Counting the Omer-Week 1/LOVE-Day 7/KINGDOM

Sitting on the Sanibel beach.

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 7/(Malchut) KINGDOM

Malchut sits at the bottom of the kabbalistic tree and tonight I am sitting on the Sanibel beach. This is the last day of the week of love and it is the last night of this Florida vacation. Unlike Miami beach or Siesta Key beach this one in Sanibel is more rustic with fewer people so lots of space for meditative thought. A perfect spot to be for reflection on love and meaning and where to go next. With less people it was harder to find someone to take a photo. The man who did apologized that he couldn't take seem to take it without his shadow being in it as well. I told him it didn't matter but later it occurred to me that it was just right for the subject. The beloved is one royal and special but not detached from us. Our presence should be there even if it is only as a shadow. Then two boys holding palm leaves came by and started fanning me with them. How strange it seemed but like this we should always remain open to the love that comes our way.

After nightfall on Monday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is seven days which is one week of the Omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 1/LOVE-Day 6/FOUNDATION

Snowy white egret resting amongst the mangroves.

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 6/(Yesod) FOUNDATION

Where does it all begin for us? Where is the foundation of our love? In the beginning there was water it says in the bible and God's spirit moves over the water before any of the rest of creation happens. Today I took a kayak trip on the waters near Lido beach. I saw where great blue herons were resting as well as snowy white egrets and even an osprey nest with mom, dad and two babies. I held a conch  shell with a live conch in it as the guide plucked it out of the water and  watched the spines of a sea urchin move as it sat in my palm. We returned both back to the water hopefully with no harm done. My kayak moved through mangrove alleys the guide said had been dug by prisoners all to help turn fresh water to salt and rid the area of many mosquitos. As my boat moved over the waters I tried to reflect but the guide moved me too fast just like life often does. It is up to us to say stop and make sure we are still solid and strong.

After nightfall on Sunday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is six days of the Omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 1/LOVE-Day 5/SPLENDOR

The magnificent colors of a Siesta Key sunset.

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 5/(Hod) SPLENDOR

Last night when I returned to the hotel from evening shabbat services there was little time left before I would have to light my small tea lights to begin the holiday. On a whim I decided to walk down to the beach and listen to the waves. There I was greeted by the last rays of sunset, the splendor of the colors incredible! Love was pouring out of my heart and several of the people next to me started clapping loudly. Thank you, thank you! It was so quick. If I hadn't gone right down I would have missed it all. A lesson to keep our eyes open to the glory of love. Blink your eyes at the wrong time and it may be gone. This morning turned out to be a beautiful day. The social hall the Reconstructionist community was meeting in is next to a lake. I was drawn outside and found myself praying next to a lizard resting on a tree stump. As God and I chatted a fish jumped out of the water and a tall white bird on the other shore stood before me.  God's majesty.

After nightfall on Friday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is five days of the Omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 1/LOVE-Day 4/ENDURANCE

Me testing out the waters of Siesta Key

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 4/(Netzach) ENDURANCE

I am at the beach and the ocean I love but wouldn't you know it is raining! Raining when I arrived and raining today when I got up. So close and yet not what I imagined. No beautiful sunset. It seems very unfair. No matter what or who we love we have to know there will be times when it rains. What to do then? Be still, take a breath and then jump back in. No matter if it gets a little messy or you aren't quite sure about what to do. I am telling you to jump back in. One story about the crossing of the Reed Sea says that until Nachson jumped into the waters and kept moving forward even though the water came up to his chin, well not until that show of faith did God part the waters. I was thinking of just that image as I went down to the surf even with the rain dizzle and started to walk in and get my toes wet and sandy. If it is really love then we need to be willing to keep on going. I am willing to wait it out and still hoping for my beautiful sunset.

After nightfall on Friday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is four days of the Omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 1/LOVE-Day 3/BEAUTY

Young girl arranges beach chairs on South Beach

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 3/(Tiferet) BEAUTY

Seeing beauty in love can be obvious like two lovers kissing or a parent hugging a crying child. I was sure of what I would say and what I would show until AFTER the sunrise this morning. Yes God's beautiful love was what I was thinking of. The beauty of sun, sea, sand and surf that I had been praying with. Then I turned and saw her arranging her chairs. A young, petite, summer worker whose name I didn't get. She was taking white lawn chairs off of a pile and putting them out two by two. I watched her carefully move one, then another placing them in an order only she knew. She didn't do it like a chore or something she hated. No she did it in a loving way like it mattered. When I turned to look for the last time as I left the beach and saw her standing by her chairs against the sky I realized she was also doing it beautifully. We should all do whatever job we have as well as her.

After nightfall on Thursday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is three days of the Omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 1-/LOVE-Day 2/STRENGTH

A simple meal of matzah, melted cheese and carrots.

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 2/(Gevurah) STRENGTH

It has been revealed that in addition to love you do indeed need strength. The revealing came as my flights were late and so was getting my rental car. Instead of leaving Miami airport at 6:30 it was 9:30pm. As I searched for the page of directions to my first seder I received a text saying "the seder is over, sorry". I cried because I realized I had missed the first seder. I cried because I would never know these people who had agreed to let me come to their home. I cried because I was tired and hungry. From a heart of loving kindness came a strength I know not where. I headed for my hotel and a meal of matzah, baby carrots and cheese sticks. How precious was the next night's seder. How tasty was every piece of food I put in my mouth. How fascinating for failings that might have annoyed me normally were trivial now to this traveler and gratefulness was all I wanted to send forth. The strength in our love is knowing  we will get past whatever glitch has come up.

After nightfall on Wednesday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is two days of the Omer.

Counting the Omer-Week 1-/LOVE-Day 1/LOVE

National Airport, Washington, DC

Week 1-/(Chesed) LOVE-Day 1/(Chesed) LOVE

It is that time again for Peach seders and the 49 days of omer counting beginning on the 2nd night of Passover, Tuesday night. Our time to really take note of each of our days something we should be doing all year long if we only could. "All you need is love" sang the Beatles. I don't know that it is all you need but the fact it is the first sefirah we start with is always a remarkable thing to me. If only we could approach our Pesach cleaning with love, if only we could approach our interactions with each other with love, if only we could approach how we treat ourself with love, perhaps indeed it would be enough. I write these words as I sit in the airport waiting to fly to Miami and to one of the things I love, the ocean. For the first night I hope you will be WITH someone you love or be THINKING of someone you love as you say the blessing. I will be loving the ones who knowing I would not be with my own community invited me to seder. And yes, they did indeed invite me with love.

After nightfall on Tuesday:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM 

ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is one day of the Omer.