Two Days of the Omer

Sinai Desert - Sabatka - Pixabay

Gevurah of Chesed
Boundaries/Discipline in Lovingkindness

I’m thinking about Yitro, Moses’s father-in-law and priest of Midian. I can see him there, just ahead of us. His eyes are sparkling as he walks with Caleb and Joshua. It’s hard to say what they might be talking about, but I think Joshua is . . . laughing? Yeah. He’s definitely laughing. The little ones, Gershom and Eliezer, Yitro’s grandchildren, are running about them. Remember Yitro’s seven daughters? They were at the well drawing water for their father’s flock when shepherds came and harassed them. Moses had just arrived in Midian, and he wouldn’t have it. He defended the sisters and drew water for them. When they returned home and told their father the story, he was incredulous! “Where is he then?” he asked. “Why did you leave him?” Go, he said. Go and invite him for a meal. 

And they did.

Maybe he hoped that a man like that, a man who wouldn’t tolerate other men’s harassment of women, a man who set the right kind of boundaries, who used boundaries in his kindness, would become a son-in-law. Later in our story Yitro wisely advises Moses in matters of governance and leadership, so we know he had keen discernment. And Zipporah, the daughter who married Moses, is decisive, clear-headed, and the epitome of personal strength and fortitude. It’s easy to see where she learned that from. 

Then again, maybe he just wanted to respond to kindness with kindness. You helped my daughters, please, join us for dinner. 

Watching him with Caleb and Joshua just now, I’ll admit, I’m a little jealous. See how he rests his hand on Joshua’s shoulder? See how he inclines his head to listen to Caleb? Just look at the pride in his eyes when they fall on his grandsons. 

The way the Torah tells is, Moses bowed low and kissed Yitro when he went out to greet him after escaping Egypt. It says they “each asked after the other’s welfare” and “Moses then recounted to his father-in-law” . . . everything. All of the hardships. All of the miracles. It says, “and Yitro rejoiced over all of the good that God had shown Israel.” 

Gevurah is discernment, commitment, and discipline. It is setting boundaries and prioritizing justice. Gevurah helps us set limits. It is with gevurah that we establish time for work and time for play, time for family and time for self, time for sleeping in and time for getting up early. Gevurah helps us muster the courage to do or say what’s right, especially when it’s not easy. It helps us say no or yes clearly and honestly, and not because of our desire to please or our aversion to disappointing. Gevurah helps us use our power wisely, and it gives shape to our individuality. On this second day of the Omer, we think about how gevurah can infuse our loving-kindness with strength and discernment and discipline. 

Me . . . I’m thinking about Yitro. 
See you at Sinai.

How to say the blessing:
Choose the language that resonates with you the most.
Non-gendered Hebrew based on grammar system built by Lior Gross and Eyal Rivlin,
available at www.nonbinaryhebrew.com 

Gender Expansive:

הִנְנִי מוּכָנֶה וּמְזֻמֶּנֶה …

Hineni muchaneh um’zumeneh …

Here I am, ready and prepared …

Feminine:

הִנְנִי מוּכָנָה וּמְזֻמֶּנֶת …

Hineni muchanah um’zumenet …

Here I am, ready and prepared …

Masculine:

הִנְנִי מוּכָן וּמְזֻמַן …

Hineni muchan um’zuman …

Here I am, ready and prepared …

All Continue:

… לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת
מִיּוֹם הַבִיאֳכֶם אֶת עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימוֹת תִּהְיֶנָה. עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת
הַשְּׁבִיעִית תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָה לַיי

… lekayyem mitzvat aseh shel sefirat ha-omer, kemo shekatuv batorah: us’fartem lakhem mimacharat hashabbat, miyom havi’akhem et omer hat’nufah, sheva shabbatot temimot tih’yena, ad mimacharat hashabbat hash’vi’it tis’peru khamishim yom, vehikravtem minkha khadasha l’adonai.

 … to fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer, as it is written in the Torah: And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Shabbat, from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the wave-offering, you shall count seven full weeks. Until the day after the seventh Shabbat, you shall count fifty days, until you bring a new gift to the Eternal.

Gender-Expansive Language for God

בְּרוּכֶה אַתֶּה יי אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשֶׁנוּ בְּמִצַוְּתֶהּ וְצִוֶּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר

Brucheh ateh Adonai, Eloheinu khei ha’olamim, asher kidshenu bemitzvoteh v’tzivenu al sefirat ha’omer. 

Blessed are You, Eternal, Life of all worlds who has made us holy with Their commandments, and commanded us to count the Omer.

Feminine Language for God

בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָ-הּ אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוְּתָהּ וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר

Bruchah at Yah, ru’akh ha’olam asher kidshanu bemitzvotah v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer

Blessed are You, Yah, our God, Spirit of the universe who has made us holy with Her commandments, and commanded us to count the Omer.

Masculine Language for God

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kidshanu bemitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

Blessed are You, LORD, our God, ruler of the universe who has made us holy with His commandments, and commanded us to count the Omer.

 Count the day and week

Today is the _________ day, which is _________ weeks and _________ days of the Omer.

Today:

הַיּוֹם שְׁנֵי יָמִים לָעֹֽמֶר.

Hayom sh’nei yamim la-omer.

Today is two days of the Omer!
Sefirat HaOmer Blessing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8hCiPI1tMQ