Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 17 Nisan, 5785

Good morning! We are through the first two days of Passover – a time where we settle into the journey of freedom and liberation.  We also begin the counting to the giving of the Torah – as a reminder – even though we went from slavery to freedom, we still lack direction without the Torah.

And to get us from slavery to freedom? We must follow the Omer.  The Omer almost becomes a “Yellow Brick Road” to the Torah for us.

Today’s theme?  “The “Discipline of Love” It is connected to this idea of “co-dependency.”  We must be careful not to become someone’s “crutch” in the name of love.  We can let go of love being solely about life. Love is also about death.  We must die to certain things in order to step into the fullness of our love.

What areas of our lives are we struggle to die to? Can we honor and celebrate how those areas served us until now? And, at the same time recognize that if we don’t distance ourselves from them – we will never be free in our love?  This is the message on Day 2 of the Omer. What are your thoughts?

From last year regarding the Omer:

Good morning!  It is the third day of Passover. The four “middle” days are intermediary days before we conclude Passover on the final two nights.

Today is also Day 2 of the Omer – the theme today is the “Discipline of Love.”

From Chabad:

Today is the Gevurah of Chesed. The discipline of love.

“Healthy love must always include an element of discipline. A degree of distance and respect for the other. An assessment of the persons capacity to contain your love. Love must be tempered and directed properly. Ask a parent who in the name of love has spoiled his child; or someone who suffocates their spouse with love and doesn’t allow her any space of her own. Love with discretion is necessary to avoid giving to those that don’t deserve it.

Is my love disciplined enough? Do others take advantage of my giving nature? Am I hurting anyone by becoming their crutch in the name of love? Am I hurting my children by forcing upon them my value system because I love them so? Do I respect the one I love or is it a selfish love? Am I sensitive to his feelings and attitudes? Do I see my beloved as an extension of myself and my needs? In my love is there as much emphasis on the one I love and his ability to contain my love as there is on me and my giving? Rain is a blessing only because it falls in drops that don’t flood the fields.”

These are critical questions to ask ourselves. And I’m reflecting on these answers within me:

Is my love for myself disciplined enough? Do I take advantage of my own giving nature? Am I hurting myself by becoming a crutch for others in the name of love? Am I hurting myself because I force upon my children my value system because I love them so? Do I respect myself or am I selfish? Am I sensitive to my own feelings and attitudes? Do I see myself as an extension of love? In my love is there as much emphasis on my ability to receive and contain love as there is on me and giving love to others?

These are good questions as we enter this intermediate time!