Forty-eight days of the Omer 5778

Today is forty-eight days, which is six weeks and six days of the Omer. יסוד שבמלכות, יסוד שבשכינה. Yesod ShebeMalchut, Yesod ShebeShechinah. Bonding of Sovereignty, Bonding of the Divine Indwelling.

Are you secure enough in your own identity to bond completely with another person? Can you turn off the chatter of your ego mind long enough to feel the Divine Presence and attach as completely as possible?

Take time today to silence your thoughts. Take care before speaking your mind. Ask yourself: am I speaking honestly with another soul or creating rhetorical flourishes to exacerbate the divides between us?

We prepare for the day of rest from the mundane, a day of commune with the holy and the good. Try to reconnect with someone who has been important in your life. Thank them for helping you on your journey. Ask how they are doing. And let them know about this weird Omer counting thing you’ve been observing this year.

I thank you for traveling this path with me. Sharing ideas helps make them real.

Today, I procrastinated from writing my final paper of the semester by challenging people’s views on Israel and Gaza. I am still learning how to communicate about controversial subjects with grace and humility. I pray to become better at sharing my perspective while leaving room for other people. I pray for all who lost their lives in the past week. And I pray that one day soon, people will recognize Zionism as the patriotism of Israelis. May we come closer to peace and reconciliation.

And as we move towards revelation, may we be fully prepared for what awaits us. Shavuot and Pentecost occur this Sunday (Shavuot starts Saturday night after sunset). And it is also the fourth day of Ramadan. May the blessings of the season increase our understanding of one another.