DAY ONE

Counting the Omer, an ancient Jewish custom, is a meaningful way to mark time, express gratitude, refocus priorities, and contemplate deeply the meaning and purpose of our existence.  I’ve been doing this ritual for over a decade, and each year I find myself longing for the re-connection with myself and with G-d that I experience through this process.  It is so powerful for me that we begin just as we celebrate our liberation from Egypt.

The Hebrew word for Egypt, mitzrayim, means the “narrow or tight place”, and when I begin I am reminded of the narrowness that often enslaves us, and the work I will do to reach an ultimate level of expansiveness.  This process helps me to reach the inner depths to that ultimate goal.  Whatever your personal situation, we all have something that enslaves us, some “tight place” in our lives.  Over the last year, I had experienced many new issues that I had not foreseen, and I am going to use this year’s COUNTING THE OMER to help me to find my way back to my core self. Each of us have something that holds us back, and although some of these things may change there are also some that may always be in our lives.  We can learn how to move away from the tight places in our lives, away from those parts of ourselves that are enslaved, by considering the many gifts we have in our lives.  This journey is about finding a more open space within ourselves where we can fully appreciate all that we have and all that we are, and can feel our connection to each other, to our world and to G-d with humility and thankfulness.

I will use the concept of the sephirot, what I think of as the qualities of G-d that are within each of us, as a framework for the journey.  Each week concentrates on a specific sephira, and each day we consider that sephira in relation to one of the other sephirot.  The sephirot are “mapped” on the human body as well, so you know “where” they are concentrated within us.

We begin with Chesed – Lovingkindness

COUNTING THE OMER – This prayer is traditionally recited between sundown and sunrise of each day. Day one begins after the 2nd night Seder, on April 6, 2023 this year.

Day 1: Chesed she b’Chesed

The Blessing (Day 1):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b”mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Lovingkindness, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Hayom yom echad l’Omer.
Today is the first day of the Omer.

Week One – Chesed (Lovingkindness, Compassion, Grace)

Day one – Chesed she b’Chesed (Lovingkindness within Lovingkindness) – RIGHT SHOULDER to RIGHT SHOULDER

Chesed she b’Chesed represents the kind of unconditional love that we all deserve. Sometimes we can be afraid to open ourselves up wide enough for love to enter, but today we will try to overcome that fear to allow G-D’s love to enter us all.  Love is the single most powerful component in life. Love allows us to reach above and beyond ourselves.  Chesed she b’Chesed represents the experience of pure limitless, boundless love. As recipients of sparks of Divine Love, each of us is invited to spread Lovingkindness wherever we go.

We can ask ourselves – How can I spread Lovingkindness through my words, my actions, my decisions, and my attitudes?  How can I inspire others to be more caring to themselves and to each other? Today we focus in feelings of caring, kindness, and loving witness without boundaries. Both giving and receiving are necessary parts of sharing Lovingkindness, so we should seek the balance between getting and giving love.

Breathing slowly, take a few deep breaths, and with each breath focus on how you are being sustained at this moment by the unconditional love of G-D.  As you relax into your breathing, imagine a “tight place” within yourself opening and receiving the unconditional love and support of G-d.  As you exhale, try to imagine this dark area opening wide and on the inhale, imagine the space filling with a bright light of love and worthiness. 

* For more information on this subject, I recommend “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide” by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz.

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

Day 49: Malchut she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 49):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v tisha yom, shehem shivah shavuot yomim l’Omer.

Today is the forty-ninth day, which makes seven weeks days of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

Day Forty-nine: Malchut she b’Malchut (Indwelling Presence within Indwelling Presence) – BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH to BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH

Today is the forty-ninth day of the Omer, the last day of the counting of the Omer.  It is the final day of this reflective and contemplative time period, as we move from Passover and our freedom from slavery, to Shavuot and the giving of the Torah for us to receive.  Having done the spiritual work of the past seven weeks, moving from the opportunities opened to us after becoming free (at Passover) to the realization of our potential, moving from mere functioning to godliness.  At this time, we know ourselves a little better and are more ready to trust and to receive.  Today is a day for personal reflection.

