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

Day 31: Tiferet she b’Hod
The Blessing (Day 31):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Splendor, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom echad v’shloshim yom, shehem arba’a shavuot v’shlosha yamim l’Omer.
Today is the thirty-first day, which makes four weeks and three days of the Omer.

Week Five- Hod (Splendor, Glory, Reverberation)

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

The sum is greater than the parts. What a wonderful idea, but how does it translate when considering Tiferet she b’Hod, Beauty within the Splendor? It is the multitude of individual small bits of Beauty that are necessary to produce overall Splendor. I’ll use something from my childhood to illustrate this point.

My father is an avid lover of nature and its wonders, and he instilled this love of awesomeness of the universe in his children through some unconventional ways.  I can vividly recall summer afternoons when we would be caught in a rainstorm while driving home from a day of swimming in the local woods.  My father knew where each great naturally made swimming hole was from the creeks that flowed in the mountains surrounding our home in the valley of Wilkes-Barre, PA.  He would take us and the neighborhood children out for fantastic adventure-filled afternoons away from the cement and tile public pools that were found in the city.

Sometimes on those summer afternoons, we would be caught in a rainstorm.  He would pull our car to the side of the road, and we would watch as the raindrops would fall on the front windshield, making a dance as they each took a different path down the glass.  Although they essentially were the same chemical composition of oxygen and hydrogen (H2O), each was uniquely awesome, a variation of size and intensity, some reflecting light and shimmering while others remained dark and heavy to the eye.  They would play and dance together, creating a beautiful sight, the Harmony of each unique drop combining to create a Splendorous effect, and he would engage us in conversations about the sight and how awesome it was.

To magnify the joy and beauty to be found in this rather “mundane” event, he would have us all get out of the car (we were still in our bathing suits) and play in the rain along the side of the road.  He felt it was important for us to remember that we are part of the interplaying beauty and harmony of each unique part of the universe, and that it was appropriate to show our appreciation for it, rather than to hide away from it under umbrellas or in shelter.  (Obviously, this would not be in a thunderstorm, although he did love to bring us out to watch lightning on the porch, but that’s another story!) Don’t get me wrong – he didn’t elaborate in those words, yet I know this is exactly what he wanted to impart to us. That we are part of a bigger universe, and that we must appreciate each small piece for what it is as well as what role it plays to create the bigger aspect. The sum is greater than the parts, even when the parts are beautiful themselves.

We can consider this same concept by looking at the amazing way individual people, each with their own strengths and idiosyncrasies, can come together to work toward a wonderful goal.  Each individual talent, when pulled together, can create something greater than just the sum of the individual parts.  It is Harmony within the Splendor that is the cause of this beautiful magnificent world when brought together in this way.

Today, as Tiferet influences Hod, we remember that all life is a balancing act that contributes to the universe’s impressive and infinite variety, each part interconnected to the dynamic whole.

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

Day 30: Gevurah she b’Hod
The Blessing (Day 30):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Splendor, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Ha yom shloshim yom, shehem arba’a shavuot v’shnai yamim l’Omer.
Today is the thirtieth ay, which makes four weeks and two days of the Omer

Week Five- Hod (Splendor, Glory, Reverberation)

Day Thirty: Gevurah she b’Hod (Strength within Splendor) – LEFT SHOULDER to LEFT HIP

Maturity and acceptance are connected with the theme of this thirtieth day of the Omer, Gevurah she b’Hod.  We use Discernment to understand and accept how the world really works, the underlying configuration of the universe.  Informed choice is important whether we are choosing a career or ordering off a comprehensive menu at the deli.  In each case, regardless of being momentous or minor ones, we appreciate the opportunity we have to choose from many Splendid options.  Discerning which choices are right for who we are at different stages of our lives is a Gevurah she b’Hod task.

Today we are reminded to use our own strengths carefully, restraining the tendency to lose sight of the forest while contemplating the magnificence of one particularly marvelous tree.  To avoid being overwhelmed by Splendor, we must focus well, Discerning the appropriate options for this time and place.  In our personal lives, we recognize that internal strength is necessary to know that as our needs change, hanging on to old approaches dishonors our ability to grow.

