedy such as an earthquake or a bombing. Chesed she b’Netzach is the energy which they must draw upon to perservere with compassion.

Not all of us will be called upon to endure through such extreme experiences. But, we all have moments in our lives when we know that Chesed has fueled us through Netzach to carry on and endure. A parent who stays up for hours in the middle of the night to soothe a colicky infant, or the exhausted caregiver who is fueled by love to endure helping an ailing family member in their time of crisis, or even the underpaid and under-appreciated teacher who continues to give his energy to students who are distracted and sometimes rude. Chesed feeds Netzach to energize us when we have little rest or reinforcement, insufficient support, or lack of appropriate recognition, so we can carry on working toward a better world. May we all find ourselves open to this extra boost of energy when we need it most, and use it to repair the world.

*Much of today’s writing is found in or inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 21 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 21: Malchut she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 21):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Harmony, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom echad v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot l’Omer. Today is the twenty-first day of the Omer, which makes three weeks of the Omer.

Week Three – Tiferet (Harmony, Balance, Beauty)

Day Twenty-one: Malchut she b’Tiferet (Indwelling Presence within Harmony) – BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH to HEART

This Indwelling Presence of G-D is an ideal counsel, judicious yet informed by the spirit of compassion in Harmony. It reminds me of the wise leader who understands how to get the best from everyone – by using Balanced consideration of all factors. It is the kind of guidance that takes into account not just the goal to be achieved, but the effect each approach may have on those involved. It is guidance without domineering control – a leadership that places dignity of compassion as a main tenet. This is something that I admit I strive to do as a leader. I don’t always hit the mark, I am sure. But I try, always, to be open to hear the other side, just accept that my initial way may not be appropriate, and to try to find the solution to any situation that is best for everyone. I never liked as a volunteer, a student or a child to be told that “it’s just the way we do it” or “because I said that’s how we will do it.” I know that things aren’t always able to be equal, but there needs to be some kind of Balance and Harmony in what we do together. That is what today’s theme makes me consider – how to bring that aspect into our lives to create a world of Balance.

Malchut she b’Tiferet calls us to our role as stewards of the earth: it reminds us to care for the earth, animals, other people. It also reminds us to care for OURSELVES appropriately and with respect. Kabbalistic tradition teaches that humans are in partnership with G-D to help perfect the world and that neither G-D nor humans can do it alone. Today’s theme of Malchut she b’Tiferet reminds us that both our own dignity and the dignity of the one who is benefiting from our action must be considered for Harmony to be achieved.

Many of us are much better at taking care of others than we are at admitting we need help. It is difficult for many of us to graciously receive the caring of others. We must recognize that, by moving past this difficulty, by seeking and accepting counsel and support, we can reach a new state of deep understanding and inner serenity.

Personally, I am fond of guided meditations, and I am most drawn to those that envision an outdoor beautiful natural environment as part of the meditative space. As we imagine a place that is quiet, calm, with outer stillness, we recognize how this mirrors an inner tranquility. My favorite meditative space, both physically when available to me, as well as internally within my minds’ eye, is in a cool forest, at springtime, near a gently moving brook or creek, at midday. This is where I am most comfortable and at peace. It is a space I visited often as a child growing up with a father who loves the outdoors, and for me, this is the space I most connect to the feeling of Indwelling Presence within Harmony.

*Much of today’s writing is found in or inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 20 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 20: Yesod she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 20):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Harmony, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom esrim yom, shehem shnai shavuot v’shisha yamim l’Omer. Today is the twentieth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks and six days of the Omer.

Week Three – Tiferet (Harmony, Balance, Beauty)

Day Twenty: Yesod she b’Tiferet (Foundation within Harmony) – GENITALS to HEART

People like myself who meditate often use the expression “to be centered” as a goal to be achieved through their practice. It indicates a state of positive feelings, of calm and clear thought. As a massage therapist, I was taught to start my work with a strong base foundation, at the Root Chakra, which is considered to be the body’s center of gravity, located just below the navel, along the mid-line energy path between Yesod and Tiferet. Some Jewish sources will even locate Yesod in this location, although traditionally Yesod is to be based at the genitals, the organs of reproduction and generational continuity.

Yesod she b’Tiferet implies the kind of Foundational strength required for a Balanced life. Foundation within Harmony is our “base camp” for spiritual exploration, a source of supplies and preparations needed before we can explore and journey. We know that it is easier to think clearly and calmly when the space around us is quiet and safe, but that isn’t always the way our lives work. Yesod she b’Tiferet, the affect of our Foundation on our Harmony and Balance allows us to access the building blocks of our Foundation, created from our core values and beliefs, to help us find a calming effect on our Heart to bring us to a state of Balance, even when things around us are not calm.

