Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 16 Iyar, 5783. 32nd day of the Omer.

Today is the day before Lag B’Omer which starts this evening.  In Kabbalah Tonight begins the celebration of Simeon ben Yochai – who is buried in Meron.  And Jews will make the pilgrimage there to see the place where Simeon be Yochai is buried.  Bonfires are lit tonight to celebrate as well.

The holiday has an experience as we have been studying love and the different components of Love.  Lag B’ Omer (33rd day of in the Omer) falls on the 5th day of the fifth week.  (Today we are studying the 4th day of the 5th week).  The fifth day of the fifth week is “Hod of Hod” which is Humility of Humility.  Another word for Hod is “splendor” which makes Lag B’Omer the day where we learn the “Splendor of Splendor.”  On our journey to the 49th day of the Omer (the 7th day of the 7th week) tonight begins a level of spiritual manifestation that leads us to the final day of the Omer (Malchut of Malchut – the Sovereignty of Sovereignty).

Ok. But let’s come back to the present moment.  Today is day 32 of the Omer.  Today we study the “Netzach of Hod” Or the “Strength of Humility”

From Chabad:

Examine the strength and endurance of your humility. Does my humility withstand challenges? Am I firm in my positions or do I waffle in the name of humility?

Humility and modesty should not cause one to feel weak and insecure. Netzach of hod underscores the fact that true humility does not make you into a “doormat” for others to step on; on the contrary, humility gives you enduring strength. Is my humility perceived as weakness? Does that cause others to take advantage of me?

Exercise for the day: Demonstrate the strength of your humility by initiating or actively participating in a good cause.

In our humility – are we strong?

And today’s double portion is interesting in connecting this idea.  The Jews questioned Hashem – in the sabbath year (7th year) – how will his promise that if we keep his commandments we will eat to our satisfaction?  This seemed like a paradox.  Hashem saying “follow me and you will want for nothing.” We respond – “sounds good!” Hashem says “ok – here’s the deal. In the seventh year? Don’t gather crops.”  Um. ok? But. That presents a minor issue for us, Hashem?

God responds here – “your sixth year will produce three years worth of crops.”  Whoa. At first I was thinking two.  But he provides enough that in the 8th year, we will sow new crops, and won’t be eating from those crops.  So he gives us enough to eat to last years six, seven, and then even 8!

For me personally? I am thinking about my life.  When I turned 49, I finished my sabbath year. When I turned 50, I finished my jubilee year.  I just turned 51 a month ago.  My spiritual fruit that is nourishing me today came from the things I planted over the 51st year of me life. That is something I am reflecting on.  That is the strength of my humility.  I didn’t manipulate all of this – but I did work a year ago that is now producing fruit in my life.

How are we planting fruit that will produce crops next year for us?  And. Are we living through a time where our nourishment is coming from crops we planted three years ago that were in abundance?

These are my thoughts.  What about you?

My commentary from a year ago:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 16 Iyar, 5782

31st day of the Omer

Let’s Jump right in!

Short passage today. We are still talking about the jubilee year.

The Torah starts by telling us: if we keep the commandments, our own portion of the land will yield it’s fruit and we will eat to satisfaction, and live upon it securely.

And the Torah addresses the million shekel question; if we aren’t going to work the land during sabbath and jubilee years, how will we eat?

And Hashem responds – “I will direct My blessing to you in the sixth year and it will produce enough to last for three years.”

Rabbi Schneerson has some interesting things to say here:

They must last for part of the sixth year, from the first month (Nisan), when the crop is reaped, until the Jewish New Year (the seventh month, Tishri; the entire seventh year; and part of the eighth year, for they will sow a new crop in Marheshvan of the eighth year and reap it in Nisan.

Thus God’s three-year blessing lasts “until the ninth year” (v. 22), ie, until the Festival of Weeks (Shavuot) in the ninth year, when the eighth year’s crop is brought into the house. For throughout the summer season, it is kept in granaries in the field, and in Tishri the crop is gathered into the house.

There were occasions when it would need to yield for four years. Namely, in the sixth year

preceding the seventh Sabbatical year of a forty-nine year cycle, when they would refrain from doing work on the land for two consecutive years–the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee vear.

Our verse, however, refers to normal Sabbatical years where a blessing is only required for three years (Rashi, 11” century).

The question in verse 20 could be understood in one of two ways: A challenge: If we do not sow crops, then how will we possibly eat in the seventh year? Or, an inquiry: Since we will not be sowing crops, could you explain what our source of food will be?

At the literal level, the verse would appear to be an inquiry, like a child inquiring from his father. For if it would be a challenge from a non-believer, God would not reply, “I will direct My blessing to you, etc.” (v. 21; Rabbi Hayyim ibn Attar, 18′ century).

The Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a) compares the six agricultural years to the six

millennia of this world, and the Sabbatical year to the seventh millennium (when the Redemption will have arrived). Since the Jewish people suffer from a gradual regression in

Spiritual stature as the generations pass, a person might ask: How could the efforts of the

Spiritually weak and “infertile” sixth millennium bring the true and complete redemption? The Torah answers: It is the suprarational self-sacrifice and commitment to Judaism of the final generations of exile that will bring the blessings of the Redemption.”

Interesting thoughts!

The portion today closes with that the land should not be sold permanently – because it belongs to Hashem.

What are your thoughts?

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 17 Iyar, 5782

Today is the 32nd day of the Omer. Tonight begins the Jewish Holiday of “Lag B’Omer” which literally means the 33rd in the Omer. It is a time where we let go of mourning (the Omer is a mourning period) and allow celebrations to occur. The origins of this holiday aren’t very clear.

One of the traditions is to have a bonfire; tonight would be the night that would happen.

Ok. Let’s dig into the Torah portion for today!

We get more on the idea of hereditary land and property.

1. If a fellow Jew becomes destitute and he sells some (or all) of his hereditary land, a close relative should come as his advocate and buy the land back from the purchaser, redeeming his relatives undesirable purchase.
2. If a man doesn’t have a close relative as an advocate and he later becomes wealthy to afford its redemption, he should calculate the number of years it’s been sold and give back the balance to the man to whom he sold it. He can then return to his hereditary land.
3. If he cannot find sufficient funds to repay the purchaser then what he sold will remain in the possession of its purchaser until the jubilee year. Then the land will return to its rightful owner.

As I reflect on this passage – in some senses we are talking a literal sale of land. But the Torah sometimes speaks metaphorically.

A friend and I were discussing the idea of a midlife crisis. This generally occurs around 49/50 years old (give or take). We talked about how we tend to overdramaticize this process and what is really happening is a mid life transition. That feels more natural.

Part of me wonders if the idea of the jubilee year in our lives (when we turn 49) we are meant to return to our youth and roots. We are supposed to let go of everything we’ve “purchased” and move back to a place that feels more natural and like “home.” Our society tends to see this almost unnatural. But in reality this could be a normal stage of life.

Just something I’m reflecting on this morning!

What do you think?