Entering Hod –

A Humble Week written by Ozer Bergman | April 25, 2021 Let’s start with a Chassidic story. The holy Baal Shem Tov was once a guest at someone’s home. He got up to go from a large room to a smaller room, but took a wrong turn and ended up in the cellar. “Check the mezuzahs,” he said. Someone there asked him, “Just because a person made a mistake, he has to find a reason? Maybe it was just an accident.” The Baal Shem Tov responded, “By me, there are no accidents.” From here, every person should learn to believe that everything happens due to Divine Providence. He shouldn’t attribute it to happenstance, God forbid (Shivchei Baal Shem Tov #150). There are no accidents in your life, my life or the world’s life. What happens and when is carefully orchestrated by the One Above. Since next week, the fifth week of Sefirat HaOmer, hosts both Pesach Sheini and Lag BaOmer, there must be some connection—especially since this week parallels the sefirah of Hod which is represented by Aharon HaKohen. What are Pesach Sheini (Second Passover) and Lag BaOmer (the 33rd day of the Omer-count)? Pesach Sheini is a biblical holiday (Numbers 9:9-14). When the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) stood in Jerusalem, every Jew had to participate in the bringing and eating of a Paschal sacrifice. What if he missed it? He got a second chance. He could bring it a month later, on Pesach Sheini, the 14th of Iyar. Though the Torah speaks only of accidentally missing it, the Talmud teaches that even someone who purposely refused to participate in the Paschal sacrifice could make it up on Pesach Sheini (Pesachim 93b). A second chance. God gives us second chances not only when we unintentionally mess up, but even when we willfully ignore our duty, or spitefully and ungratefully decline an opportunity to grow closer to Him. This is certainly an indication of God’s love and kindness for His people. It’s also an instance of one of Rebbe Nachman’s well-known teachings: Despair does not exist! How did the mitzvah of Pesach Sheini come to be taught? Shortly before the first anniversary of the Exodus, God told Moshe to have the Jews bring the Paschal sacrifice. Moshe transmitted the command and all the Israelites did it, except for a few who were forbidden to do so because of they were in a state of tumah (spiritual impurity). They were distraught, but not devastated. Even though they were halakhically exempt, and even though their spiritual sensitivity was diminished by their tumah, they turned to their teacher, leader and guide, Moshe, and asked, “Why should we be worse?” (Numbers 9:7). Their sincere desire elicited a never-before-known degree of God’s kindness. Not by itself, however. God’s kindness became apparent because they chose to find a solution by seeking the tzaddik’s advice. This is true today as well. We, too, want to be close to God. Despite our innate limitations, self- inflicted flaws and spiritual insensitivity, you and I can have such a strong desire for God that we elicit a new degree of God’s kindness in our individual lives. (That kindness can expand to others. A shmooze for another day.) But we also need to go to a tzaddik to get the advice needed to find God. This brings us to Lag BaOmer, the anniversary of the passing of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, author of the holy Zohar. The prophet Elijah once declared that the Jews will leave the final exile because of the holy Zohar (Zohar 3:124b). How can a book take us out of exile? When that book is a manifestation of the Tree of Life, and we study it and ask tzaddikim who understand it to teach us its message and advice, it takes us out of exile. The light of teshuvah (return to God) shines and our path out of exile is one of compassion and kindness. What has this got to do with Aharon HaKohen? We know now that Moshe was a great tzaddik. But how did the Jews in Egypt know? Who told them that he was “an OK guy”? Aharon. Although he had been the Israelites’ sole, undisputed leader for decades, when Moshe returned to Egypt, Aharon recognized and accepted his younger brother’s greatness and leadership. He told the Israelites to do likewise. Aharon’s humility allowed him to yield and acquiesce—the quality of Hod—to his superior. Never losing hope, maintaining your desire to be a better Jew, humbly seeking guidance from tzaddikim—a tall order, but doable, if you make use of the power oftefilah (prayer). During the entire week of Hod, the Heavenly Gates of Mercy are open. Your prayers are more readily accepted.Seize the opportunity! a gutn Shabbos! Shabbat Shalom! (Based on Likutey Halakhot, Geviyat Chov MeiHayetomim 