Ten Days of the Omer 5778
Today is ten days, which is one week and three days of the Omer. תפארת / רחמים / אמת שבגבורה ושבדין, Tiferet / Rachamim / Emet ShebeGevurah VShebeDin, Beauty / Compassion / Truth in Strength (Power) / Judgment (Discipline).
Though there are ten Sephirot, each is expanded not just by the way it interacts with other emanations, but also by the different ways a single sephira is described. Gevurah means strength / power / might. The emanation is also deeply connected with Din, judgement / discipline. Sephirot that sit in the middle of the map synthesize the two preceding Sephirot, so since Tiferet is a synthesis of Chesed and Gevurah, it contains a wider range of definitions. Tiferet means beauty, it is also Rachamim, compassion, and Emet, Truth.
It must sound like word soup to ask what the Beauty, Compassion, Truth of Power / Discipine is. Here is where we begin to see the depth of how Sephirot can describe ideal actions as well as ideal attitudes.
Power that knows its proper dimensions is beautiful. A parent overseeing a child’s development and knowing when to step aside and when to step in; that’s beauty. Star Trek is another example of envisioning beautiful power: all sentient beings united for peace, prosperity, and scientific discovery (yes, with the exception of outliers).
Power can also be compassionate and through might we can glimpse ultimate truth. Human dominance of the planet requires compassion towards other living things to survive and by being stewards of the earth we grasp truth.
On an individual level, today is a day to be compassionate with yourself about the ways you find it difficult to hold the line on the path you set for your transformation. It is a day to meditate deeply on what discipline you want to take for yourself in this moment. How can that discipline lead towards a deeper understanding of the true nature of yourself and the world?
May your contemplation of power and judgment help you connect with your inner strength and your deep will. May you not be afraid of your strength. May you know how to express your will and determination with compassion and with the goal of shedding light on truth. And may you have compassion for your Shadow and the ways it diverts your attention from your will.