Today’s theme touches me personally in relation to my career path(s), amplified even more this year.  As a child born in the late 1960s, I always would tell my mother that, although I appreciated the work done by her generation to ensure more options for me as a woman in the US, I felt completely overwhelmed at times at the vastness of the choices I could make.  The Splendor of what was available to me meant that I had to truly consider just what I wanted in life – that I had to Discern what path was the right one for me.  I became a hospital pharmacist after high school, and worked happily for 10 years in that world.  As I grew older, more options were put in my path, and yet again I found myself making a choice – I became a mother.  I tried to continue my pharmacy career, but within me, something wasn’t right – it no longer fit me.  Thankfully, I was able to let go of that “old approach”, and after a few turns, I found a new path to journey on – I became a massage therapist, working directly with people in need of my skills.  After 10 years doing that wonderful work, I found myself in need of another decision to be made. My health was compromised and required me to rethink what I could do. I stopped the work, spent a few years with physicians finding a way to heal my fibromyalgia body (or at least control it) and then another moment came to my world to decide what to do. Currently, I am working with our synagogue in a new high-level position as I try my best to help them navigate not just changes in the temple, but in the world as well. Although none of us are positive of each choice we make and if it’s the right one every time, I am so happy to know that Gevurah she b’Hod is here for me if and when I need it to discern what I can and should do, allowing me further growth, both in my work life as well as in all aspects of myself, spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually.  I am very happy that today, as I consider this theme, I can look back on choices I have made and feel proud and content with them.  This doesn’t mean that the Splendid variety of options not chosen are somehow bad or wrong, just that for myself, at each phase of who I am, I had the strength to Discern the right one for myself out of the diversity.

Today, consider a time when you were faced with a variety of tempting choices and you chose well.  Feel proud of making that decision.  If you find that the decision you made no longer fits you, take a step to consider the options you may have out of the vast and diverse possibilities.  It can be something major in your life, or something relatively minor, such as choosing to try the chicken marsala at your favorite restaurant instead of your usual chicken parmigiana.  Just being open to the idea that there is a glittering array of possibilities available to us in our life, and that we are in control of using our strengths to discern the best one for us is a wonderful thing.

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

Day 29: Chesed she b’Hod
The Blessing (Day 29):
Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sephirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, G-D, Source of Splendor, You make us holy through your mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.

Hayom tisha v’esrim yom, shehem arba’a shavuot v’yom echad l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-ninth day, which makes four weeks and one day of the Omer

Week Five- Hod (Splendor, Glory, Reverberation)

Day Twenty-nine: Chesed she b’Hod (Lovingkindness within Splendor) – RIGHT SHOULDER to LEFT HIP

Often the Lovingkindness we appreciate most is when it appears in unexpected ways. A smile from a friendly stranger, a call from an old friend, or a silent touch of condolence from a neighbor can brighten our day and shift our attention in a positive direction. The pairing of Chesed and Hod goes diagonally across the body, funneling overflowing Love through the heart, to be distributed in Splendid patterns in the world. Hod is like a prism, sorting and refracting the light of Chesed into Splended ordered array.

Like the famous words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning who asked: “How do I love Thee?  Let me count the ways.  I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.”, Chesed she b’Hod magnifies details of love.

G-D’s Lovingkindness is evident in the myriad blessings in our lives. Today, take note of some details of the blessings that abound in your world, and marvel at the variety of ways that these are exhibited. Like a prism, Hod shows us the many many reflections of an object. When paired with Chesed, Lovingkindness, even a simple object can bring love and joy when viewed in multiple ways. A flower, a sunset, a child’s happy smile, the sight of an old friend. These are the simple things that turn to big moments when viewed with the right mindset and blended with love.

*The basis of the information in today’s topic comes from and is inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 28: Malchut she b’Netzach
The Blessing (Day 28):
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 shmonim v’esrim yom, shehem arba’a shavuot l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-eighth day, which makes four weeks of the Omer

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

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

I am always amazed how relevant to our times the practices within our Judaism can be to our current modern days. The Torah portion often seems to be related to the exact things going on around us. So often our Counting the Omer, reflecting on the aspects of G-d within us and our world, is at a time when we are reflecting a lot on our world and dealing with aspects that we may not be prepared for, or at least that we don’t think we are prepared. Right at this moment, we find ourselves at the 28th day of the Omer, at Malchut she b’Netzach. It is here that we consider the knowledge of G-d’s constant and available Presence which give us courage to Endure disaster. Although not the same as an earthquake or other phenomenon, I think we can all agree that COVID-19 is a disaster of sorts, both health and economic.

When tragedy strikes, like some of us are experiencing now, it is sometimes unimaginable that the ordinary world goes on, that people can care about anything outside of the tragedy. It is at times like this that the mundane actions of everyday life can make the world at large seem callous in the face of our personal suffering. Even though some of us are facing major milestones without the same experience we expected, our tragedy is mundane in the eyes of someone who is suffering a more devastating experience. For example, my daughter is graduating from college in a remote virtual experience from our home rather than with her peers and teachers in one location together, just as they began 4 years ago. Our lamentation of the loss of this experience and the pain and suffering we are feeling can seem completely callous and irrelevant to someone who at the same time is experiencing the death of a loved one due to coronavirus. And to us, a person who is upset about not being able to spend time at the shore with friends may seem to be trivial compared to both of our situations. And so on. We find a way to continue on, all of us, in our own unique way for our own unique situation. It is Malchut she b’Netzach which helps us to remember the spiritual source of strength that helps us persevere through pain, anger and fear.