Yesod she b’Tiferet is a state of being well grounded yet balanced. It gives us the poise to stand up and express our individuality. We encounter fresh opportunities to examine who we are in relation to changed circumstances, such as a new intimate relationship, a new job, or a new leadership in a community group we are actively involved in. As we encounter unfamiliar situations, we react, change, and then develop a new sense of Balance. When we are secure in our deepest values, our core Foundations are strong and it is easier to adapt to changing circumstances. Today we recognize that it is Yesod she b’Tiferet that supports this aspect of our lives.

*Inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 19 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 19: Hod she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 19):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Beauty, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shisha asar yom, shehem shnai shavuot v’chamisha yamim l’Omer. Today is the nineteenth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks and five days of the Omer.

Week Three – Tiferet (Harmony, Balance, Beauty)

Day Nineteen: Hod she b’Tiferet (Splendor within Harmony) – LEFT HIP to HEART

Have you ever had those moments when you get a glimpse of something in a new way, and realize the sheer beauty of it all? Like when you see a flower growing by your porch, and stop all of a sudden at the vibrant color that is there in front of you. We pass it multiple times a day, yet we do not realize the amazing features of it until that one moment when we are struck by it. This may only last for a second, a millisecond even, but it is profound, and that moment changes you. Your soul sings at this moment, with a connection to the appreciation of the beauty of life. I read once that if you are balanced and together in your mind and spirit, life is beautiful for you no matter what happens in your world.

There are many ways that we can celebrate the Splendor of diversity, and appreciate the Beauty of it, not just observing nature around us. From the Jewish tradition of reading the Five Books of Moses (the Torah) every year in weekly sections to possibly something that your family does every year, like coming together at the same house each year to celebrate the Fourth of July, we can see how these repeating and similar patterns can expose a Splendid order yet each time can bring new wisdom into our lives. This continuation of traditional patterns help to maintain the Balance and Harmony we cherish.

Each spring is different, and each has its own Beauty. With Hod she b’Tiferet, we recognize the Splendid, varied order within Harmony. There is an underlying order within every beautiful object. I most came to appreciate this when I was in high school, observing for the first time the intricate order of things when I looked at them through a microscope. The further I looked at things down to their cellular level, the more I came to appreciate the Splendor within everything around us, and how easily this Balance can be disturbed. Both in science and in spirit, more of the hidden is revealed every day. However, each day the diversity of the planet is decreasing as a result of habitat destruction, poor management, and indiscriminate actions. When we do not honor the wonder of variety, we destroy it. Earth Day may have been celebrated last week, but today is another great moment to think of how we can honor the variety of our world and care for it for ourselves and for future generations. Life and the Earth are filled with wonderous variety and harmonious splendor, and Hod she b’Tiferet reminds us to embrace that Splendor and bring Balance and Harmony to our world.

*Inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 18 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 18: Netzach she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 18):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Beauty, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shmona asar yom, shehem shnai shavuot v’arba’ah yamim l’Omer. Today is the eighteenth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks and four days of the Omer.

Week Three – Tiferet (Harmony, Balance, Beauty)

Day Eighteen: Netzach she b’Tiferet (Endurance within Harmony) – RIGHT HIP to HEART

Today is the eighteenth day of the Omer. Ah – 18! What a fantastic number. At 18 years old, many of us feel like we are at the cusp of our lives. We are old enough to visualize our future and we are heading out to meet that future with the energy and optimism of youth. In Judaism, 18 is associated with Chai – LIFE! It is the complete energy of all that is life, and many of you may hear the wonderful Jewish toast “L’Chaim – TO LIFE” triggered in your memory and feel that energy that comes with those words.

Yet, we also know that life isn’t always easy. It takes all aspects of G-d in us to make it through intact. That is what these sephirot represent. So today, on the eighteenth day of the Omer, as we examine the influence of Netzach (Endurance) on Tiferet (Harmony/Balance) it is a wonderful time to consider how G-d’s energy of Enduring constancy in Balance is what, literally, enlivens us.

Netzach (Endurance) helps us to overcome obstacles in our path so that we can succeed. On this day of Chai (life) we find that overcoming obstacles in our life’s path is easier when we are in Harmony. There are sparks of G-D in all things. If we can remember this important teaching, it will help to soften apparent obstacles, diminish the intensity of these challenges and bring us to a place of Balance and Harmony. There have been times in all of our lives when we have had to expend much energy toward a specific goal, resulting in something wonderful. After the labor of Netzach, whether physical work, emotional struggle, or spiritual effort, we feel great joy at the Beauty of what has been born from our efforts.

*Inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 17 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 17: Tiferet she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 17):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Strength, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shiva asar yom, shehem shnai shavuot shlisha yamim l’Omer. Today is the seventeenth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks and three days of the Omer.

