Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 14 Iyar, 5783.  29th Day of the Omer

We start a new theme of the Omer this week!  It’s the Fifth week.  This week will be Lag B’Omer (Monday night into Tuesday).  More on that holiday to come!

This week’s theme is Humility.  Hod. As we move from endurance into humility, this is a great step for us in our journey to become better lovers.  Of ourselves first, then those around us.  Remaining humble in the face of love is grounding. If you look at love like a seesaw (or a lever).  The fulcrum is endurance.  Out of the seven characteristics, endurance (last week’s theme) is in the middle.  Three pieces on one side of it (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet – Loving kindness, Discipline, Compassion) which we studied previously, Endurance as the fulcrum, and now we have our final three themes (Hod, Yesod, Malchut – Humility, Bonding, Sovereignty/Leadership).

I see the first three themes as the foundation of the house.  Our lives need to be built on Loving-kindness, Discipline, and compassion.  Endurance and living in the world is the fire upon which the balance of our lives will be built.  Then we tip the scales after enough living – and operate from a place of humility, bonding, and leadership.  If we get too much on that side, we will be asked to go back to loving-kindness, discipline, and compassion.  The goal is balance.  Let’s see what Chabad has to say:

From Chabad:

Week Five – Hod

If endurance is the engine of life humility is its fuel. As gevurah (discipline) gives chesed (love) focus,  hod  gives netzach  direction.

Humility is the silent partner of endurance. Its strength is in its silence. Its splendor in its repose. Humility leads to yielding, which is an essential element of Humility – and the resulting yielding – should not be confused with weakness and lack of self-esteem.

Humility is modesty; it is acknowledgement (from the root “hoda’ah”). It is saying “thank you” to G‑d. It is clearly recognizing your qualities and strengths and acknowledging that they are not your own; they were given to you by G‑d for a higher purpose than just satisfying your own needs. Humility is modesty; it is recognizing how small you are which allows you to realize how large you can become. And that makes humility so formidable.

Endurance draws its energy from the acknowledgement of humility. Human endurance goes only as far as your tolerance level. Acknowledging that your strengths come from a higher place gives you the power to endure far beyond your own perceived capacity. It gives you part of G‑d’s enduring strength.

A full cup cannot be filled. When you’re filled with yourself and your needs, “I and nothing else”, there is no room for more. When you “empty” yourself before something which is greater than yourself, you allow in much more than your limited capacity. Humility is the key to transcendence; to reach beyond yourself. Only true humility gives you the power of total objectivity.

Humility is sensitivity; it is healthy shame out of recognition that you can be better than you are and that you expect more of yourself. Although humility is silent it is not a void. It is a dynamic expression of life that includes all seven qualities of love, discipline, compassion, endurance, humility, bonding and sovereignty. Humility is active not passive. Not a state of being but an interaction even in its calm and inaction.

One key phrase for me is this: “It is saying “thank you” to G‑d. It is clearly recognizing your qualities and strengths and acknowledging that they are not your own; they were given to you by G‑d for a higher purpose than just satisfying your own needs.”  Do we primarily focus on our strengths and qualities to satisfy our own needs? Or do we use them for a higher purpose?   This is the root of humility.

A higher purpose.  That’s what I am feeling this morning.  What is our higher purpose? I believe it is different for each of us.  It is also possible each day our higher purpose changes?  Maybe I need to drill down that our higher purpose isn’t so different.  Maybe our higher purpose is to “arrive” in each moment of our lives and make conscious decisions about how we will engage in the moment?  Will we bring love, compassion, endurance, humility, bonding, and sovereignty to each moment of our lives?  Will we live each moment for a higher purpose?  Maybe that is the common theme for all?  I don’t know.  I am curious to your thoughts on this!

Let’s dig in even deeper.  Today is the first day of this theme.  From Chabad:

Day One of Week 5: Chesed of Hod

Examine the love in your humility. Healthy humility is not demoralizing; it brings love and joy not fear. Humility that lacks love has to be reexamined for its authenticity. Sometimes humility can be confused with low self-esteem, which would cause it to be unloving.

Humility brings love because it gives you the ability to rise above yourself and love another. Arrogance in the guise of love means loving yourself, or what is even worse: making others a part and an extension of yourself and your self-love.

Does my humility cause me to be more loving and giving? More expansive? Or does it inhibit and constrain me? Am I humble and happy or humble and miserable?

