The Omer Date: 7 Iyar

בייה

Topic: Omer (Sheaf) – Day 22 / Chesed of Netzach

The Reason We Count

The Omer (Sheaf) was a harvest offering brought to the Temple on the second day of Passover (Lev. 23:9-14). We are count “seven full weeks and on the 50th day a festival known as Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) was to be celebrated. In the Rabbinic tradition, it was understood that even after the destruction of the Temple, we are to actually count the day, “This is the X day of the Omer.” The Kabbalah explains that each of the 49 days of the Omer represents one of the combinations of the seven lower Sefirot (divine emanations). Each Sefirah has seven lesser Sefirot). So, we are to take all the teachings and apply its meanings on a daily basis for self-refinement. The Omer Prayer “Benevolent are You, YHWH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer. Today is twenty-two days of the Omer.” Mystical Meaning The Week Four is Netzach (Eternity: perpetuity, victory, endurance) of Sefirah. Day Twenty-two is chesed (Kindness: loving, mercy) of Netzach. It is our nature to win even from the childhood. As we get older, we set goals of what we want to be. The netzach is an endurance by overcoming obstacles that lead to victory. Without endurance, any endeavor or intention has no chance of success. Now, the drive to succeed also has to come from the right place. For example, some athletes use drugs to enhance their performance. This comes from negative side and it will lead them to lose their title eventually. We have to realize that the success in life comes from Hashem. We might say, “It was my idea, my intelligence, my know-how that caused me to succeed.” True, but Who gave you such ideas, intelligence, and knowledge? So, the chesed of netzach means ‘a drive to succeed in a proper right way.’ One of the reasons many people are depressed is because they do not set their goals. Or even if they set it, they give up during their trials. The trials we face comes from Hashem, because He wants to see what we are going to do. Are you going to blame Hashem because you didn’t pass His trial? Or are you going to pat your back for the success Hashem has given you? The chesed of netzach does not give up. You endure it and push yourself until you reach your goals with the help of Hashem. We are to focus on growth by rejuvenating the desire to reach the goals. To conclude, we are to recognize that success (business, personal relationship, overcoming illness, etc.) in life comes from Hashem. While the examples given are physical, we can apply same principle spiritually.

Shalom.