Traditionally, this final night before Shavuot is Tikkun Lei Shavuot, a time for staying up all night with a group of people studying Torah, for a final spiritual preparation.  Although this is not a year in which I can do this, I can appreciate the beauty of this tradition.  Especially that it is done WITH other people in a group, rather than alone.  During this time of COVID-19 restrictions, when so many of us have had to be separated for family and friends, from our community in so many different ways, I can appreciate even more the loveliness of people coming together to share their thoughts and ideas in the world. So much of this time of counting the Omer is done for individual self-reflection.  I think it is beautiful and profound to have a tradition that culminates with a shared approach, a reminder that we are at our best when we share our thoughts, experiences, and lives with others.  Understanding our own selves is the first step, but it means much less if it is not shared.  Selfishness is not one of the Sephirot, and is certainly not a Jewish value.

As you may have discerned through these writings, my favorite interpretation of Malchut is not so much Indwelling Presence of G-D (although of course I do appreciate that interpretation as well).  It is Manifestation.  I connect very much with the approach of Malchut being connected to both the FEET as well as the MOUTH in our physical bodies.  When I chose to become Jewish, much of it had to do with my understanding of this religion as one that requires you to DO something, one that views what we give back to the world as among the most important aspects of the religion, and I’m not speaking monetarily.  Without discussing my direct reasons for leaving the faith I grew up in and pursuing a Jewish path instead, I can say that I was drawn to Judaism as a way to share with others a basic belief that what we DO matters most.  For this reason, I prefer to interpret today, Malchut she b’Malchut, as Indwelling Presence within MANIFESTATION.  It is G-D’s presence within us that we must Manifest into the world in some way.

Over the last few days, as we have moved closer to this final day of Malchut she b’Malchut, there is a common phrase that kept spiraling through my head, with a clearer meaning than ever before.  I believe it is the perfect phrase to end this year’s Omer period, and in many ways, it is a call to action for us all now that we have done the preparation work to greet Shavuot and receive the Torah and its teachings.  It is now time to “Walk the Walk, and Talk the Talk.”

**My approach to Counting the Omer has come from and been inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide” and I have profound gratitude for Rabbi Kantrowitz for providing the blueprint for this experience for so many of us.

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

Day 48: Yesod she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 48):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v shmonah yom, shehem shisha shavuot v’shisha yomim l’Omer.

Today is the forty-eighth day, which makes six weeks and six days of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

Day Forty-eight: Yesod she b’Malchut (Foundation within Indwelling Presence) – GENITALS to BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH

Everything that has lasting energy and is sustainable in life is built not just on a strong Foundation, but also on a flexible one.  Even with people, we find, that those with the capacity to adapt to changing circumstances are most successful in life.  Research on resiliency shows that very often people grow in positive ways in response to negative or challenging life circumstances, often becoming stronger as a result.  Even minor setbacks in our world can cause us to move slightly toward a more solid footing, giving us the ability to carry on, both to hear G-D’s Presence within us as well as to move positively forward in the world around us.  This is, in essence, what the importance is of Yesod she b’Malchut.  It is the effect of a strong yet flexible Foundation on the Manifestation of our Indwelling Presence.

The process of forming and maintaining a flexible foundation in our lives is a life-long task.  The commitment to keeping our emotional lives limber can be seen as creating a finely balanced springboard.  Today, we can contribute to that task by dedicating our hearts to regaining lost balance, recovering the small joys of feeling grounded, remembering moments of clarity in which we felt protected and held by G-D.

Psalm 94:18 says: “When I thought – ‘my foot is slipping’ – Your love, O G-D, upheld me.”  This is an example of the kind of flexible Foundation Manifest in Yesod she b’Malchut today.