Today, consider how G-d’s presence influences you. What area of your world is filled with your Constant Energy (Netzach) and how has this Indwelling Presence (Malchut) influenced you to Persevere? Even though there may be times when it is difficult to continue on, we Endure with the support of G-d’s ever present Divine Energy.

*The basis of the information in today’s topic comes from and is inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 27: Yesod she b’Netzach
The Blessing (Day 27):
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 shiva v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot v’shisha yomim l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-seventh day, which makes three weeks and six days of the Omer

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

Day Twenty-seven: Yesod she b’Netzach (Foundation within Endurance) – GENITALS to RIGHT HIP

Ego has a bad reputation. It usually is seen as something negative, that to have an “ego” means you are arrogant and self-centered. This doesn’t fully represent the real meaning of ego. Ego is defined as self-esteem as well as self-importance attitudes. We should all strive for a positive self-esteem. A well-formed ego is the Foundation for a charitable, confident, wise and self-reflective person. Yesod she b’Netzach helps us stand on a firm Foundation, while still allowing us to keep moving forward with Endurance toward our goals. A healthy ego helps us to make the choices necessary to achieve this.

The great line that “practice makes perfect” really should be thought of more as the idea that “repetition leads to success”, which doesn’t require an absolute of perfection as the only measure of success. When we have a clear sense of a goal with a sturdy Foundation to start from, it becomes easier to expend the effort to Persevere, to Endure, to reach that goal. Yesod she b’Netzach helps us move small mountains every day.

*The basis of the information in today’s topic comes from and is inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 26: Hod she b’Netzach
The Blessing (Day 26):
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 shisha v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot v’chamisha yomim l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-sixth day, which makes three weeks and five days of the Omer

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

Day Twenty-six: Hod she b’Netzach (Endurance within Endurance) – LEFT HIP to RIGHT HIP

As we went over during the first week, there is a true link between Netzach and Hod that is quite different in comparison to the other sephirot. The distinctions between Chesed (Lovingkindness) and Gevurah (Strength) are crisp and separate as the right and left arms.  These arms are able to act independently and uniquely from the other.  Netzach (Endurance/Victory) and Hod (Splendor/Glory), however, are less easily separated, and the distinction between them is blurry.  This is well reflected in their bodily positions as right and left hips, since the movement of one inevitably causes movement of the other through their connection by the pelvis.  While we can move the right arm without requiring any movement from the left arm, the same is not true of our hips.  When we try to move the right hip, the left hip MUST also move to accommodate the new position.  Netzach cannot work independently of Hod.  Endurance cannot operate alone.

Hod, sometimes referred to as Humility, can be expressed in a willingness to yield to something and to make dynamic changes to adjusting situations.  Yielding, a result of Humility, is an essential element of Enduring.  Standing fast can sometimes be a formula for destruction.  Think of a tall strong oak tree in a hurricane.  Its inability to bend with the wind may cause it to be uprooted, yet a flexible reed, which yields to the wind, can survive without a problem.  The reed Endures because of its Humility; its willingness to move in a different way allows it to stay firmly planted in the ground.

Today, consider your willingness to bend in a situation while still standing strong in your ideals. This is Hod she b’Netzach.

*The basis of the information in today’s topic comes from and is inspired by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 25: Netzach she b’Netzach

The Blessing (Day 25):
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 chamisha v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot v’arba’ah yomim l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-fifth day, which makes three weeks and four days of the Omer

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

Day Twenty-five: Netzach she b’Netzach (Endurance within Endurance) – RIGHT HIP to RIGHT HIP

The energy of Netzach she b’Netzach is awesome.  It is like the explosion at the birth of a star, sending light years of energy out into the future, expanding the universe.  It is like ripples in a pond, or sound waves, projecting out from a source, undulating, enduring.  Netzach, which is often translated as Eternity, has a way of making us reach for the impossible even as we know it may be an exercise in futility.  Netzach is an acknowledgement of staying in it for the long haul and becoming painfully aware of how impossible the task ahead truly is – and still going forward.

