Counting the Omer 5783

 The period between Passover and Shavuot is a time for introspection and a good opportunity to work on character development as we move from the Exodus from Egypt to receiving the Torah. As in the past, the Life Is Like a Library reading list for these 49 days is a combination of Jewish and secular books. 

In Dance of the Omer: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Transformational Journey of Sefirat Ha'Omer (Mystical Skeptics Publishers, 2021), Rav Benji Elson presents the daily and weekly count as "a journey and process that follows the Waters of Eden as they flow out from the Garden, transform in the processes of precipitation, and ultimately, become the plants of the Garden -- this planet -- and the wheat of the Omer grains themselves. The Dance of the Omer, then, is a transformational 'movement' that mirrors the natural cycles involved in the growth of Life and in the growth of the Omer Offering itself." 

There are many "layers" to this dance. For each week, Elson presents the form of water (River, Sea, Storms, etc.) as well as the corresponding blessing from the Amidah, the Hebrew vowel sound, the type of song, the color, the direction (North, South, etc.), the element (Water, Air, Earth, Fire), the Archetype, and the Prophetess. There are meditations and visualization practices. For each day, there is a discussion of the power of that day, a practice, and a suggestion to apply what was discussed about the day. 

To be honest, there is a lot of metaphor and non-standard practice that is not my cup of tea. But the book provides a lot of information, and the metaphor of water flowing and changing works well to emphasize that we should also be building upon the days of the Omer, noticing the natural flow of life, and hopefully applying what we learn all-year round.

The New York Times Bestseller Atomic Habits by James Clear is a perfect book for the Omer. Don't think "atomic," as in Atomic Bomb blowing up things. Think "atomic" in terms of the atom -- "the smallest unit into which matter can be divided without the release of electrically charged particles." Tiny changes can lead to remarkable results. 

Why this book is so great is because, according to Clear, when you look at your habits, you don't want to think in the short term. 

THERE ARE NOT GOOD HABITS OR BAD HABITS. THERE ARE ONLY EFFECTIVE HABITS.

(This reminded me of one of the tenets of character development: there are no "good" character traits or "bad" character traits. The challenge is to have them in balance, with appropriate traits in appropriate situations).

You have to ask yourself:

DOES THIS BEHAVIOR HELP ME BECOME THE TYPE OF PERSON I WISH TO BE?

DOES THIS HABIT CAST A VOTE FOR OR AGAINST MY DESIRED IDENTITY?

Exactly what we should be thinking about as we count the Omer. Highly recommended reading for everyone, the young the better, so you can develop and maintain good habits and break bad habits early. 

As for the Real Cats of Israel, sometimes you just need to take a nap on a bookcase:

Happy Reading!

Counting the Omer 5778

It's spring, and while Alfred, Lord Tennyson labeled it as the time "when a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love," it is also a significant period on the Jewish calendar -- SEFIRAT HAOMER, or Counting the Omer. The 49 days between Passover and Shavuot are a time when flowers and trees blossom, when the weather becomes warmer, and when the Jewish people transform from a group of slaves to a nation worthy of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai.  Much like the plants and trees, it requires light, nourishment, and quite a bit of effort to produce results. These books can aid in the process.

Counting

There are many books to use during the Omer, including

• Counting of the Omer by Simon Jacobson (Meaningful Life Center, 1996);
• Sefiros--Spiritual Refinement through Counting the Omer by Rabbi Yaacov Haber and Rabbi David Sedley (JP, 2009);
• Omer: A Counting by Karyn D. Kedar (CCAR, 2014);
• Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide by Min Kantrowitz (Gaon Books, 2009); and
• Through the Gates: A Practice for Counting the Omer by Susan Windle (self-published, 2013).

There are two relatively new books that are excellent:

Rabbi Avraham Arieh Trugman's Sefirat HaOmer: The Significance of the Days Between Pesach and Shavuot (Ohr Chadash, 2018) offers a clear presentation of how the count inter-relates with the Kabbalistic sefirot, and the pages for each day offer quotes from the Jewish canon, significant events that occurred on the day, a spiritual meditation, and questions of the day. The entries are short enough to make daily reading enjoyable, but long enough to contain some real substance and ideas about which to think.

Journey through the Wilderness: A Mindfulness Approach to the Ancient Jewish Practice of Counting the Omer by Rabbi Yael Levy (A Way In, 2017) includes beautiful pictures of the American Southwest. Each daily entry is very succinct, with a line or two about the sefirot of the day, a practice, and a quote from Psalms. The words "journey" and "mindfulness" are a bit worn out from overuse, but the content is very worthwhile. 

