Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 18 Iyar, 5784 –Day 33 of Omer
Parsha Be-Hukkotai – “My Laws” (Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34)
First Portion: Leviticus 26:3 – 26:5
Wow. Good morning! Today is a REALLY amazing energetic day. We have SO MANY Things going on!
First. It’s the 18th of Iyar. The Number 18, in Hebrew? It represents LIFE! It is the symbol many Jews wear around our necks – the Chai. (Pronounced not like the tea, but like L’Chaim). This day represents LIFE!
Second. It’s the 33rd Day of the Omer. Like every Day in Iyar, it is meant to COUNT. Today counts. The Theme of Today? Humility of Humility. It is meant to remind us – in love – that our place is that of service to one another. In our royalty. When a King enters another King’s (or Queen’s) court, we can enter with an attitude of humility, or ego.
From Chabad:
Examine the humility of humility. Everyone has humility and modesty in their hearts, the question is the measure and manner in which one consciously feels it? Am I afraid to be too humble? Do I mask and protect my modesty with aggressive behavior? Learn to cultivate your humility by interacting with people who are more refined than yourself, evoking in you modesty and humility that motivates you to grow.
Humility must also be examined for its genuineness. Is my humility humble? Or is it yet another expression of arrogance? Do I take too much pride in my humility? Do I flaunt it? Is it self-serving? Is my humility part of a crusade or is it genuine? Do I have expectations due to my humility?
Exercise for the day: Be humble just for its own sake.
I am reflecting on Genuine humility or Arrogant humility. Can we put to death the arrogance and crusade and expectations connected to our humility, and live in Genuine Freedom from a place of Humility? Can we release our agenda and be free?
Third? It’s Lag B’Omer – which means the “Thirty Third Day of the Omer.” Lag represents 33. Like Chai represents 18. Why is this day special? Well, the dude who wrote the book on Kabbalah (the Zohar) passed away on this day a long time ago. He told those who resonated – “this is the day of my joy.”
Why do we celebrate death? Because death means our time here has come to completion. We came here to do what we needed to do. Our legacy – regardless of what we THINK it SHOULD be – is finally over. We are “finished.” This is joyful, because the great sages knew – death was not an ending – it was a beginning. So we celebrate LIFE in the midst of DEATH. Every death is a rebirth.
Another amazing remembrance is about 100 years after the death of the Rabbi? A great miracle occurred on Lag B’Omer. There was a plague – and people were dying from it. The deaths ceased on Lag B’Omer. Death ended. And Life was restored.
What do we need to grieve – to allow us to be free and truly LIVE? What do we need to put to rest to enjoy each and every moment ahead of us? This is the time to reflect.
Fourth? Today, we begin a new Parsha of the Torah. And it’s a special one. It is the FINAL one of the book of Exodus! A week from now we will close the book on the story of our ancestors’ journey from Slavery to Freedom. And. We will turn the page to the book of numbers. We will literally dig into a book that is all about counting.
Today’s Parsha is called “Be-Hukkotai” which means “My Laws.” What I love about this? Is the word “laws.” We’ve discussed previously – these “laws” are better translated to be “connecting points.” These are ways for us to connect with Hashem. And Our Neshama within us. These aren’t “rules.” These are the ways we connect. Let’s dig into this short passage:
2You shall keep My Sabbaths and fear My Sanctuary. I am the Lord.
3If you follow My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them,
4I will give your rains in their time, the Land will yield its produce, and the tree of the field will give forth its fruit.
5Your threshing will last until the vintage, and the vintage will last until the sowing; you will eat your food to satiety, and you will live in security in your land.
Now. I have read this multiple times. And I keep hearing different messages. And – a lot of it? Comes from a place of arrogance or humility. Do we see Hashem speaking these words from a place of arrogance? Or a place of humility? Let me rephrase and see if this clarifies:
Option 1:
“You better do what I tell you! Keep my sabbaths, be scared to be in my sanctuary. Follow my statutes. Perform them. Do what I tell you to do, and THEN? If you do these things? In exchange I will trade you rains, produce, fruit, abundance, security”
Option 2:
“I love you – I really want you to keep my Sabbaths because I know you will work yourselves to death, and you need rest. It’s about balance and harmony. When you enter rest, treat it special. Don’t just sleep all day, because that will support your body, but won’t support your true identity – your soul – your Neshama. If you follow my guidelines? You will find your life aligns with the direction and energy of love. Of where I want to take you and every other being that is created. I cannot make you do these things – you have free choice. Because where I want all of you to go? Is a place of peace, abundance, and security.”
The question for us? Do we read the portion from a place of Option 1 or Option 2? Same words. Two different messages.
Within us, we can put to death that which is within us that reads Option 1, and be reborn in a way that reads Option 2.
Those are my thoughts on this special day. What are yours?
Here are my thoughts from two years ago;
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 21 Iyar, 5782
36th day of the Omer.
We are now into the fifth week of the Omer – and the theme for the week is “bonding.” Hopefully this is a bonding time with Hashem and with each other.
Let’s dig into a new Parsha!
This week’s Parsha is Be-Hukkotai which means “my laws.”
From the Chumash I am reading, the quote for the week is this; “The world runs on cause and effect. Positive actions lead to positive outcomes; negative actions bring about negative outcomes. God does not usually break these laws because they were set up for your benefit.”
Something to reflect on as we dig in.
It’s a short passage today. So short I’m going to post the text here:
If you pursue (the study of) My laws (in order to) guard My commands and observe them, then I will give you rain at (a convenient) time, the land will yield its produce, and, (in the future, even) the (non-fruit-bearing) trees of the field will produce fruit. You will be (busy) with threshing until the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will keep you (busy) until the sowing season. You will be satisfied with (even a small amount of) your bread, and you will live safely in your land.
This is basically an encouragement to us – as we seek to connect and bond with Hashem and each other, we need to focus on doing the things Hashem has called us to do. Then He will bless us with provision. And. We. Will. Be. Safe.
My thought is; the theme this week is bonding. The opposite of this (seems to me) to be neglect. If we neglect Hashem and his mitzvahs, we won’t feel connected or bonded.
If we feel neglect in our human relationships, we also feel this lack of bonding and connection. How we navigate these feelings of neglect is crucial in how we bond with others.
Thoughts?
No responses yet