day 41 of Omer HaTeshuvah begins the evening of August 8, 2020 (19 Av)
qualities of focus: Yesod (Connection, Foundation) within Yesod – a day of extra Connection!
the practice of Omer HaTeshuvah
Read, say, or chant any or all of the following:
This is Day 41 of Omer HaTeshuvah, of counting down the days as we turn towards Rosh HaShana.
Echad, yachid, u-m’yuchad. Echad, yachid, u-m’yuchad.
One, only One, all together One. (English from Reb Zalman Schachter Shalomi, z’l.)
One, every single One, each one joined and united with the One. (English source unknown.)
poetic meditations to help on your journey
Here are two poetic offerings to help with today’s journey.
The first is a meditation on re-connecting things that have been torn.
The second is a prayer to the Shekhina. This is a prayer for our better selves to prevail. It’s about our collective co-creation of tikkun olam (healing and transformation of the world), for the sake of Holy Blessed One-ness.
other practices you might try
- Consider the questions, feelings or thoughts that arise as you read today’s meditation, and journal what comes up for you.
- Chant the words “yesod b’yesod” (Connection/Foundation within Connection/Foundation). Use any melody or chanting modality that works for you.
- Sit quietly and notice your breathing. As you consider the qualities associated with this day, notice what comes up in your body. Breathe into any areas that need attention, letting out unneeded tension as you exhale.
- Stand, sit, walk, or look outside, and notice where you find a sense of Divine Presence.
- You might also like to try using this kabbalistic verse about unity and unification. “L’shem yichud kudsha brichu u-shechinteh,l’shem yichud kudsha brichu u-shechinteh. For the sake of Holy Blessed One-ness, unifying with Shekhinah, Divine Presence in our lives.”
- Invoke the name of God using the pronunciation of each Hebrew letter of the four-letter Name Y-H-V-H. It goes like this. “Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei, Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei, Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei, Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei.“
more about this day
Today is all about Yesod – Connection, Foundation, binding ourselves to the Divine, and to each other.
Yesod is a creative force, a connective energy. This connective creative force is considered foundational, essential. When our connection to the Divine is ruptured or interrupted, it can throw us off balance. Today’s meditation is about how a community was temporarily thrown off balance, and then re-balanced itself, when the thread connecting two pages of Torah unraveled.
On the kabbalistic Tree of Life, each of the qualities we explore in Omer HaTeshuvah is called a sefirah (plural sefirot). These include Malkhut/Shekhina (Divine Presence), Yesod (Connection/Foundation), Hod (Splendor / Humility), Netzach (Endurance), Tiferet (Balance / Harmony /Beauty), Gevurah (Strength/ Discipline/Boundary), and Chesed (Loving Kindness).
The bottom line for today is this – explore what connects you, what disconnects you, what tools or skills, ideas or processes, relationships or conversations, can help you to reconnect.
Make a donation
You may be receiving this post because you signed up for the class Omer HaTeshuvah: Turning Together towards a New Year. This program is being co-sponsored with Rapha: The Center for Healing and Spirituality. Please consider making a donation to support the work of Rapha and of Rabbi Shifrah.
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