Today is Chesed she b'Hod - a day of loving kindness in a week of humility.
This fifth week of counting is the week of Hod - humility. In contrast to the week of Netzach - endurance - that just ended, Hod is another of the softer attributes. On the Aish website you can find Rabbi Simon Jacobson's take on Hod. He talks about reaching beyond yourself, recognizing that "When you're filled with yourself and your needs, "I and nothing else", there is no room for more." He defines humility as sensitivity, something that "is silent, but not a void." Hod may fall in the soft category of sephirot, it's not easy to practice. It takes a lot of awareness to bring true humility into your life.
As someone who falls prey to being judgemental, this is a good week for me to ponder why that happens and how I can avoid my judgemental tendencies. In the years of working on that part of my make-up, I have focused on changing my judgement into compassion, for if I didn't care there would be nothing to be judgemental about. I also need to add in more humility, look to empty myself of the all-knowing attitude that comes with judgement. This will make space for the compassion I seek, compassion for others as well as for myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment