This week we focus on the sephira of Hod, the energy of splendor and reverberation. In many ways, I think of Hod as a kind of fractal mirror, with some imperfections in the glass, so each repetition is almost, but not exactly like the original
As our contact with friends, family, work and social connections are limited during this time, we have more time to concentrate on the intricate diversity in which we live. That dandelion in the yard is actually amazingly complex, with variations of color, petal shape, shadow and form. When we simply glance at it, we don't notice the details. The changes in the chopped onion as it browns in the pan are worth our attention- the color, texture, aroma are undergoing dynamic transformation in front of our eye (and our noses). This happens whether we pay attention or not, but when we do, the ordinary can be astonishing.
We have the opportunity this week to open ourselves up to breathtaking surprises. The disturbances in our accustomed rhythms of work, school, play, study, exercise or prayer, there are openings in time, gaps we don't usually see. Each of these can contain a universe of possible engagement. Think about a magnifying glass, examining a leaf. Then imagine that same leaf through an electron microscope. Then image you are an adventurous ant, encountering that same leaf in your path. The landscape is astounding....as an ant! As a human, we can encounter leaves with this same kind of appreciation of diversity...but not only leaves, also voices, and eye colors, and tunes, and flavors, and textures. Our precious relationships also include these opportunities to go deeper, in greater detail, with enhanced care.
This is a good week to look inward and outward at the same time, allowing ourselves to encounter patterns we hadn't previously noticed, intricacies of interaction in the physical and emotional worlds, startling intellectual connections and astonishing spiritual insights. Each of us, as part of this interconnected universe, receives and transmits the energy of splendor; it reverberates around the world.
Rabbi Min
The book, Counting the Omer is a Kabbalistic meditation guide to understand the in-depth meanings of each of the forty-nine days between Pesach (Passover) and the Shavuot celebration of the revealing of the Torah. Rabbi Kantrowitz follows Kabbalistic guidelines to show how the unique values of the sephirot interact each day, giving the reader insight into the strengths of the day. Through this guide the reader is led to meditate on the mystical qualities of life and self. Available at Amazon