Day Five: Journey of the Soul: Making the Omer Count

God’s call to Abraham in chapter 12 of the book of Genesis begins the journey of the Jewish people.  “Lekh lekha, Go forth from your land, your birthplace, your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you…”  (Genesis 12:1-2).  Lekh lekha means “go forth.”  It also means go for yourself; go to yourself.  We might say that it means go forth in order to become yourself, your best self.  Abraham heard God’s call and set out into the unknown with the promise of becoming a blessing.

Avivah Zornberg, the great modern Biblical scholar, explores the question of why God chose Abraham in particular.  She observes, “Sefat Emet answers simply, quoting the Zohar:  Abraham deserved to be addressed by God because he was capable of hearing the Lekh lekha, which God utters to all human beings, at all times.  His ears are open to register an invitation that others repress.”*   (Zornberg, The Murmuring Deep, p 168)

God’s call of lekh lekha is an invitation to grow.  A midrash teaches that behind every blade of grass, there is a special angel in heaven whispering encouragement: “grow, grow.” (B’reishit Rabbah, 10:6).  The angels in heaven are our soft-spoken cheerleaders as well.  We are urged to grow.  To grow is a blessing.

Like the sun that shines its nurturing light and warmth on flowers still small in their buds, God calls us to a leaving of the familiar and a growing of the not-yet-fully-formed in order to become our best selves.  This call is a nourishing embrace of great love.  We share with you this prayer by Rabbi Norman Hirsh:

Once or twice in a lifetime,
a man or woman may choose
a radical leaving, having heard
Lech l’cha — Go forth.
God disturbs us toward our destiny
by hard events and by freedom’s now urgent voice
which explode and confirm who we are.
We don’t like leaving,
but God loves becoming.
Baruch atah, Adonai, habocheir b’amo Yisrael b’ahavah.
Blessed are You, God, who chooses Your people Israel in love

Mishkan T’filah: A Reform Siddur

Today as we listen and make our way in the world, we explore the connection between the call to set forth and the love that whispers encouragement to grow into our most vibrant selves.  It is this awareness of Source and Loving Presence that nourishes and supports us even when our “going forth” involves risk.

The questions to each one of us on this fifth day of the Omer are:  
What part of you is ready to grow, longing to venture forth?
Are you open to “register an invitation?” 

Mindfulness Practice:
Take some time today to journal about what “Lekh lekha” means to you.  Alternatively, have a conversation with a friend or loved one about how you might lend each other support in each other’s growth.  

Blessing for Counting the Omer:     

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha’Olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Holy One of Blessing, who makes us holy with sacred obligations and commands us to count the Omer.

Counting: Today is the fifth day of the Omer : Hayom yom hamishi la’omer.

Blessings to you on this new day.  We are delighted to journey together.

Blessings to you on this new day. We are delighted to journey together.

Rabbi Cindy Enger and Rabbi Jill Zimmerman

rabbicindye@gmail.com rabbijillz@gmail.com 

* Zornberg explains that Sefat Emet refers to the collected writings of Judah Aryeh Leib Alter (1847-1905), Polish Jewish leader and head of Hasidim of Gur.  Zohar is the Book of Splendor, the most important text of Jewish mysticism, purportedly written by Rabbi Shimeon bar Yohai, but in fact composed in Spain in the thirteenth century.