Day 29-23 Sefirat HaBinyan/Building the Realm and Counting Up

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalom (Reb Zalman) wrote:

“People who have worked on their awareness have pointed out that there are 49 days from the end of Tish’ah b-Av / the fast of the 9th of Av, to the day before Rosh HaShannah.  In counting S’feerah between Pesach andShavu’ot, we make our way downward from Chesed of Chesed to Malchut of Malchut.  During the Elul  season, we make our way upward from Malchut of Malchut toChesed of Chesed.”  (A Guide for Starting Your New Incarnation, 2001, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal, p. 1)

I will use this way of counting up through the days between Tisha b'Av and Rosh HaShannah to cleansing spirit and soul, using the sefirot as a spark for personal daily meditations to map out and reflect on the journey. Below are my kavanot or intentions for climbing up from 5773 to 5774.

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 29

Once upon a time we were children. If lucky we had loving parents to take care of and nurture us. They were the support posts to lean against as we stretched ourselves out into the world. How kind they must have been to put up with all our silliness. I am reminded of this as I spend the night in the house where I did most of my growing up. Each of us, mom and I, do things in our way in our respective worlds. Coming together now we must both be humble, be sensitive, and honor the other.

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 29 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 4 weeks, and 1 days, Chesed Sheb’ Hod.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 28

The month of Elul begins but I am immersed in endings. One friend’s father died and another friend has cancer. I visited an elderly neighbor recently moved to an assisted living home and other elderly friends with severe pain issues. The Zohar says at the start of Elul we are achor el achor (back to back) but by the end of the month we are panim el panim (face to face). Alright. I can use God’s silent enduring support now knowing we will talk later.

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 28 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 4 weeks, Malchut Sheb’ Netzach.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 27

“Psalm 27:1-By David. The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life-whom shall I dread? (#1)” There is a custom to recite Psalm 27 every morning and evening from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Hoshanah Rabbah. The Hebrew letters making up the word “Elul,” aleph, lamed, vav and lamed, are an acronym from Song of Songs “ani l’dodi v’dodi li” meaning “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me.” My beloved is Yah the Creator and my only fear is being left alone. “Psalm 27:1-Yah! You are my light. You are my savior. Whom need I dread? Yah, with you as my strong protector who can make me panic?” (#2)

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 27 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 3 weeks, and 6 days, Yesod Sheb’ Netzach.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/Psalm 27 #1 translated by Y.B. Marcus, Nissen Mangel and Eliyahu Touger, #2 translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 26

“Psalm 27:2-When evildoers approached me to devour my flesh, my oppressors and my foes, they stumbled and fell.(#1)” Trying to be eternally humble. If I do everything by myself where does community fit in? Being in prayerful devotion with the One is great but we want/need to live, love and work with people. To be a protector and be protected bonds us.“Psalm 27:2- When hateful bullies gang up on me, wanting to harass me, to oppress and terrorize me They are the ones who stumble and fall.”(#2)

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 26 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 3 weeks, and 5 days, Hod Sheb’ Netzach.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/Psalm 27 #1 translated by Y.B. Marcus, Nissen Mangel and Eliyahu Touger, #2 translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 25

“Psalm 27:3-If an army were to beleaguer me, my heart would not fear; if war were to arise against me, in this I trust. (#1)” In Western culture the heart is the center of feeling but in ancient times the heart or “lev” in Hebrew was also the center of thinking. My service to God must be both emotionally felt and intellectually thought for then I will be strongly rooted.“Psalm 27:3-Even if a gang surrounds me my heart is not weakened. If a battle is joined around me my trust in You is firm.”(#2)

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 25 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 3 weeks, and 4 days, Netzach Sheb’ Netzach.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/Psalm 27 #1 translated by Y.B. Marcus, Nissen Mangel and Eliyahu Touger, #2 translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 24

“Psalm 27:4- One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I seek: that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of the Lord, and to visit His Sanctuary. (#1)” The sanctuary I seek is not outside but in my own compassionate heart. So close it only demands that I want it.“Psalm 27:3- Only one thing do I ask of You, Yah: Just this alone do I seek, I want to be at home with you, Yah, All the days of my life. I want to delight in seeing You. Seeing You when I come to visit You in Your temple.”(#2)

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 24 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 3 weeks, and 3 days, Tiferet Sheb’ Netzach.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/Psalm 27 #1 translated by Y.B. Marcus, Nissen Mangel and Eliyahu Touger, #2 translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)

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BUILDING THE REALM-Day 23

“Psalm 27:5- For He will hide me in His tabernacle on a day of adversity; He will conceal me in the hidden places of His tent; He will lift me upon a rock. (#1)” I have flown to where I can take a whole deep breath. In. Out. No duties and no obligations. I have the space and I have the time to examine the small places in my soul as long as I am disciplined to do the work. “Psalm 27:5- You hide me in your sukkah on a foul day. You conceal me unseen in Your tent. You also raise me beyond anyone's reach.”(#2)

RIBBONO SHEL OLAM: I hereby prepare myself for Sefirat HaBinyan / a counting for building God’s realm during the time between Tisha B’av and erev Rosh HaShannah.

Today there are 23 days left until erev Rosh HaShannah, which is 3 weeks, and 2 days, Gevurah Sheb’ Netzach.

Dear God: Please let me be a vessel for Your light and help to align me with Your will. May this period of Sefirat HaBinyan and the New Year be for good, for peace and for blessing for all of Israel, for all inhabitants of the earth and let us say Amen.

(Day kavanah by Menuhah Peters/Psalm 27 #1 translated by Y.B. Marcus, Nissen Mangel and Eliyahu Touger, #2 translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi/prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Gabbi Seth Fishman)