Then there are books that are not specifically about Counting the Omer, but that focus on the same principles of character development, self-improvement, and improving relationships with God, other people, and ourselves.

Stages of Spiritual Growth

Batya Gallant's book is subtitled "Resolving the Tension Between Self-expression and Submission to Divine Will" (Urim, 2010). This unassuming little volume is the perfect complement to Sefirat HaOmer because the Stages of Spiritual Growth focuses on chesed (lovingkindess), gevurah (strength or self-control), and emes (truth, or tiferet - balance). Gallant defines the levels within each stage, so that one would hope to grow in chesed through the care and nurture of self, to the care and nurture of others. This is based on the formula of Rav Tzadok Hakohen of Lublin (1823-1900), a Chassidic master of Torah, but the ideas are timeless and the presentation is right on target and very clear. And there is no spoiler here: expression ourselves and reaching our potential spiritually is what God wants for us.

Fiction

Yochi Brandes is a prolific Israel author. Her bio from the Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature reads: 

Yochi Brandes was born in 1959 in Haifa to a family of Hassidic rabbis. She holds a BA in biblical studies and an MA in Judaic studies. Brandes taught bible and Judaism for many years, as well as creating courses on Jewish thought for various schools. She regularly participated in TV programs on Jewish studies, had her own column in the daily Maariv, and was the editor of a book series on Judaism. Today she lectures widely on bible and literature. Her writing is inspired by all Jewish sources: the Bible, the writings of the sages of Israel, Jewish law and prayers, the Kabbala, and Hassidic lore. Brandes has published novels as well as essays on biblical women—all of them best-sellers in Israel. She has been awarded the Book Publishers Association’s Platinum Book Prizes for seven of her books, including Kings III (2008), and the Steimatsky Prize for Akiva's Orchard (2013).

The Orchard is the recently published English translation of Brandes' 2013 book (Gefen 2017). It is the story of Rabbi Akiva narrated by his wife Rachel. The first 33 days of the Omer are a period of semi-mourning because during this time, 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students died. While this vignette is not included, Brandes weaves together the stories of Jewish Sages with the history of the period. The title is taken from an incident recorded in the Talmud Yerushalmi (Hagiga 2:1), where Rabbi Akiva and three other rabbis hope to delve into mystical matters, and he is the only to come out of it unscathed. Those who enjoy "biblical fiction" will want to read this one. 

The Courage to Change

Rabbi Yisroel Salanter (1810-1883) was the father of Mussar, a movement that strives to further ethical and spiritual discipline by developing one's character traits, or middos.  He made the following observation:

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. But I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I found I couldn’t change my country, I began to focus on my town. However, I discovered that I couldn’t change the town, and so as I grew older, I tried to change my family. 

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, but I’ve come to recognize that if long ago I had started with myself, then I could have made an impact on my family. And, my family and I could have made an impact on our town. And that, in turn, could have changed the country and we could all indeed have changed the world.

The Courage to Change (Al-Anon, 1992) is part of the official literature of Al-Anon,  12-Step fellowship for the families and friends of alcoholics. But you can be neither and still need to change the way you relate to people, whether you need to detach from unproductive relationships, or to take care of your own needs without feeling selfish. This book works well for the Omer because it is a collection of short, daily readings, and it offers such insights as "Recovery does not mean that I have to become a different person. It means I need to start being myself again."

And for those who need a musical reminder, Lenny Solomon of Schlock Rock parodies a Paul Simon song to let us know that there are "49 Days to Count the Omer:"

And, our course, the Real Cats of Israel are enjoying the spring weather:

Happy reading!

Counting the Omer

You shall count seven weeks for yourselves; from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. - Deuteronomy 16:9

These seven weeks fall between Passover and Shavuot, so that after celebrating freedom, we prepare to receive the Torah by working on refining character traits and focusing on developing our own potential and having more meaningful relationships with God and with our fellow man.  

What to read during this season?

Rabbi Noach Weinberg, zt"l, founder of Aish HaTorah, taught a course based on the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos, Chapter 6, Verse 6: "Torah is acquired by means of forty-eight qualities." Allowing one day for review, a quality, such as humility, joy or sharing the burden, can be reviewed each day. Rabbi Weinberg's course material has been adapted and updated by Rabbis Nechemia Coopersmith and Shraga Simmons. The short chapters discuss the "ways." At the end of each chapter is a section entitled "Applied Wisdom," which suggestions for thought and action.  Easy to read and insightful this Shaar Press (2017) book is particularly appropriate for the Omer, but worthwhile all year long.