Week Three – Tiferet (Harmony, Balance, Beauty)

Day Seventeen: Tiferet she b’Tiferet (Harmony within Harmony) – HEART to HEART

There is a common idiom in the English language – in your heart of heart(s), which refers to the deepest depths of one’s conscience or emotions. What we find there is often a surprise even to ourselves. Prayer can be a wonderful way to reach this area deep inside of ourselves and see the truth that lies within. The Hebrew word that means “to pray” is l’hitpallel. It is a reflexive verb, meaning that it refers to the self and not to an external entity or attribute. Although we are often praying to our G-d, for many of us we know that we are also praying to G-d to help us to make our own way through whatever our situation. Praying is a way to access our own deepest inner strength, searching within ourselves for the answer we know exists there.

Tiferet she b’Tiferet is the pairing of intimate reciprocity as we try to align ourselves in perfect balance, being true to our Heart of Heart. When we know ourselves well, we appreciate our best qualities, strive toward improvement and forgive ourselves when necessary. We love ourselves with full knowledge of who we are and wish to be. We aspire to cherish those we love the same way.

Today, take a moment to sit quietly, take a few deep, cleansing breaths, and close your eyes. Listen intensely to what you hear both around you as well as what you hear coming from within yourself. When ready, open your eyes and really observe what is in front of you. Consider what you heard within your heart of heart, the true center of your inner harmony. As you go on with your day, be true to what you hold in your heart’s core. Focus on knowing and accepting your own inner beauty, bringing together that inner vision and our external reality on the path toward wisdom.

*Inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 16 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 16: Gevurah she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 16):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Strength, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shisha asar yom, shehem shnai shavuot v’shnai yamim l’Omer. Today is the sixteenth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks and two days of the Omer.

Day Sixteen: Gevurah she b’Tiferet (Discernment within Harmony) – LEFT SHOULDER to HEART

Gevurah she b’Tiferet reminds us that structure and discipline are essential ingredients in harmony and balance. The word halacha which means “to walk” refers to the Jewish legal principles that guide us in the proper way “to walk” through the world. When the essence of the law is interpreted well and honored by the community, people live in greater harmony. This encourages us that the discernment of what we choose and the structure which we instill in our world is meant to exist to create harmony, not chaos.

On this EARTH DAY, we can consider Gevurah she b’Tiferet is in relation to our environment. The earth is a beautiful, but delicate, planet. The fragility of the earth’s ecological balance is something that many of us are more acutely aware of and have taken active steps to alter our lives, even with small decisions that influence the earth’s condition. It is an intricate dance, and we Discern our role within it. From conservation to recycling efforts, the planting of trees and and the decreasing of toxic waste, Gevurah she b’Tiferet helps us to find the courage to act appropriately to help regain earth’s Harmony.

Today, consider the essence within some aspect of your life, discerning the unnecessary parts that may be keeping you from harmony. Remove these extra and possibly negative parts as much as possible, just as the gardener prunes the tree. This will allow the inner beauty of your life to shine through in true harmony and balance.

*For more information I suggest reading Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 15 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 15: Chesed she b’Tiferet

The Blessing (Day 15):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Strength, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom chamisha asar yom, shehem shnai shavuot v’yom echad l’Omer. Today is the fifteenth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks and one day of the Omer.

Week Three – TIFERET (Beauty/Harmony/Balance)

Day Fifteen: Chesed she b’Tiferet (Lovingkindness within Harmony) – RIGHT SHOULDER to HEART

We have reached the 3rd week of counting the Omer, which focuses on Tiferet, the sephira of harmony and balance. Our first week, which focused on Chesed, reminded us to recognize and celebrate the existence of compassion and lovingkindness in our lives. The second week, which focused on Gevurah, concentrated on considering the strengths needed to assess a situation and discern right action and good judgment. This third week, the week of Tiferet, reminds us to walk a balanced path and to seek equilibrium in the world around us. We will work to recognize balance and create harmony this week.

Tiferet is located at the Heart/Sternum, on the centerline of our body which is called the Pillar of Balance. As we consider the word balance, we realize that balance is an active verb, not a passive one. Learning to walk, riding a bicycle, holding a yoga position, or surfing a wave requires a physical awareness of the subtle shifts of weight necessary to maintain our balance because there are slight changes always occurring around us. This even is true on the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of our lives.

In Chesed she b’Tiferet, compassion fills our hearts. Our Heart Center (Tiferet) takes and stores the overflowing love of our Compassion (Chesed) in the center of our bodies in an embrace. This provides us with a feeling of balance and harmony that plays out through the rest of our world and our connections with others.

Chesed she b’Tiferet can be felt best through touch, such as when an old person touches the skin of a newborn child, when a gardener nurtures a tender seedling, or when a family member holds the hand of a dying relative. It is revealed in the acts of tzedakah (righteous charity), for it is by caring for each other that we express our own appreciation for the gift of life.

