Omer Reflections

by Melanie Gruenwald

The period between Passover’s Second Seder and Shavuot is an auspicious time of counting for the Jewish people. We call this seven-week period, ‘Counting the Omer’ Kabbalists have connected this journey to a journey through the bottom seven sefirot- seven weeks, seven days in each week– seven sefirot informing each step of the journey. 

 

One foot in front of the other

We trudge across the desert, look up

And wonder what the next day will bring us

Anticipation.

Generations in slavery and now we are free.

What does freedom look like?

Are we ever

Truly free?

All possibilities are possible.

Expanding Hesed.

 

Her hand holds mine as we guide the tribe

Women’s voices carrying across the sands together

Sticking together

As our clothes stick to our skin

Embracing protecting believing.

Cautious optimism.

Limiting Gevurah.

 

Arriving at an oasis

Resting, balancing

Harmonizing

We know we are on the right path

Although we never really know

Where are we going.

We lift our chests to the blazing sun.

Faces glow with reflecting light.

Our stomachs and souls are satisfied.

Harmonizing Tiferet.

 

Again we must carry ourself and our meager belongings

Stepping tenderly on the hot sand

Feel such exhaustion

We’ve never moved like this before.

Refreshed from Tiferet.

It is hard to start journeying again.

We know we can overcome.

We have overcome.

We will overcome.

There’s always a way.

Resilient Netzah.

 

We just keep going

the mountain is in view

One foot in front of the other.

So thirsty.

It’s hard to tell the distance through the desert haze

The sand storms

The wind

The rain

The holding on to hope

And letting go

Of control

We just have to move forward and accept what comes down.

Dayeinu we have come so far. Gratitude for what we have.

We have a taste of freedom.

We have choice.

We have experience.

We have each other.

Hold on and let go.

Accepting Hod.

 

We are standing at the base of the mountain.

Feet firmly planted.

In disbelief we have come so far.

Grounded.

A kiss between Tiferet and Malchut.

We are so close but not quite there.

No longer breathless we build our camps.

Our hearts are next to exploding.

The haze has lifted- the end is so close

Foundational Yesod.

 

Har Sinai

Mount Sinai

Receiving. Choosing. Accepting. Becoming.

So this is what the journey was for.

We are finally here.

This is freedom.

We have so many miles ahead.

Manifesting Malchut.

 

And we walk again.

Learn more about the Omer Count with KE’s Omer Journal:

https://kabbalahexperience.com/product/omer-journal-pdf-download/

 

Other Omer resources we love:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/how-to-count-the-omer/

Sefirat HaOmer Niggun (by Shir Yaakov Feit, Zach Fredman, and Yosef Goldman)

Spiritual Guide to the Counting of the Omer, Rabbi Simon Jacobson

https://www.keshercrafts.com/product-page/omer-counter?fbclid=IwAR1_mjJA_m7scO2cglHqq28-2MgD0kFydEHg7JRilrhQ2kOFY-b3TOFo9Tc

https://customandcraft.org/service/daily-rituals-for-counting-the-omer?fbclid=IwAR3NBK8qsdLStHbWW7EccSeC-JM7It7KRMF2tC3LmdmpHxy9NlOaCuKS3YY

https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50344&fbclid=IwAR3K1a_rrr5CBn1k5rPt-trjDB4fwRAzAqhhI2L27gH-_SJoTv-hVxXg-uE

https://ritualwell.myshopify.com/collections/dvorah-horn