From Rabbi Craig Mayers
June 2020
We have just finished a period of counting the days between Pesach and Shavuot, known as the Omer. The Omer is supposed to last for seven weeks, but this year it seems like we have become trapped in an extended Omer, similar to the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. We wake up, and we are still counting the days we have been in quarantine/lockdown. Of course, some of us need to do that or we would not know what day of the week it was! The Omer may have ended, but as of this writing we are still davening remotely and gathering on Zoom. And it’s been a lot more than seven weeks.
We have just finished a period of counting the days between Pesach and Shavuot, known as the Omer. The Omer is supposed to last for seven weeks, but this year it seems like we have become trapped in an extended Omer, similar to the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. We wake up, and we are still counting the days we have been in quarantine/lockdown. Of course, some of us need to do that or we would not know what day of the week it was! The Omer may have ended, but as of this writing we are still davening remotely and gathering on Zoom. And it’s been a lot more than seven weeks.
One of the core ideas of the Omer period is to use the days for self-refinement, much as the ancient Israelites were said to have done on their journey out of Egypt to Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. Each of the seven days of the week, and each of the seven weeks correspond to one of the middot, or values/virtues. When you make a grid of seven days by seven weeks, each day gets a unique combination of middot and therefore an opportunity for a specific fine-tuning of our spiritual selves. These attributes include Hesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut which translate as kindness, strength, beauty or splendor, power or conquest, humility, foundation, and sovereignty/presence in the moment. So, for example, Day 5 of the Omer crossed Hesed (kindness) with Hod (humility). The suggested action for that day of the Omer was to do an act of kindness for another person anonymously.
But the Omer is now over. As we find ourselves beyond the Omer in an extended period of counting days, we have run out of middot - or have we? What can we do during this time to not so much count our days but to make our days count?
A poll conducted in the United Kingdom in April reported that 3 out of 5 adults surveyed responded that they had planned or already started working on self-improvement. Some plan to master an instrument (12%), while others reported they planned to enroll in online university courses, or engage in activities like yoga, learning how to garden, researching family history, and more. A full third say they are going to work out at home every single day. Another 32% are hoping to become master chefs. The research also noted that 10% are working on mastering coding programs like Python, and 7% want to learn how to run a small business. A full 25% plan on being fluent in a new language by the time the lockdown is lifted. Interestingly, at TBS our basic Hebrew Reading class, conducted for the first time ever online, has a record number of students – over 40! That is more than triple the usual number who enroll!
But the Omer is now over. As we find ourselves beyond the Omer in an extended period of counting days, we have run out of middot - or have we? What can we do during this time to not so much count our days but to make our days count?
A poll conducted in the United Kingdom in April reported that 3 out of 5 adults surveyed responded that they had planned or already started working on self-improvement. Some plan to master an instrument (12%), while others reported they planned to enroll in online university courses, or engage in activities like yoga, learning how to garden, researching family history, and more. A full third say they are going to work out at home every single day. Another 32% are hoping to become master chefs. The research also noted that 10% are working on mastering coding programs like Python, and 7% want to learn how to run a small business. A full 25% plan on being fluent in a new language by the time the lockdown is lifted. Interestingly, at TBS our basic Hebrew Reading class, conducted for the first time ever online, has a record number of students – over 40! That is more than triple the usual number who enroll!
As Jews, we find ourselves in moments of self-improvement throughout our calendar. The High Holidays are starting to appear on our distant early-warning radar; by the time you read this, Rosh Hashanah will be only a little more than 100 days away. We are already working on what this year’s observance and celebration of the High Holidays will look like. Just like Pesach, it will be different from all others. And during the period leading up to Rosh Hashanah, we take an accounting of our souls as we strive to improve in the coming year. By the time Rosh Chodesh Elul users in the High Holiday season in August, we will have had lots of practice working on our nefashot (souls).
Although in many places quarantine restrictions are being eased, the virus has not been eradicated and no vaccine is yet available. Many people are going to continue to remain at home, and those who venture out will face a world with many new restrictions in the interest of public health. For those still isolating or restricting their activities, we should view this time as a golden opportunity to work once again on our own selves. No matter how many days we spend apart, know that we are not separated. Our kehillah remains whole, and vibrant. Hopefully you have joined us online for the many services and learning opportunities offered. All of us at TBS pray for the day when the long Omer of Covid-19 will end, and it will be safe to gather again together. And maybe even shake a hand or exchange hugs. Know that the day will come. Until that time, be safe, be healthy, be mindful of your middot, and don’t forget to make your days count while counting your days.
See you online!
Rabbi Craig Mayers
See you online!
Rabbi Craig Mayers