Hod of Tiferet - Humility in Harmony. Express compassion anonymously, without taking personal credit.
Netzach of Tiferet - Endurance in Harmony. Take a moment to reach out to someone who needs a compassionate word.
Tiferet of Tiferet - Harmony in Harmony. Expression compassion beyond your previous limits, towards someone to whom you have been callous.
From the Omer Calendar of Biblical Women (Rabbi Jill Hammer): Hannah (I Sam. 1-2) - Hannah is barren. Although her husband loves her, her husband's second wife torments her because of her infertility. Hannah goes to the shrine of the Tabernacle and prays for a son, promising that if she becomes pregnant with a son she will dedicate him to the Tabernacle. The priest Eli observes her lips move and thinks she is a drunkard. She protests that she is not drunk; she is a troubled woman who is speaking to God in her heart. Eli blesses her, and soon afterward she gives birth to a son, Samuel, whom she dedicates to the Tabernacle as soon as he is weaned. Every year from then on, Hannah makes a pilgrimage and brings Samuel a new coat that she has made. Tiferet is the sefirah of the heart, and Hannah speaks to God in her heart, telling God of her desire to have a child. When confronted by someone who does not value her prayer because it is not public, she defends herself, knowing that God hears even the most private of prayers. It is appropriate that Hannah represent tiferet shebetiferet, the essence of compassion, the depths of the heart. We embody Hannah when we express the true desires of our heart, asking for the compassion of the Divine and of human beings. Below - woodcut of Hannah praying for a child, Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794-1872). Gevurah of Tiferet - Discipline in Harmony. Express compassion in a focused, constructive manner by addressing someone’s specific needs.
Chesed of Tiferet - Lovingkindness in Harmony. When helping someone, extend yourself fully; offer help with a smile or loving gesture.
Malchut of Gevurah - Nobility in Discipline. If you need to correct someone, do so in a way that fosters the person’s self-respect.
Maimonides wrote "When one rebukes his fellow, whether in matters between the two of them or in matters between him [the sinner] and G-d (lit., 'the Omnipresent'), he must rebuke him privately (lit., 'between him and himself'). He should speak to him gently, in a soothing (lit., 'soft') tone, telling him that he is only saying this to him for his benefit and to bring him to the life of the World to Come." [See more here.] Yesod of Gevurah - Bonding in Discipline. Demonstrate to a loved one or friend how discipline expresses commitment.
Hod of Gevurah - Humility in Discipline. Before judging another, examine yourself for selfish motives or bias.
Netzach of Gevurah - Endurance in Discipline. Set short- and long-term plans; review daily to understand your unique ways of following through so you can cultivate consistency in action.
Tiferet of Gevurah, Compassion in Discipline. Behave compassionately to someone you have reproached.
Image - "Deborah" - by Gustav Dore. "Deborah embodies tiferet shebe’gevurah— compassion and balance even in the midst of judgment. We are most like her when we show strength but also empathy, allowing ourselves to see others’ point of view in addition to our own." - Rabbi Jill Hammer, Omer Calendar of Biblical Women. |
Counting the Omer -These brief reflections are based on A Spiritual Guide to the Counting of the Omer, by Rabbi Simon Jacobson. You can read more here. ArchivesCategories |