Exercise for the day: Before praying with humility and acknowledgment of G‑d, give some charity. It will enhance your prayers.

What is interesting about the connection between today’s theme and the torah portion is Sukkot/Shimeni Atzeret.  Giving charity is a major part of Sukkot.  We are reminded to give.  Love is giving. It isn’t taking.  Love is receiving. It isn’t taking.  The harvest of love begins with humility.  We cannot receive love without humility.  We cannot give it without humility.

Kindness. Can we be humble  if we are unkind to ourselves?  Kindness within is the beginning of humility.  Curiosity and not judgment.

What are your thoughts?

From my commentary a year ago:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 12 Iyar, 5782

Today is the 27th day of the Omer

Good morning! Today’s portion talks about the Holy days of Sukkot – and the last day of Sukkot which is a different Holy day, Shemini Atzeret.

Fun fact about Shemini Atzeret; our third daughter, Johana was born on Shemini Atzeret!

Let’s dig in!

Here is what the Torah says about Sukkot:

1. On the 15th day of the seventh month is a Festival of tabernacles – a period of seven days for God
2. The first day is a holy celebration- we should not perform and manual work
3. For seven days we should bring a fire offering to God
4. The eighth day will be a holy celebration for us, and we should bring a fire offering to God.

The Torah then adds this interesting tidbit:

This is a time (the eighth day) when God holds back the Jewish people to be with Him for another day.

So remember – Sukkot is about the harvest season coming to completion. Shavuot is the start.

Hashem loves us SOOOOOO much that when the Harvest comes to an end, He wants just one more day with us. He doesn’t want to let us go. We are wanted. We are desired. That’s very comforting (at least to me).

5. We should not perform any manual work

We then get a summary of all of the festivals – and what we should be doing and what we should be celebrating as holidays.

Because Sukkot is a smidge different. Because when other holy days fall on a sabbath? We are to bring the holy day offering AND the sabbath offering. But on Sukkot, we do NOT bring the peace offerings for Sukkot on the sabbath.

I’m reflecting and chewing on why that would be. Maybe it’s a recognition that this is hard work. Yes, we are talking about the harvesting of literal crops. But I also reflect on the deeper meaning of the spiritual, emotional, and mental health work we do; that there is a planting of healing practices and ideas, there is the growth and development of those ideas in our lives, and then the harvest comes and we reap the benefits and rewards of the work we do on ourselves. Maybe this passage represents God understanding just how tough the work is, and as we come to the end of the cycle of growth and harvest, we get an extra bit of rest before putting everything into practice? Just a thought.

The Torah then tells us Sukkot is eight days but the first and last are rest days. If there is a sabbath in the middle, we get three rest days out of eight.

The Torah then talks about the lulav and etrog. The four species.

The eighth day is Shemini Atzeret. We are to shake the lulav for seven days; but not on Shemini Atzeret; because remember – that’s an “extra” day God just wants to be with us!

Something interesting the Talmud talks about with the four species:

The four species represent four types of people. A citron (etrog), which possesses a good taste and a pleasant smell, represents the Jew who possesses both Torah learning and good deeds.

The date palm branch (lulav) has a good taste but no fragrance, signifying those whose who have Torah knowledge but lack sufficient good deeds.

Those who possess good deeds but are lacking in Torah knowledge are represented by the myrtle (hadasim), which has a fragrant odor but lacks taste.

The willow (aravot), which is inedible and has no aroma represents those people lacking both in Torah and good deeds (end quote)

What I love about this idea is that we can see ourselves as one of the species AND see ourselves connected to the larger Jewish community. There isn’t a judgment on us as to how we live. We are still welcome into the booths and holy days! And. God wants to spend one more day with us.

The portion here closes with the idea that for the seven days of Sukkot we should be living in booths (sukkahs). Every native Jew and convert should live in booths. Why? The Torah tells us; “so that your ensuing generations should know God caused the children of Israel to live in clouds of glory that resemble booths when He took us out of the land of Israel.”

Fun fact for my Christian friends. The likelihood of Jesus being born on December 25th is small. The more likely reality is the manger described in the book you read? Likely a booth. Jesus was Jewish; and the family would have been going to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot – and to bring their offerings.

But somehow, over the years, The Jewishness of this event was washed away for December 25th. And Santa Claus. And Yule Logs. And Christmas trees. I wonder why? Just a question.

Anyway! Enjoy your day!