**Today’s email has come from and been inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 47: Hod she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 47):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v shiv’a yom, shehem shisha shavuot v’chamisha yomim l’Omer.

Today is the forty-seventh day, which makes six weeks and five days of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

Day Forty-seven: Hod she b’Malchut (Splendor within Indwelling Presence) – LEFT HIP to BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH

In reference to the Torah, the 5 books of Jewish wisdom that help link us to G-D, we have been told to “Turn it over and again turn it over, for all is within.”  This quote from the Mishna reminds us of the Splendor and Variety of ways that our world is a reflection of G-d in our lives, as well as within our Torah.  Multiple interpretations of the Torah, as well as multiple interpretations of things that surround us, are important to fully understand anything.  Minority opinions need to be recorded as well as those more obvious and apparent thoughts as that allows us to fully view things through a variety of lenses, to allow complete consideration of all.

In Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book, from which I have drawn many of my considerations throughout this Omer period, she refers to an excellent example relating to Hod she b’Malchut.  She writes about the Hundred Drawings Project, a venture in which an artist (ONE INDIVIDUAL) decided to do 100 depictions of a simple object…none of which would be the same.  The object selected was not an object of emotional significance or one with formal aesthetic qualities, but a plain ordinary item.  After a number of drawings the initial excitement of varying the media or style to alter the representation seemed to diminish.  Then, there was a shift to a closer, deeper examination of the many subtleties of the object and new insights developed.  Whether we are artists or not, we can gain deeper appreciation of the Splendor of the world through closer attention.  As we become more deeply appreciative of the subtle wonders of life, we become ever more grateful for all we are given each day.

Today, take time to consider the amazing variety of things that surround you every day, and how each plays an important role in creating the entirety of the world as the Manifestation of G-D around us.

**Much of today’s email has come from and been inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 46: Netzach she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 46):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v shisha yom, shehem shisha shavuot v’arba’a yomim l’Omer.

Today is the forty-sixth day, which makes six weeks and four days of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

Day Forty-six: Netzach she b’Malchut (Endurance within Indwelling Presence) – RIGHT HIP to BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH

It is not always easy to keep ourselves moving forward, never faltering or stalling on our given path.  The challenges of life require a constant amount of energy, of Endurance, to make our way with grace and determination.  When we approach life with steadiness within ourselves, we can help influence others toward positive change.

I love the statement that if you never make a mistake, you never actually learn and grow. This fully applies to our lives – without the need to continue, to persevere, we would be stagnant, never able to fully fulfill our potential. The adversaries along our journey can come from external or internal forces; they can be material, emotional, or spiritual obstacles that have the ability to derail us from our path.  Yet these obstacles need not have a long term negative effect on us. If we try to take the bumps in the road alone, they are rougher and we can become resistant, angry, and resentful.  However, if we remember that Divine help is perpetually available, that we have an Indwelling Presence within us, the difficulties can become easier to manage.

We all have been through times when the road was rough and our original plan was no longer available or appropriate for our journey.  Sometimes, we don’t even know for sure what is the cause for our derailment, but we know we are stuck and unsure of what to do.  That is when we need clarity, to truly look at the situation and the real cause of the disturbance.  With that understanding, it is easier to develop a new way to tackle the problems or to find the stamina or Endurance to start anew.

Netzach she b’Malchut reminds us to keep looking beneath the surface and seek out the Divine that will illuminate a path toward resolution. Impulsive actions rarely lead to lasting victories, true healing of wounds, or lasting peace.  Allow Divine wisdom to provide clarity for you, to give you the skills to Endure and Persevere.

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

Day 45: Tiferet she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 45):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v chamisha yom, shehem shisha shavuot v’shlosha yomim l’Omer.

