Shabbat Iyar 10, 5703 25th day of the Omer **
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: Emor, Shevi'i with Rashi. Tehillim: 55-59. Tanya: Ch. 47. "In every (p. 247)...been explained earlier. (p.249).

It is our custom to dip the piece of bread (for Hamotzi) into salt three times, not to sprinkle the salt on the bread.

At the festive meal on the second day of Shavuot 5621 (1861), the Tzemach Tzedek related as follows:

"At the festive meal on the second day of Shavuot 5555 (1795) my grandfather (the Alter Rebbe) said:"

"At the festive meal on the second day of Shavuot 5528 (1768) my saintly master and teacher (the Maggid of Mezritch) said:"

"You shall count for yourselves," Us'fartem Lachem. [1] The word Us'fartem, - you shall count - has the root of Sapirut, - brilliance and brightness.

Us'fartem Lachem, - your lachem- selves, must be bright."

The Tzemach Tzedek continued his narrative:

"My grandfather (the Alter Rebbe) then leaned his head on his hands and sang the Niggun (melody) Of Four Stanzas with profound D'veikut. [2]

Afterward he raised his head and said in a questioning tone, `And with what does one brighten the lachem?' - and without a pause he continued in a tone of response, `with the seven complete weeks (more literally, `...seven...Sabbaths'), that is, through refining one's seven emotion-traits, each trait in turn to be sub-incorporated with all seven. [3] The seven attributes themselves are to become `seven Sabbaths,' Shabbat needing no refinement." [4]

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) Vayikra 23:15. This is the Torah command to count the days of the Omer. The verse concludes "seven complete weeks shall they be." Instead of the common word for weeks, Shavuot, the verse uses the word Shabbatot, - Sabbaths. The seven weeks correspond to the seven human emotion powers. See note on Iyar 2.

2. (Back to text) Devotion, communion; see Sh'vat 23 and footnotes.

3. (Back to text) See note on Iyar 2.

4. (Back to text) The effort or Avoda of self-refinement and refinement of Creation is primarily appropriate to the weekdays when man is occupied with worldly affairs, "your labors." Shabbat, the day of rest, not of labor, is not a time for "refinement." Shabbat is on a higher plane.

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Day Four of week 4

Netzach of Netzach

Examine the endurance aspect of endurance, its expression and intensity. Everyone has willpower and determination. We have the capacity to endure much more than we can imagine, and to prevail under the most trying of circumstances.

Ask yourself: Is my behavior erratic? Am I inconsistent and unreliable? Since I have will and determination, why am I so mercurial? Am I afraid of accessing my endurance and committing? Do I fear being trapped by my commitment? If yes, why? Is it a reaction to some past trauma? Instead of cultivating endurance in healthy areas, have I developed a capacity for endurance of unhealthy experiences? Do I endure more pain than pleasure? Do I underestimate my capacity to endure?

Exercise for the day: Commit yourself to developing a new good habit.

From:

A Spiritual Guide to the counting of the Omer

Forty-Nine Steps to Personal Refinement

The Forty-Nine Days of Sefirah

by Simon Jacobson

$7.95 Soft Cover

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