Day 15, April 12: The Hesed in Tiferet
12/04/21 09:09 Filed in: Omer
Today we meet the first day of the week of Tiferet, the Hesed in Tiferet…
If you go to this page of omerblog, you'll find a list of books, running down the right side of the page, on the counting of the Omer.
I am looking at those very books, stacked up on my desk right now as I type this, and they make quite a tall pile! Some of the books (all of which interpret each day of the counting of the Omer from the standpoint of Kabbalah/and the sefirot) tend to hew fairly tightly to a particular set of meanings associated with the particular sefirot combination of the day. Others take the combination of the day as more of a point of departure for other reflections.
The latter is the approach, generally, of Rabbi Yael Levy's Journey through the Wilderness. For each day of the counting, Rabbi Levy provides a brief, poetic observation, some suggestions for mindfulness practice for that day, and a quotation from the biblical book of Psalms (with a somewhat loose, original translation) relevant to her interpretation of the day's combination of sefirot.
For today, the fifteenth day of the counting of the Omer, the Hesed in Tiferet, Rabbi Levy takes Hesed to mean "love" in the broad sense, and Tiferet as "beauty." So, what is "love within beauty?" She puts it this way:
Her suggestion for practice:
Let your attention rest on something beautiful.
Breathed in its details, essence and fragrance.
Feel the radiance spread through your body and give thanks.
This interpretation of the fifteenth day of the counting of the Omer reminds me of the traditional blessing for seeing something (or someone) very beautiful.
I am looking at those very books, stacked up on my desk right now as I type this, and they make quite a tall pile! Some of the books (all of which interpret each day of the counting of the Omer from the standpoint of Kabbalah/and the sefirot) tend to hew fairly tightly to a particular set of meanings associated with the particular sefirot combination of the day. Others take the combination of the day as more of a point of departure for other reflections.
The latter is the approach, generally, of Rabbi Yael Levy's Journey through the Wilderness. For each day of the counting, Rabbi Levy provides a brief, poetic observation, some suggestions for mindfulness practice for that day, and a quotation from the biblical book of Psalms (with a somewhat loose, original translation) relevant to her interpretation of the day's combination of sefirot.
For today, the fifteenth day of the counting of the Omer, the Hesed in Tiferet, Rabbi Levy takes Hesed to mean "love" in the broad sense, and Tiferet as "beauty." So, what is "love within beauty?" She puts it this way:
The heart breaks open with the pain and joy of being aliveand the radiance shines through the cracks.Being awake to our lives, we experience beauty and sorrow.May we open to receive it all with gentleness, kindness and love.
Her suggestion for practice:
Let your attention rest on something beautiful.
Breathed in its details, essence and fragrance.
Feel the radiance spread through your body and give thanks.
This interpretation of the fifteenth day of the counting of the Omer reminds me of the traditional blessing for seeing something (or someone) very beautiful.
Barukh Atah Adonai, she-kakha lo b'olamo!
"Blessed are You, Holy One, in whose world there is such as this!"
I think this blessing points our attention not only to feeling love and gratitude that our world offers so much beauty, so much to delight the senses, but I think it also calls us to gratitude for our own capacity to respond to great beauty with awe, love and delight.
What experience of beauty fills you with gratitude?
Shabbat Shalom, in advance!
Rabbi Folberg
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