Omer Day 5 - Precious and Small

Today is the fifth day of the Counting of the Omer - a time when many Jews note each day between the Second Day of Passover and the next major holiday, Shavuot, or “weeks”. Each of the seven weeks and each of the seven days of these weeks correspond to a particular “sefirah” or “sphere”, or perhaps better, “a divine emanation/human aspiration”. These themes allow us to reflect on the days as we move from liberation to revelation in the Jewish calendar..

Today is the day of splendor, or the beauty of the tiny, or humility (“hod”) in the week of loving-kindness (“chesed”).

With the reading on the mysterious nature of the Tao below, I am reminded about a particular image to explain this idea of “hod”, which seems so difficult to translate. I imagine myself laying on my back, in an open field, looking into a clear night sky, seeing stars, knowing that they are a tiny amount of the total of stars in the universe. Around those stars might be countless beings looking up at them too. In this sea of vastness, I can float feeling the earth spin beneath me, and me carried away as an infinitesimal speck in creation. This seems a good image of humble meaning that I think “hod” may be aiming for.

We can be kind and compassionate, and do so out of humility, our of our sense of having little and still having something to give. We know that there is no naming of it that means anything more than that singular moment of generosity. That moment is precious and tiny all at once.

Wishing everyone generous moments of meaning, and a Shabbat Shalom, and Happy Passover.

Before and after meditating today I read this:

[From The Lao Tzu (Tao-Te Ching) as found in Wing-Tsit Chan (translator and compiler), A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, (1963), page 156, slightly adapted by Jonathan Freirich]

32.
Tao is eternal and has no name.
Though its simplicity seems insignificant, none in the world can master it.
If kings and barons would hold on to it, all things would submit to them spontaneously.
Heave and earth unite to drip dew.
Without the command of people, it drips evenly over all.
As soon as there were regulations and institutions, there were names (differentiation of things).
As soon as there are names, know that it is time to stop.
It is by knowing when to stop that one can be free from danger.
Analogically, Tao in the world (where everything is embraced by it), may be compared to rivers and streams running into the sea.

Omer Day 4 - Caring is Strategic

Today is the fourth day of the Counting of the Omer - a time when many Jews note each day between the Second Day of Passover and the next major holiday, Shavuot, or “weeks”. Each of the seven weeks and each of the seven days of these weeks correspond to a particular “sefirah” or “sphere”, or perhaps better, “a divine emanation”. These themes allow us to reflect on the days as we move from liberation to revelation in the Jewish calendar..

Today is the day of eternity, or victory, or ego (“netzach”) in the week of loving-kindness (“chesed”).

In combination with the reading below, I am reflecting on the long-term effects, the lasting impact of kindness from this day in the Omer, and the temporary effectiveness of the tools of conflict, as expressed in the Tao.

The lasting effect of compassion can be real, even if we don’t see it.

The lasting damage of conflict is real, and often both visible and unseen.

In both of these realms, the most profound effects are the least visible.

Let us not be easily swayed by the idea that a short-term visible impact makes the biggest difference.

Let us deliberate on the long-term effects of well-thought out kindnesses and compassion. Caring is strategic.

Wising all of you a meaningful day and a Happy week of spring festivals.

Before and after meditating today I read this:

[From The Lao Tzu (Tao-Te Ching) as found in Wing-Tsit Chan (translator and compiler), A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, (1963), page 155, slightly adapted by Jonathan Freirich]

31.
Fine weapons are instruments of evil.
They are hated by all people.
Therefore those who possess Tao turn away from them.
The good ruler when at home honors the left (symbolic of good omens).
When at war they honor the right (symbolic of evil omens).
Weapons are instruments of evil, not the instruments of a good ruler.
When they use them unavoidably, they regard calm restraint as the best principle.
Even when they are victorious, they do not regard it as praiseworthy.
For to praise victory, is to delight in the slaughter of people.
One who delights in the slaughter of people will not succeed in the empire.
In auspicious affairs, the left is honored.
In un-auspicious affairs, the right is honored.
The lieutenant-general stands on the left.
The senior general stands on the right.
That is to say that the arrangement follows that of funeral ceremonies.
For the slaughter of the multitude, let us weep with sorrow and grief.
For a victory, let us observe the occasion with funeral ceremonies.

