Forty-eight days of the Omer: Foundation of the Divine Presence
Today is forty-eight days, which is six weeks and six days of the Omer. יסוד שבשכינה. Yesod ShebeShechinah. Foundation of Divine Presence.
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Moving towards revelation
We will complete our Omer counting tomorrow. These daily meditations lay the groundwork for Shavuot. That word literally means Weeks. It occurs seven weeks and one day after Passover. Originally the Israeli wheat harvest began on Shavuot. Early rabbis declared it the day the Torah was revealed on Mt. Sinai. We read the Book of Ruth and honor our holy sisters and brothers who formally chose to join us on the Jewish path, though we know their souls were with us at Mt. Sinai.
Merging the masculine and feminine
Before we get to Sinai, we must contemplate the Foundation of Divine Presence. Today we honor the masculine and feminine merging within us and between us. A day that combines the two sephirot most clearly linked to gender and sexual identity; a day that sings to Pride month.
Whether gender queer, bisexual, straight, gay, lesbian, transgender, or none of the above, we are all connected to the masculine and feminine within and beyond ourselves. This foundational truth is often obscured by the veils we cling to in life.
Remember to honor the shadow as well as the persona
Two years ago, I wrote deeply about the persona and how she forces the shadow to stay hidden. Last year, I wrote about the profound effect of sharing ideas and how that makes them more real. Completely different topics inspired by the energy of this day and the day preceding it.
Honestly, I want to take today to marinate in my thoughts from two years ago, which I am sure were inspired by reading Meeting the Shadow Within: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature. (If you've read the book, I would love to chat about it.)
Reflect, rejoice, and honor Jews by choice
As I nestle into the foundation of my acceptance of the Sovereignty of the Divine, I hope to reflect and rejoice. Even if my sinusitis precludes me from attending a late-night study session for Shavuot, this is still a juicy time of year.
Just as Shavuot is the holiday of the revelation of Torah, it is also the holiday of honoring Jews by choice. I become overwhelmed thinking about my soulmate, the man who made all my dreams come true. My holy partner who chose to formally recognize his Jewish soul as part of my path to the rabbinate. The best partnerships are built on holding space for one another; providing the foundation for soul-expanding transformation.
May your family of choice and of birth support you on your journey towards revelation and transformation.