Today is Day 47. Tonight’s count is below.
This thought is from Bracha Laster [5770]:
Malchut* — so we end with LEADERSHIP. I like this characterization rather than Sovereignty. Yet the two concepts seem very different to me, Leadership is a people skill, I believe..although it might be divinely inspired. Sovereignty, though, is either referring to a higher elevation that I am not privy to or it may refer to a boss/king who doesn’t relate to me/us/peons. Effective leadership is built on authority, but maybe these last days of the Omer spark us to think about determining the areas of jurisdiction for this authority:
Do I recognize when I am not an authority?
Do I exercise authority in unwarranted situations?
Am I aware of my limitations as well as my strengths?
Do I respect the authority of others?
How do I respond to colleagues (or others) who take more authority than is appropriate?
How do I respond to others who abuse their authority?
What are my ethical responsibilities whether I am the leader or the follower?
I am very grateful to Virginia to spur these Omer thoughts and getting us together in a community. Thanks for your leadership!
* the seventh of the sephirot, or aspects of God, of focus during the omer; usually translated “sovereignty/majesty”
—————————
During evening prayers, add:
A) (Address for God:) Barukh ata YHVH, eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha-omer.
We praise You, Adonai, Our God, Master of time and space whose commandments add holiness to our lives, Who commanded us to count the omer.
B) (Address God as feminine:) Beruchah at yah, eloheinu ruach haolam, asher kidshatnu bemitzvoteha vetzivatnu al sefirat ha’omer.
Blessed are You, God, Ruler/Spirit of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.
Ha-yom shemonah v’arba’im yom, shehem shishah sh’vuot v’shishah yamim la’omer.
Today is day forty-eight, making six weeks and six days of the omer.
[This translation and transliteration was borrowed from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and from Jill Hammer's Omer Calendar of Biblical Women at RitualWell.org. For additional text to accompany the counting, see Five Steps.]