Omer Day 3 - Beautiful limits

Today is the third day of the Counting of the Omer - a time when many Jews note each day between the Second Day of Passover and the next major holiday, Shavuot, or “weeks”. Each of the seven weeks and each of the seven days of these weeks correspond to a particular “sefirah” or “sphere”, or perhaps better, “a divine emanation”. These themes allow us to reflect on the days as we move from liberation to revelation in the Jewish calendar. For more on the Jewish mystical sources of these ideas, join us for today’s Jewish “Lunch” and Learn on Zoom here.

Today is the day of balanced beauty (“tiferet”) in the week of loving-kindness (“chesed”).

In my mind, this is the kind of beauty that one finds in the balance between two things, in symmetry, in good “feng shui” - the kind of beauty that communicates wholeness without blowing our minds.

In this it embodies this middle path that the Taoist reading below advises for generals, asking us to see our efforts as successful when limited.

When looking at this balanced beauty in the context of loving-kindness, the theme for this third day of the Counting of the Omer, I am reminded of the sense that no one attribute is enough. We need to be kind, to one another and to ourselves, but not to the extent that we no longer aim at a bigger purpose. All of these attributes are in service of our constantly shifting encounters with the world, which need kindness and strictness, at different times and in different ways.

Finding that beautiful balance means finding limits, means reflecting and stopping on the project, and asking whether or not we have done enough, or done enough in one way, before proceeding.

Both the Tao and Jewish mysticism are asking us to reflect - to think, feel, and seek inspiration - as part of our process of doing in the world.

Wishing all of you a good day, a Happy middle of Passover, and meaningful counting.

Before and after meditating today I read this:

[From The Lao Tzu (Tao-Te Ching) as found in Wing-Tsit Chan (translator and compiler), A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, (1963), page 154-155, slightly adapted by Jonathan Freirich]

30.
One who assists the ruler with Tao does not dominate the world with force.
The use of force usually brings requital.
Wherever armies are stationed, briers and thorns grow,
Great wars are always followed by famines,
A good (general) achieves their purpose and stops,
But dares not seek to dominate the world.
They achieve their purpose but do not brag about it.
They achieve their purpose but do not boast about it.
They achieve their purpose but are not proud of it.
They achieve their purpose but only as an unavoidable step.
They achieve their purpose but do not aim to dominate.
(For) after things reach their prime, they begin to grow old,
Which means being contrary to Tao.
Whatever is contrary to Tao will soon perish.

Omer Day 1 - home in the low places

Today is the first day of the Counting of the Omer - a time when many Jews note each day between the Second Day of Passover and the next major holiday, Shavuot, or “weeks”. Each of the seven weeks and each of the seven days of the week correspond to a particular “sefirah” or “sphere” or perhaps better, a divine emanation. These themes allow us to reflect on the days as we move from liberation to revelation in the Jewish calendar.

Today is the day of loving-kindness in the week of loving-kindness, so I will look at this idea in myself and in the world around me.

In combination with the Taoist text below, I thought of a line from Psalm 23 that has accompanied me through moments of difficulty, verse 4:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Maybe the low places, “the valley of the shadow of death” in the Psalm, the “ravine of the world” and the “valley of the world” in the Lao Tzu below, are not places to emerge from but places to work in.

I don’t need to leave the low place, I need to notice that the low place is a source of good things. I don’t need to run away, I need to find the companionship of meaning and mystery that dwells most deeply in the low places.

And for the Counting of the Omer, I need to be guided by compassion for both myself, my situation, and for everyone else.

Wishing all of you meaningful counting, a Happy Passover, a celebratory Holi, and a good week.

Before and after meditating today I read this:

[From The Lao Tzu (Tao-Te Ching) as found in Wing-Tsit Chan (translator and compiler), A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, (1963), page 154, slightly adapted by Jonathan Freirich]

28.
One who knows the male (active force) and helps to the female (the receptive element)
Becomes the ravine of the world.
Being the ravine of the world,
They will never depart from eternal virtue,
But return to the state of infancy.
One who knows the white (glory) and yet keeps to the black (humility),
Becomes the model for the world.
Being the model for the world,
They will never deviate from eternal virtue,
But return to the state of the Ultimate of Non-being.
One who knows glory but keeps to humility,
Becomes the valley of the world,
They will be proficient in eternal virtue,
And return to the state of simplicity (uncarved wood).
When the uncarved wood is broken up, it is turned into concrete things (as Tao is transformed into the myriad things).
But when the sage uses it, they become the leading official.
Therefore the great ruler does not cut up.