During the seven weeks of counting, we focus on the seven basic emotions that make up the spectrum of human experience: 

Chesed - Lovingkindness
Gevurah - Justice and Discipline
Tiferet - Harmony, Beauty in Balance
Netzach - Endurance
Hod - Humility
Yesod - Bonding
Malchut - Kingship.

Two books that explore these are Simon Jacobson's A Spiritual Guide to the Counting of the Omer: Forty-Nine Steps to Personal Refinement According to the Jewish Tradition and Rabbi Yaacov Haber's Sefiros: Spiritual Refinement Through Counting the Omer. While Rabbi Jacobson focuses on the individual, Rabbi Haber (with Rabbi David Sedley) looks at ways to develop yourself, your relationship with God, and your relationship with your fellow man. These books also delve further into the Kabbalistic aspects of Sefirat HaOmer.

Looking for something a little more creative? Through the Gates: A Practice for Counting the Omer by Susan Windle compiled her thoughts and poems and her experience in a "Counting Group." One of my favorite selections is about Tiferet:

Tiferet is the wide-angle lens of the heart. Tiferet makes music, integrates a diversity of voices into one song beautiful and true. In Tiferet, we hold the truth with reverence, accepting what is so with grace. Tiferet balances Chesed and Gevurah -- holding in equal measure the flow of loving-kindness and the ability to set appropriate boundaries. Tiferet offers a wide open "yes" to love and delight and firm, assured "no" to self-indulgence.

And for something completely out of the box, try Iyanla Vanzant's One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 Days and 40 Nights Toward Spiritual Strength and Personal Growth. At first it seems a little sacrilegious to include this with books by venerated rabbis. But this Yoruba Princess and Oprah favorite has some sage wisdom that aligns with the themes of the Omer:

Remain open. There is something bigger than you know going on here.

Experience taught me that to believe in God is to recognize and acknowledge God's divine presence within yourself.

Your are not being tested! You are being fortified!

For those more comfortable on the Internet, there are loads of resources, including the ever-popular Homer (Simpson) Omer website with a printable calendar. 

Yesh Shem has a wealth of information and different Omer practices, from the traditional blessing and count to special Psalms and ways of studying Jewish text. The site is a challenge to navigate, but worth the extra effort if you are looking for more esoteric material.

We miss you Felix!

Meaningful reading!

Dairy Diary aka Shavuot in Israel

Two of the many advantages of living in Israel is that Shavuot is a one-day holiday and that for dairy lovers, there are a plethora of dairy products available.  Also an advantage, a copy of Dairy Made Easy, the new cookbook from Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek arrived right before Shavuot.

Number One recipe for this reviewer and her "tasting committee:"  Israeli Pizza Dip.  It's bad enough that people put corn on their pizza here.  It's bad enough that the secret ingredient pizza spice is a combination of sugar and MSG (probably lethal in large quantities).  Then you have to dip your pizza.  Many stores give out packages of Thousand Island Dressing, but it is not the same.  These two talented cooks have captured the flavor and enhanced it with the right combination of spices, a little kick, and no added sugar.  I could not figure out why someone would want to add anything to an already delicious slice of pizza, but after tasting this dip, I can see why it is so popular.

Shavuot is also a great time for dairy baking with real butter, which tastes so much better than margarine.  We had a standard Israeli cheesecake, which disappeared; and a layered dessert, which will probably not be made again because it did not disappear.  On the list for next year's dairy baking:  Chocolate Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Ganache and Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake.

Leading up to Shavuot is the Counting of the Omer.  The period between Passover and Shavuot is an opportunity to get ready to receive the Torah.  For me, once I have cleaned out the chametz, not just the physical bread and pasta, but any spiritual chametz in terms of ego or patterns of behavior that are not working, it's time to keep the momentum going. The mere act of counting these days has a meditative and anticipatory quality, and although I do not look forward to the Omer in terms of no music or celebrations, I do look forward to some spiritual growth.

I found an interesting book to add to my collection of  "Omer" books (see the AJL Bibliography Bank for a list). Through the Gates:  A Practice for Counting the Omer by Susan Windle took me out of my comfort zone.  She is a poetess who is involved with the Jewish Renewal Movement, and her life and background are totally different than mine.  But I identified with the Omer has a sacred time and space to think about different aspects of relationships with God, with other people, and with myself.  I also identify with following the structure of the count (at night, with a blessing, mentioning both days and weeks), while finding a way to make it your own, either through poetry, chanting, or just quiet time.

Jeanette Walls says that "one benefit of summer is that each day we have more light to read by."  Some I'm looking forward to more light and more reading.  What about you?