Saturday, April 27, 2019

Mad World

היום שבעה ימים, שהם שבוע אחד בעמר
Today is seven days, which is one week, of the omer
מלכות שבחסד
A day of leadership in a week of loving kindness

Today we finish a week of loving kindness, and look to the start a of week of strength.
We will need lots of strength.......

Today, six months ago, on this day, a gunman walked into a synagogue in Pittsburg, PA, on Shabbat, and opened fire --- killing eleven people, simply because they were Jewish. People murdered in their sacred space, some in prayer, some supporting those who pray, all killed because they were Jewish.

Six weeks ago, a gunman walked into two mosques in Christchurch, NZ, during Jumu'ah, Friday prayers, and opened fire --- killing 50 people, simply because they were Muslim. People murdered in their sacred space, some in prayer, some supporting those who pray, all killed because they were Muslim.

Today, a gunman walked into a synagogue in Poway, CA, on Shabbat, on the eighth day of Pesach, on a day when, as Jews, we honor and remember those who are now gone, and opened fire --- killing one person, simply because she was Jewish. A woman murdered in her sacred space, in prayer, killed because she was Jewish.

After the shooting and murders in Pittsburgh, I decided to wear a kippah all the time when out in the world. After the shooting and murders in Christchurch, I decided to remember the name of a victim each day as I count the omer. After today's shooting and murder......I don't know what to do.

Pittsburgh, Christchurch, the black church fires in Louisiana, Sri Lanka, and now Poway --- the attacks on people in their sacred spaces continues. My heart is broken...I admit to despair.

We live in a world gone mad.........


Sunday, April 21, 2019

That Ritual Push

היום יום אחד בעמר
Today is one day of the omer
חסד שבחסד
A day of loving kindness in a week of loving kindness

I've been counting the omer--fairly successfully :) -- eighteen years - another chai-year milestone. It's time to start this year's count. I am not prepared, but that's not the point - the count will still begin - it's season is not predicated on my life's flow. All I have to do is be present for a moment each evening, to say the blessing, and note the count. The formulaic nature of ritual does its job, giving me that supportive push. The spiritual sequence has begun, and once again, I'm in for the ride.