La"G la'Omer
SEFIRAT
HAOMER – STEP BY STEP!
by Rabbi Ephraim
Sprecher
 |
| As R' Sprecher writes, the Sapphire is related to the word sefirah. Source |
Jonny
Maestro and the
Crests had a hit song in the late 50’s called STEP BY STEP.
Were they singing
about Sefirat HaOmer? Counting the Omer is all about a
process, a gradual STEP
BY STEP spiritual development. The Zohar in Parshat Yitro
states, when we were
in Egypt we defiled ourselves with all kinds of impurities,
until we were mired
under forty nine levels of impurity. Still, G-d rescued us
from all those
impure powers and delivered us to the corresponding forty nine
gates of wisdom
and Kedusha.
This was above and beyond what G-d promised to Avraham, which was simply to take us out of the physical bondage of Egypt. For this reason the Torah mentions the Exodus from Egypt 50 times, to demonstrate to us God’s loving kindness, by extricating us from the 49 levels of impurity and bringing us to the 50 levels of Kedusha. This is why we begin to count the days and weeks between Pesach and Shavuot.
Since the awesome event of the Exodus, 3,330 years ago, we commemorate that seven week journey, one day at a time, or Day by Day. Sefirat HaOmer teaches us that no challenge or obstacle is so great that it can’t be overcome, IF it is only broken down into manageable pieces. There was no way that Israel, just liberated from physical and spiritual slavery, could immediately achieve the level needed to accept the Holy Torah from the “Mouth” of G-d Himself. But the secret is, gradual STEP BY STEP spiritual growth, the achievements of each day become a resource for the spiritual challenges of the next day.
What I achieve today, gives me the spiritual capacity to do even more tomorrow. When Shlomo HaMelech dedicated the Beit HaMikdash, he prayed “that G-d would judge His people DEVAR YOM B’YOMO – to judge us, but each day, DAY BY DAY.” (Kings 1, ch 8) The message of Sefirat HaOmer is that living and progressing one day at a time, is a year-round success formula for facing and confronting the difficult challenges of life, and achieving spiritual growth. The motto is, today, is the first day of the rest of your life!
Sefirat HaOmer teaches us to make time count. We count each and every day, to make each and every day count. The word SEFIRA – to count, is also related to the word SAPIR – Sapphire. The lesson is that each day should be cherished, treasured, and unwrapped like a precious sapphire jewel!
This was above and beyond what G-d promised to Avraham, which was simply to take us out of the physical bondage of Egypt. For this reason the Torah mentions the Exodus from Egypt 50 times, to demonstrate to us God’s loving kindness, by extricating us from the 49 levels of impurity and bringing us to the 50 levels of Kedusha. This is why we begin to count the days and weeks between Pesach and Shavuot.
Since the awesome event of the Exodus, 3,330 years ago, we commemorate that seven week journey, one day at a time, or Day by Day. Sefirat HaOmer teaches us that no challenge or obstacle is so great that it can’t be overcome, IF it is only broken down into manageable pieces. There was no way that Israel, just liberated from physical and spiritual slavery, could immediately achieve the level needed to accept the Holy Torah from the “Mouth” of G-d Himself. But the secret is, gradual STEP BY STEP spiritual growth, the achievements of each day become a resource for the spiritual challenges of the next day.
What I achieve today, gives me the spiritual capacity to do even more tomorrow. When Shlomo HaMelech dedicated the Beit HaMikdash, he prayed “that G-d would judge His people DEVAR YOM B’YOMO – to judge us, but each day, DAY BY DAY.” (Kings 1, ch 8) The message of Sefirat HaOmer is that living and progressing one day at a time, is a year-round success formula for facing and confronting the difficult challenges of life, and achieving spiritual growth. The motto is, today, is the first day of the rest of your life!
Sefirat HaOmer teaches us to make time count. We count each and every day, to make each and every day count. The word SEFIRA – to count, is also related to the word SAPIR – Sapphire. The lesson is that each day should be cherished, treasured, and unwrapped like a precious sapphire jewel!
***
And don't forget to click the button at the top of the page to watch R' Ephraim Sprecher Videos!
No comments:
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments and read them all. You are invited to visit again and, of course, leave comments. These are the rules:
1. This is a change brought about by my first foul, spam-worthy comment on the part of an anonymous commenter: I WILL NOT POST ANY MORE COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS COMMENTS. You MUST have at least a nickname at the end of your post, period. If you don't have enough courage to name yourself in some form or fashion, don't bother to comment here.
2. If you do not agree with content posted on this blog, please use polite ways of responding; make it easy for me to resolve conflict. Foul language, nastiness and attempts to convert me and my readers to other religions will be deleted. My blog; my call.
3. I, the blogger, reserve the prerogative to moderate comments, or not, without notice, for any reason.