Today is the forty-fifth day, which makes six weeks and three days of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

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

I grew up loving music, and I still adore so many different musical styles. So I can’t think of the word Harmony without considering it in a musical context. Some pieces are lovely with their simple Harmonies full of predictable patterns using minimal vocals and instruments blending together. Others are quite intricate, requiring attention to the complexities and variations that combined provide a beautiful harmony that is variable yet still amazing. I find this most in the classical music I love, or modern music that utilizes complex classical concepts to produce their sound. Varied instruments, different in their structure, size, and sound, being able to come together to produce beauty and harmony is a manifestation of something glorious to me. That is Tiferet she b’Malchut for me.

It isn’t just the components that make something up that are important, but the way they work together that produces something exquisite.  In life we have this same opportunity to manifest Harmony between varying ideas, concepts, people and situations and find the Beauty in the relationship between them. Each of us is a tiny part of a huge universe, a small ingredient within the pulsing heart of creation, being kept in balance as we contribute our particular component.  Through Tiferet she b’Malchut we pay special attention to the intricate and perfect harmonies of G-D’s Creation.

Malchut is all about taking Action. We have the opportunity to Act to restore Harmony whenever we see the world out of Balance.  Our actions to join in the fight against the disharmony from injustices, conflicts, environmental imbalances and such is our way to help Manifest a world in balance. Consider how you can become a part of the Harmony of our vast world. 

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

Day 44: Gevurah she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 44):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v arba’a yom, shehem shisha shavuot v’shnai yomim l’Omer.

Today is the forty-fourth day, which makes six weeks and two days of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

Day Forty-four: Gevurah she b’Malchut (Strength within Indwelling Presence) – LEFT SHOULDER to BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH

Gevurah gives us the Strength needed to make wise choices, to use our best Judgment.  Good Judgment is something we develop over time through experience, learning, guidance and prayer.  At 51 years old, having had many different careers and life experiences, I know that my judgment today, and my strength of will and of character, have been a result of what I have learned over those years. My connections to people and to G-d have helped to bring me to a place of readiness to walk and talk with that Strength and Discernment – Gevurah she b’Malchut.

Today, we contemplate how to use good Judgment to promote our principles in the world.  As we know, Malchut is the outward Manifestation of the Divine energy within us as seen through our actions and words.  When do you step forth and explicitly state your own values?  When do you act to reinforce them?  How do you respond to injustice?  When are you silent?  When do you speak?  The influence of Gevurah on Malchut is the keystone to answering these questions.

Gevurah is like a kind of focusing apparatus for us, helping us to Discern the important aspects from the overwhelming din of everything around us.  For example, it is very easy to allow our emotional lives to become like a roller coaster, barely in control.  We compare ourselves to others and are dissatisfied with our lives.  We want more than we have, we become greedy or self-critical.  If we can refocus our perceptions, open to the enchantment of surprise, the magic of mystery, we can discern the touch of G-D around us.

The input of Gevurah helps our spiritual strength to grow in proportion to our awareness of G-D’s Indwelling Presence. Today, take 10 minutes of time to refocus yourself and feel, accept, and enjoy more awareness of Holy energy in your life.

**Much of today’s email has come from and been inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s amazing book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 43: Chesed she b’Malchut
The Blessing (Day 43):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Everything, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom arbaim v’shlosha yom, shehem shisha shavuot v’yom echad l’Omer.

Today is the forty-third day, which makes six weeks and one day of the Omer.

Week Seven – Malchut (Indwelling Presence/Manifestation)

Day Forty-three: Chesed she b’Malchut (Lovingkindness within Indwelling Presence) – RIGHT SHOULDER to BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH

Here we are – the final week of the counting of the Omer.  We pause for a moment, reflecting on the work and preparation we have done over the last six weeks since we began the journey of moving with intention toward our spiritual harvest.  Malchut is the sephira of Manifestation.  It is located at the bottom of the tree of life, where it receives the fruits of the past six weeks of spiritual growth.  The base of the tree is also where roots and trunk connect, reminding us that strong, deep roots keep every tree alive and upright.  Our focus over the last six weeks has created a deeper appreciation of this connection as well as the influence of G-D’s constant Presence within us.

