Counting Each Day-To Make the Day Count
by Rabbi August
Lent arrived first, followed by the Omer and later by Ramadan. All three religions observe a period of counting during this season.
For Christians, Lent begins 40 days before Easter. It is a time to “sacrifice” something in your life to improve your character. Each day has special prayers and Bible passages for study and self-reflection.
For Muslims, Ramadan is a 30 day period of fasting from dawn to sundown. Extra prayers and time for study and self-reflections are added every night.
For Jews, there is the “Counting of the Omer” – seven full weeks in anticipation of the 50th day, which is the holiday of Shavuot and receiving of the Torah.
Although each religious tradition has specific meanings and associations, they all share the idea that you count every day in order to make each day count. How can each day count?
This has been a poignant question during our quarantine. And now as we begin to open up and go out, we still have to ask ourselves how to be safe as we make each day count.
I remember when I lived in West LA how much I enjoyed picking up my newspaper from the driveway. Why? The reason was the blooming jasmine bush. Each morning I stopped, closed my eyes and breathed in the intense sweet perfume-like fragrance. For an instant I was smiling, content, filled-up with gratitude for the small miracles of beauty and aroma of nature. This moment was enough. What a great way to start my day!
Our lives are sustained by moments of joy, sorrow, love, resentment, hope and despair. Moments come and go – and the secret is to savor and be present in each particular moment. The ritual of ‘Counting the Omer’ (Sefirat Ha’Omer) encourages and aids us to pay attention to the sacred moments.
I realize that most of us have been trying to have meaningful moments in addition to our quarantined mindless activities.
This week leading up to our Lev Eisha service is the 2nd week of the Omer. We are in the week of Gevurah: Discipline and Holy Restraint. It is the time for setting boundaries, making distinctions and acknowledging limits. When Gevurah is out of balance, it leads to fear and grasping for control. It becomes “us against them.”
Rabbi Yael Levy taught, “in balance, Gevurah is the gateway to discernment and helps us stand in the face of mystery with humility and strength.”
May we learn from this week’s Middah (character trait) and ask ourselves: What limits should I place on my ego? What limits should I place on my desires? In what ways, as our lives open up, can we pause and simply appreciate what we have?
Shabbat Shalom.
Looking forward to sharing Shabbat together this Saturday,
Rabbi August
