Rabbi Goldie Milgram's blog

There is still time before the sun sets to engage in Omer Day Forty-Eight, Yesod sheh b'Malchut and to enter the last day of the Omer, Shabbat (Malchut) sheh b'Malchut. While teaching in Charlottesville a few weeks ago and offering a Yesod contemplation, the question became: How has your foundation changed since you were 10…20…30…40…50…60…70…and perhaps beyond?

Photo credit: Google advanced images

There is still time before the sunsets to engage in Omer Day Forty-Seven, Hod sheh b'Malchut. Reb Zalman described Hod as "a Zen garden," the one depicted here is located at our favorite garden in the world thus far, Chanticleer. Notice the pink flowers that could be for today Malchut--Shechinah surrounding Hod's space for refinement. The compounding effect of moving through each pair of sephirot daily is becoming quite "trippy".

Ingeborg Rapoport via Google Advanced Images

There is still time before the sun sets on Day 46 of the Omer to contemplate Netzach b'Malchut. The story of 102 year-old Ingeborg Rapoport came, she "was denied her PhD from the University of Hamburg in 1938 due to her Jewish heritage.

Photo credit: Hubble View of planet being born via Google images

Day 43: Chessed sheh b'Malchut. Chessed in this 7^th week feels like being in a mikveh (Chessed) within Shechinah (Malchut).

Photo credit: Hubble View via Google images

Omer Day Forty-Two, Malchut sheh b'Yesod ended with Havdallah last night. This point on the Omer journey seems so much like that challenging place in pregnancy of almost unbearable waiting to meet the precious new manifestation of the divine that is preparing to come through. Here Yesod might be understood as the Foundational Urge within which Malchut--Shechinah is preparing to manifest. Yes, She came through as Shabbat.

Dandilion, Google Images

Hurray! Computer has returned from yet another repair trip since brown out on Day Seventeen. There is still time before sunset, on this forty-first day of the Omer, to engaged in the exponential spiritual practice of contemplating Yesod sheh b'Yesod.

Floating in the Dead Sea

Omer Day 16, Strength—gevurah within beauty—tiferet. Like many parents, mine would deny themselves a great deal in order to "do" for their children. I recall collecting the mail at age 17 and finding a letter appointing me as the Jewish and Nature programs director for a summer camp. I had secretly applied for the position, shown to me by an encouraging mentor. Running to tell my parents, I found them both in the kitchen. They looked like they had both swallowed the proverbial canary. Could they already know my special news and be in favor of me taking the job?

Green Apple; photo credit: Google Images

There is still time before the sun sets to engage in Omer Day 15 reflection upon Chessed--abundance--within/sheh b'Tiferet--harmony. When we would pass a fruit stand, Reb Zalman would often buy me a green apple. For a long time I though this was because he saw how often I brought red Braeburn apples to work as a snack, often leaving a pile for him in some funny or artful arrangement. One day I asked why he always handed me a green apple.