Omer Day Two: Restraint within Lovingkindness

Posted by Rabbi Goldie Milgram |
Photo credit: Google images

Before the sun sets today there is still time for this Day Two Omer practice of Restraint within Lovingkindness--Gevurah sheh b'Chessed. We begin by contemplating how what my teacher Reb Zalman called "the G*d field" functions. The original energy of creation is present around and through us and yet is filtered by the atmosphere, and clouds, and the original star dust is that from which we are made. Compressed energy takes form as clouds, rivers, the human genome, and the DNA of the letters of Torah. Contemplating the cosmic energy out there and the seeming miracle of how it is filtered into our reality and does not eradicate us.
    What feeling comes?
    Now, imagine feeling an excessive, unboundaried lovingkindness flowing toward you to such an extent nothing and no one else has room to manifest. Where does the restraint come from that allows us to exist at all? What a blessing! This is one of the Jewish mystics' sources of awe on Day Two of the Omer.
     We, too, are able to set our boundaries to prevent emitting or receiving a wave of being that blots out the capacity for being. What a blessing!
     Now, in view of the tradition of adding the ana b'koakh prayer to your omer, here is a link to a fairly new melody, one by Shir Yaakov Feit from his album Zeh. Today has been Day Two of the Omer.
     And, a ransliteration and interpretation by Rabbi Shifra Tobacman of the prayer for each day's Omer practice  from: http://www.kehillasynagogue.org:

omer-blessing-traditional-version

(Traditional) Baruch ata Adonai Eloheynu melech ha-olam asher kid’shanu b-mitz’votav v-tzivanu ahl s’firat ha-omer. 

(Feminized) Aht brucha Shechina eloheynu chey ha-olamim asher kidash’tanu b-mitz’voteyha v-tziv’tanu ahl s’firat ha-omer.

We bless the Source of time and space that summons us to holy action and instructs us on the counting of the omer.
                                          Today has been Day Two of the Omer.