Mad World

היום אחד ושלשים יום, שהם ארבעה שבועות ושלשה ימים, בעמר
Today is thirty-one days, which is four weeks and three days, of the omer
תפארת שבהוד
A day of compassion in a week of humility

Words are not coming today, in this increasingly mad world........

Torah as Prism

היום שלשים יום, שהם ארבעה שבועות ושני ימים, בעמר
Today is thirty days, which is four weeks and two days, of the omer
גוורה שבהוד
A day of strength in a week of humility

I am humbled when my b-mitzvah students take in my teachings and make it their own. This is the strength and the future of our people.

Chag Sameakh Deja vu

היום תשעה ועשרים יום, שהם ארבעה שבועות ויום אחד, בעמר
Today is twenty-nine days, which is four weeks and one day, of the omer
חסד שבהוד
A day of loving-kindness in a week of humility

As much as I appreciate the big occasions in the Jewish sacred calendar--the festivals and holidays, with the ritual that goes along with them--it's the marking of the small moments, the ones more buried in the practice that give insight into the practicalities of the lives of the ancient Hebrews, while still creating space for a teaching from a modern perspective.

Today is Pesach Sheni, a day for those unable to celebrate Passover at its proscribed time of the 15th of Nissan.

Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelite people, saying: When any of you who are defiled by a corpse or are on a long journey would offer a passover sacrifice to Adonai, they shall offer it in the second month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. . . Numbers 9:9-11 

Commemorating our liberation from the slavery of Egypt is one of the most important rituals we have--so important that if something has stopped us from doing that at the proscribed time, we get a second chance. And not only do we need to stop to remember, but we are told that those who are with us are to share in the moment.

When a stranger who resides with you would offer a passover sacrifice to Adonai, he must offer it in accordance with the rules and rites of the passover sacrifice. There shall be one law for you, whether stranger or citizen of the country.                                           Numbers 9:14

This celebration is so important, so seminal to who we are and how we view the world, remembering that we were slaves, that we were freed. We need to remember the feeling of liberation and share it with others. There is no looking away from it, making sure we always have empathy for those who are enslaved, and raise our voices to help lead them to freedom.

Honoring the source, paying it forward

היום שמנה ועשרים יום, שהם ארבעה שבועות, בעמר
Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks, of the omer
מלכות שבנצח
A day of leadership in a week of perseverance

On this day of leadership in perseverance, I honor Enid Roth, who was in the first wave of women in broadcast television; who stood up for the right of women to have equal opportunities. She didn't win all her battles, but her voice was, however reluctantly at the time, heard. Enid was hired at NBC in 1952 as an executive secretary and rose in the ranks to become a news director. She was one of my role models at NBC, and I often think of her as I advise other women.

I also remember Enid's sharp wit, which, as I found out, has not been lost even if her memory is dim. I was so happy to see her at the Peacock North luncheon last week. I went up to her, wanting to tell her how she mattered in my life. I greeted her with, "Enid, I know you won't remember me, it's been 30 years." Still grasping my hand, she looked at me with a wry smile and said, "I wouldn't remember if I saw you yesterday." I told her that was fine, I remembered her, and thanked her for the time she took with me, how I take that time with others now. She was genuinely touched for that moment--a moment she may not remember but I will.

Grounded, not stagnent

היום שבעה ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות וששה ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty-seven days, which is three weeks and six days, of the omer
יסוד שבנצח
A day of foundation in a week of perseverance

Foundation is something that can keep you grounded, something to call on when things are crumbling around you. Foundation's stability does not depend on rigidity. In fact, a foundation that is too rigid will crack more easily, undermining its support.

Foundation within perseverance brings the flexibility needed to survive. Perseverance takes place over time, and time brings change. The core of our foundation remains an anchor within us, while the shape, size, and content will grow from that core with the perseverance of life.

Foundation in perseverance - we can stay grounded while moving ahead.

Bringing the Light to all the Sefirot

היום ששה ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות וחמשה ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty-six days, which is three weeks and five days, of the omer
הוד שבנצח
A day of humility in a week of perseverance

With thanks to my friend Leah M-O, I share this story not only of humility and perseverance, but of all the sefirot, the intentions, with loving-kindness, strength, compassion, foundation, and leadership.

How the Light Gets In . . . 

We stop so we can go on.....

