As of Sunday, March 28, we are in the period of the Omer, that countdown of 49 days to our next Festival, Shavuot. By doing so, we are preparing ourselves to receive Torah at Sinai. This Omer period is a time of semi-mourning, so no haircuts, no listening to instrumental music, or dancing, or weddings or other simchas are traditionally undertaken – except for the 33rd day, Lag B’Omer.

There is a mystical tradition that has been revived in some communities where we look to a chart delineating some of the qualities of the Divine to emulate on each day. It is a profound practice and in contemplating how to bring these qualities into each day, we are a step closer. Here is one translation of these attributes. To use the chart you read the guiding principle of the week through the lens of the principle of the day – so day 2 is Chesed guided by the attribute of gevurah. Etc.
The seven attributes are:
1. Chesed ― Loving-kindness
2. Gevurah ― Justice and discipline
3. Tiferet ― Harmony, compassion
4. Netzach ― Endurance
5. Hod ― Humility
6. Yesod ― Bonding
7. Malchut ― Sovereignty, leadership
Shavuot
May 30, 2022 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk Tags: shavuot •
This past week brought many interactions and connections with people, as per usual. Babies and elders and everyone in between. People have moved here, and people have moved away.
As we come to this week of preparation for Shavuot I find myself thinking about the many journeys our people have embarked upon, packing up, leaving a home and moving into the unknown. This timeless story in many ways was presaged by Abraham hearing God tell him to Lech Lecha – “Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s home to the land that I will show you.”More