3:18) [LISTEN] Entering Hod – Achieving Inner Beauty written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | April 25, 2021 Reaching The 50th Gate: Week 4 & 5 – Netzach & Hod written by Chaim Kramer | April 25, 2021 We have now entered the fourth week of the seven-week Omer counting period. The weeks between Pesach and Shavuot each represent one of God’s seven attributes, by emulating these characteristics, we are able to prepare ourselves for the spiritual mastery necessary for receiving the Torah on Sinai. Netzach & Hod (Victory & Majesty) The Light of Attachment As the energy of the upper Sefirot is channeled into ever more diminishing and specific proportions to the lower Sefirot, we begin to see a more exacting and refined view of our goals. This process can be easily visualized in the human anatomy that parallels the Sefirot. Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet manifest in the upper part of the body, in the arms and torso that represent upward, downward and outward movement, symbolizing the “larger” viewpoint and sweep of all we may accomplish. Still, the ideas are too broad, the goal yet imprecise. Our energies must be further distilled through Netzach and Hod. These Sefirot parallel the legs, which, though they can move in several directions, have limited mobility compared to the arms. The legs are the main pillars that support the body, as well as the principal means of human locomotion. Spiritually, the legs represent the lower and outer reaches of man. With his legs, man makes contact with the physical ground. When he pushes his legs against the earth, he is able to lift himself and rise above it. With the energies of Netzach and Hod (which correspond to the right and left legs, respectively) we can learn to be firmly grounded even while we are striving for great heights. At the same time, we won’t lose sight of our limitations despite our yearning for things beyond. The Hebrew word NetZaCH shares the same root as l’NatZei’aCH (to gain dominance, victory, eternal). As the Sefirah that follows Tiferet (truth), Netzach represents the necessity of being honest in victory, as in (I Samuel 15:29), “Netzach Yisrael lo yeshaker—The Eternal [and Victorious One] of Israel will not lie.” Attainment of Netzach also means that others recognize the value of our achievements and our opponents call for a total cessation of hostilities. Even if there is no direct opposition to our objectives, there may still be “talk” and perhaps ridicule. But Netzach—true victory—brings about the cessation of even this antagonism. HOD means splendor. It is related to the word HODa’ah (admission), connoting a state of submission and empathy. The “splendor” of Hod is manifest in how one honors the Torah and Torah scholars. Hod reflects the “admission” that Torah is the means by which we come to learn about God; by submission to a Higher Power, we can formulate and better direct ourselves towards our goals. Hod also mirrors empathy, as we direct our energies to support the weak—including those who are physically weak, financially insecure, and emotionally or spiritually vulnerable. These Sefirot direct us to avoid “walking in the path of the wicked” (cf. Psalms 1:1). The Hebrew word for foot, ReGeL, is etymologically related to leRaGeiL (to slander). By acquiring the attributes of Netzach and Hod, we minimize our involvement with slander and evil speech (see Likutey Moharan I, 14:12). Our efforts will lead to peace among people, furthering the influence of Tiferet (peace). Peace—the absence of conflict in our minds and surroundings—is naturally the best state in which to concentrate and focus on our objectives. Netzach is an extension of Chesed, while Hod is an extension of Gevurah. Both Netzach and Hod are necessary in order to achieve a balance in life, as we must learn not only how to give or to hold back, but also how to receive and acquiesce to others. Using both “legs,” we can move forward, confident of success in our efforts, while harboring a healthy awareness that at times we should hold back and submit to forces stronger than ourselves. This means, on the one hand, that if you are worthy of ascending to a certain level, you must not allow yourself to remain at your current level. No matter where you stand, never be content with your present level. You are always capable of doing and accomplishing more, and are therefore obligated to develop and use that capability. This is Netzach. On the other hand, if you should fall, regardless of how far and to what extent—even to the very depths of depravity, God forbid— you must never give up hope.

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