Although at times over the last six weeks we may feel we made great strides in our pursuit of understanding and insight into ourselves and our connections with G-d. Judaism insists, however, that mere contemplation is not enough.  The insights and knowledge we receive must be used to transform the world.  This happens in the sefirah of Malkhut, where all that we have learned and understand is brought into an actualized reality in some form, as action or words.  We think, we organize, and finally, we speak and act.  This Manifestation, when done as a response to the Divine intent, becomes the mirror of Keter (Crown – the uppermost sephira of Kabbalah located at the fontanel of the skull, the opening that connects us to the Divine energy and G-D’s will).  As the mirror of Keter, this Manifestation becomes not only a vision of G-D’s will, but a reality of human effort to perform G-D’s will.

This final week of the Omer is like Shabbat, a time of reflection and peace, of spiritual contemplation.  As we do a final repetition of the cycle of the Tree of Life for this year, we take this opportunity to revisit each of the sephirot in preparation for receiving revelation on Shavuot (the day we celebrate the giving of the Torah to our people).

The first Sephirot we consider in this week of Malchut is Chesed. Chesed (lovingkindness) influences Malchut (manifestation) when we recognize the protecting compassion of G-D as our ideal parent – guiding, counseling, influencing, loving, guarding.  Today, we remember that the caring Presence always surrounds and shields us through Lovingkindness.

We can all consider how Lovingkindness influences our Actions and G-D’s Presence within them.  There is a line from a Beatles song that reminds us: “The love you take is equal to the love you make.”  Today, consider the wisdom of offering a spontaneous hug, making fleeting eye contact with an old woman on the street, or giving tzedakah (charity) anonymously and how Chesed influences these Actions.  The recipients of these acts of compassion are not only those who have been identified as “needy”, but all of us.  In this way, we are completing G-D’s desire for Lovingkindness in the world.

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

Day 42: Malchut she b’Yesod
The Blessing (Day 42):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Foundation, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shnaim v’arbaim yom, shehem shisha shavuot l’Omer.

Today is the forty-second day, which makes six weeks of the Omer.

Week Six- Yesod (Foundation)

Day Forty-two: Malchut she b’Yesod (Indwelling Presence within Foundation) – BETWEEN FEET/AT MOUTH to GENITALS

The sephira of Yesod is sometimes called the “Righteous One.” This comes from the statement in Proverbs 10:25 that says “The righteous is an everlasting Foundation.”  It is our Foundational beliefs that make us able to stand and be counted as one who is righteous, who is virtuous and moral. Daniel Matt wrote in his book Essential Zohar that ”One pillar extends from earth to heaven.  Its name is Righteous One, named for the righteous.  If there are righteous people in the world, the pillar is strengthened; if not it is weakened.  It upholds the entire world…If it weakens, the world cannot endure.  So, if the world contains just one righteous person, that person sustains the world.”

Malchut she b’Yesod has us consider how the Indwelling Presence of G-d within us has an effect on our Foundational beliefs of morality, our desire for righteousness. It is our opportunity to strengthen our own pillar, our own Foundation, so we can walk and talk (actions of Malchut) with morality. If our actions through Malchut do not reflect our actual foundational beliefs, there is still an effect on those beliefs. Our internal foundation can begin to crumble. The actions we take in the world must be in line with our Indwelling Presence, our spark of divinity, to keep our Foundation strong and intact.

Malchut reminds us that a spark of G-D dwells within us, inspiring and stirring us.  When we recognize this Indwelling Presence is providing stability to our personal Foundation, we can trust in our capabilities to meet challenges and tackle difficult tasks with confidence.  Machut she b’Yesod allows us to stand tall and strong in G-D’s influence.