Eight Days of the Omer 5778

Today is eight days of the Omer, which is one week and one day of the Omer. חסד שבגבורה, Chesed ShebeGevurah, Love in Power / Discipline.

Gevurah is translated as strength or power. The emanation is also closely associated with דין, Din, Discipline. When passing judgment, one should always begin from love, speak from love, and be motivated by love.

Strength by itself is not the essence of strength. Discipline must be in service of something beyond itself. Gevurah rises to meet Chesed, rises to meet the Knowledge and Understanding and Oneness that hovers beyond and within us.

My life has been rooted in Gevurah. It took me decades to understand that protecting my heart meant people only saw my strength and rarely saw the loving heart within me.

I’ve been thinking a lot this year about how these values should transform me; separate from how to explain them, or even how to engage these values as a mother, wife, and student. What does it mean to have discipline rooted in grace?

For me, this means deciding how to live and not holding anyone else to that standard. Rather than judging what others are doing, holding the line for myself and speaking to others from grace. Stripping away my sarcastic shield, my biting commentary, and not being afraid to allow my soul to engage the souls around me.

May you have the strength to find the work you need to do today, this week, this month, this year. May you have the determination to stay disciplined to your vision while engaging others with grace.