*For more information I suggest reading Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 14 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 14: Malchut she b’Gevurah

The Blessing (Day 14):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Strength, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arba’a asar yom, shehem shnai shavuot l’Omer. Today is the fourteenth day of the Omer, which makes two weeks of the Omer.

Week Two – Gevurah (Discernment, Restraint, Strength)

Day Fourteen – Malchut she b’Gevurah (Indwelling Presence within Discernment) – BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH to LEFT SHOULDER

Malchut is often translated as Kingdom, Dominion, or Sovereignty. It is also about Authority, and in relation to Gevurah it can convey a sense of authoritarian strength. Though these words can bother us in our current world, they can also refer to a situation of loving protection and respectful care-taking. As I consider this idea, I see an image of an old Kingdom with a castle surrounded by a moat and high walls, with the people inside being protected by the physical structure as well as the rules of the land. The responsibilities of Sovereignty include making both rules as well as guidelines, which have significant distinctions.

Rules have clear definitions, making it easy to follow them and easy to know if you’ve broken one. A guideline, however, advises a way of looking at something or suggests that we consider different ideas to shape our actions. For example, a 10pm curfew is a rule. But, “be home at a reasonable hour” is a guideline and is open to interpretation. We use our Indwelling Presence to help us to Discern the right course of action in our world of guidelines and to recognize the rules in our journey that help to shape our lives and steer our course.

The sephira of Malchut is also associated with Shechina, the feminine aspect of the Indwelling Presence of G-D. Malchut she b’Gevurah conveys the fact that the Holy Presence is close to us in all our decisions and judgments. Shechina is sometimes described as having wings. If we imagine those wings wrapping around us as in a hug, we can see how the embrace both restrains our actions and protects us.

Life choices may be made a little easier when we recognize that G-D holds us in a constant, strong, loving embrace. And, as we are created in G-D’s image, we too can hold someone close, protectively, tenderly, and with our own Strength. Today, either physically in your arms or spiritually in your heart, hold someone close in an embrace. Do the same for yourself, wrapping your arms around yourself in a hug and feel how you are made strong by both your own personal Indwelling Presence as well as Shechina, the Indwelling Presence of G-D.

*For more information I suggest reading Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

DAY 13 – Counting The Omer 2023/5783

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day.

Day 13: Yesod she b’Gevurah

The Blessing (Day 13):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Strength, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shlosha asar yom, shehem shavuah echad v shisha yamim l’Omer. Today is the thirteenth day of the Omer, which makes one week and six days of the Omer.

Week Two – Gevurah (Discernment, Restraint, Strength)

Day Thirteen – Yesod she b’Gevurah (Foundation within Strength) – GENITALS to LEFT SHOULDER

While Gevurah is about Strength and about Discernment, Yesod is our Foundation. It is a base of support where we can stand firm and strong to be able to make and discern our choices in life. Another aspect of Yesod is about Bonding – as Yesod is placed in a space which is a focal point that bonds together the other sephirot. A well formed Foundation bonds itself together as well as to the base on which it itself sits. For example, consider a cement block that will be used as the Foundation for a building. If the cement block is not mixed well, the elements do not bond well together, creating a weak Foundation. But even if the cement is bonded fantastically together, and it seems like a perfect base, if it is on a weak piece of earth that can not support or bond with the cement block, we are still left with a poor Foundation.

What makes the best Foundation? Is it one that is stiff and unmoving, unwilling to bend? A stiff foundation structure may fail if there is an earthquake, but a flexible one will move along with the shifts in the surface of the earth, keeping the building intact and its occupants safe. It is STRONGER because of this! We each stand on our own individualized spiritual base, constructed of knowledge, experience and practice, which is best developed through the elasticity of careful distinction, not the rigidity of dogma.

Today, consider your own Foundation. Is it flexible? Has it stiffened over the years from negative life experiences? Have you done enough to keep your Foundation strong? How you used your Foundation to influence your choices, your Discernment, and to make you Stronger?

A good exercise is to nourish your Foundation through a meditative movement. The first thing you do when you meditate is create a firm Foundation. Sitting, standing, laying down, it doesn’t matter – you become keenly aware of your connection to the earth, our Foundation. This feeling of being strongly grounded allows for an empowering connection with the universe. It props us up, supports our vision and gives us the confidence to recognize right action in a clear way. So take a moment, standing (or sitting) straight, raise your hands above your head, reaching as high as you can. At the same time bring your awareness to the contact between your feet and the earth. Feel both grounded and connected with a link between the above and the below, between the past and the present. This will take a moment, but will be a wonderful reminder that you are strong because your foundation makes you strong, allowing you to make choices to move upward and forward in the world.

*For more information I suggest reading Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”