היום חמשה ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות וארבעה ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty-five days, which is three weeks and four days, of the omer
נצח שבנצח
A day of perseverance in a week of perseverance

Today is the midpoint of the omer journey--as many days behind as there are ahead. It is Shabbat, of rest and reflection. Let us take a moment to be grateful for our progress so far, and gather our energy needed to move forward.

On this day of perseverance squared, we honor the stopping needed to continue.

Fava Bean Meditation

היום ארבעה ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות ושלשה ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty-four days, which is three weeks and three days, of the omer
תפארת שבנצח
A day of compassion in a week of perseverance

I live in the world of the Gregorian calendar, I practice and work in the world of the Jewish calendar, and I eat in the world of the California agricultural seasons. All three have highs and lows, with predictable patterns that still manage to bring surprises.

One of the joys of eating seasonally is getting those first fruits that mark the season. That will be celebrated in the Jewish world during Shavuot in, as we know from this count, twenty-six days :) But it's happening right now in my farmers' market. Cherries have made their appearance, and for a brief time, there will be fresh fava beans.

Fresh fava beans have a crispness that isn't there when the beans are cooked from dried. They are a commitment to prepare, with a three step process--depod, blanch, peel--needed before starting to work with them. Sometimes I wonder whether it is worth it.

While peeling beans today, memories of time spent at Tassajara Zen Center Hot Springs during guest season floated into my mind. There are many reasons why that is a very special place, one being the food. It's not just the taste of the food and the sharing of the food; it's also knowing that it is prepared by people who are making preparing the food part of their practice.

And that's what I did today. Peeling the beans felt tedious until I stopped and just stayed in the present while I went bean to bean, not counting how many beans left, not thinking, "well, maybe I have enough." I just stayed with the rhythm of each bean until there were no more. It was a form of meditation, a well-needed break from the world outside. And like the students at Tassajara, it integrated my practice into my life. A lesson of compassion and perseverance.

Survival

היום שלשה ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות ושני ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty-three days, which is three weeks and two days, of the omer
גבורה שבנצח
A day of strength in a week of perseverance

After today's vote in the House of Representatives, all I can say is I hope we have the strength and the perseverance to resist the injustices that this administration will create. We will need all our energy--physical, mental, and spiritual to survive the next 4 years.

Now, go and study

היום שנים ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות ושני ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty-two days, which is three weeks and one day, of the omer
חסד שבנצח
A day of loving kindness in a week of perseverance

The first partnership of chesed/loving kindness and netzakh/perseverance during the first week of the omer, was about the influence of chesed on netzach, bringing softness to determination. Today we have the flip side, bringing tenaciousness to softheartedness.

There is a focus to true acts of loving kindness, not just words said to appease. How do we get that focus? Sometimes, the universe gives the answer, as I share two teachings that I am about to share with a student.

Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were reclining in the loft of the house of Nit’za in Lod, when this question was asked of them: Is study greater or is action greater? Rabbi Tarfon answered and said: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered and said: Study is greater. Everyone answered and said: Study is greater, but not as an independent value; rather, it is greater as study leads to action.    ---   Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 40b

There was a famous saying of Rava: The purpose of learning is repentance and good deeds. ----  Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 17a 

There's a lot to unpack there. As Rabbi Hillel would say, "Now, go and study"

A Two City Gal

 היום אחד ועשרים יום, שהם שלשה שבועות, בעמר
Today is twenty-one days, which is three weeks, of the omer
מלכות שבתפארת
A day of leadership in a week of compassion

I spend the last day of this week of compassion as I spent the first day--in transit between the two places that anchor my identity, New York and San Francisco. My time lived in each city is close to equal. My soul holds the intersection between the two. Not a bad place to be.

On the Timeline of Our Lives

 היום עשרים יום, שהם שני שבועות וששה ימים, בעמר
Today is twenty days, which is two weeks and six days, of the omer
יסוד שבתפארת
A day of foundation in a week of compassion

I like to share The Timechart History of Jewish Civilization with my students. It's a great visual of the ebb and flow and milestones of our tradition. Major events, movements, monuments, and people are given sidebars and pictures. You zoom in to or out of the time periods to get different perspectives.

At yesterday's Peacock North luncheon, I got to reconnect with people I worked with for 10 years.......30 years ago. We have a lot of history together that is now, in itself, history. It was great to feel and receive such warmth that easily spanned the years. It was great to touch base and catch up and just have joy in seeing these people again.

Those 10 years are a definite era in the timeline of my  life. I'd have to think about what I'd highlight :)

On this day of foundation I get to honor a foundational time in my life.