When we are in the midst of some kind of uncertainty such as where we are with COVID-19 right now, or possibly some kind of personal turmoil, such as grieving the death of a close family member, suffering with seasonal allergies that make your head hurt with no end in sight, or the seemingly endless teenage years (which can feel like forever for both the teen AND the parent!), our pain and confusion seem inexhaustible.  We can find ourselves thinking that this transient feeling actually is a permanent one; that it will never end.

Netzach she b’Netzach gives us long-term perspective, reminding us to look past the immediate, and know that we will Persevere and move forward. Even more than ever we must use Netzach to meet our challenges, knowing that we will persist against the odds.  Today, let us all reflect on G-D’s constant energy within us to Endure. 

*The majority of the information in today’s topic comes from Rabbi Min Kantrowitz’s book “Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide”

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

Day 24: Tiferet she b’Netzach

The Blessing (Day 24):
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 arba’a v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot v’shloshim yomim l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-fourth day, which makes three weeks and three days of the Omer

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

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

Tiferet she b’Netzach is the state of having a balanced approach to life to assist in our ability to endure, persist, and ultimately thrive. Our life is filled with a multitude of changing circumstances that cause us to make adjustments to continue on.  Having a sense of internal Harmony and Balance enables us to make these small, or large, changes in our lives and help us in our Persistence to live our lives to our best ability.

Most of us are at a point now where our increased time with loved ones, although certainly wonderful on one hand as we may be able to have more time to spend with those closest to us, can be challenging to our relationships. I hear often from friends that this “together all the time” with their spouse is lovely, but ENOUGH! Admittedly, it is mostly women who I have heard this from, but I believe that is more likely because men would be less inclined to say such a thing to me because I am a woman! I have heard from men though who have said similar things about being at home with their school-age children. They say the togetherness is wonderful and they are happy to have this quality time with their kids, but it is definitely challenging as well.

Due to external factors which have changed in our lives, we can understand the situation and effect. But, this doesn’t consider that there are changes that have occurred INSIDE each of us as we are maturing and learning from these new experiences.  Maybe your spouse is struggling to find meaning in her day now that she is not working outside the home so she is scrutinizing you and your home more than she ever did before. Or maybe your child is missing the freedom from his family that going to school allowed him, and he may at first have been silent and melancholy, but now has become quarrelsome. Maintaining any long-term relationship under the stresses of balancing all different demands requires frequent adjustments, and open responses to each other’s needs as well as our own.  There is an understanding of our own Harmony, of what Balances ourselves as well as our relationship, and this has a direct effect on the Enduring respect and love we have for the other person.  When we don’t respect what is in our deepest hearts, we cannot have a strong relationship filled with honesty and beauty.

Today, consider relationships in your own life.  How do the scales in your situations function?  Are they balanced?  If not, is there a way to bring them into a harmonious place so that you can continue to move forward?  Can a sense of this Balanced Harmony help you to making a better, lasting relationship that can Endure?  If so, take a moment to reflect on ways that you can work toward this goal.

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

Day 23: Gevurah she b’Netzach

The Blessing (Day 23):
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 shloshim v’esrim yom, shehem shlosha shavuot v’shnai Yinin l’Omer.
Today is the twenty-third day, which makes three weeks and two days of the Omer

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

Day Twenty-three: Gevurah she b’Netzach (Discernment within Endurance) – LEFT SHOULDER to RIGHT HIP

Today we recognize how judgment and Discernment motivate Endurance.  In times of danger, when survival completely depends on diligent choices, it is imperative to find a way to focus, strengthen and channel any waning energy to Endure. Nothing could be more appropriate in our world right now than this. When we are all getting worn down from the experience of what COVID-19 has brought to our lives, it is easy to want to relax the rules a bit. This experience is daunting and exhausting for everyone. Now more than ever we need to make the right choice, the diligent choice to do what is necessary to keep the curve of this disease flattened, or at least flatter. That takes a lot of focus and strength to continue through and endure this new life.

Personally, especially today, I am exhausted. Along with a relatively small group of staff, I am working hard every day to try to do what I can to keep our congregants engaged and connected while also working in a completely unique situation that there is no playbook for from the synagogue archives. Every day I am tasked to make decisions that are affecting others. And although I try hard to get it right, some days that doesn’t happen. Today is one of those days. It is at these times that I pull upon my Gevurah, my strength and choices to guide me through Netzach to endure and persevere.

Tomorrow will come. We will endure. It is with proper strength and diligent decision making that we will get through this together. For now though, I’m going to discern what’s most important for me to persevere so I can continue to do what I can every day. I’m going to unplug, listen to my body and its pains, and get some sleep. By making that choice I can have the strength to continue on. Good 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. Right now, our healthcare workers are being pushed to the limit to care for the continued emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, and it is Chesed she b’Netzach that they will 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.