We are in Omer Day 27, yesod (a very male sense to this term, classically) within netzach (triumph). It's too close to Shabbat to go use this politically. Rather, let's look at how this brings us to where the devilishly patriarchal mystic Reb Nachman of Breslov is cited in Sichos Haran 86 as underscoring the fascinating use of sexual metaphors within Jewish wedding culture of his time that appear in Shabbat and Shavuot. He begins by utilizing Song of Songs 3:11, to make sure we know that Shabbat, and Shavuot and every Jewish wedding is a Cosmic wedding of Kodesh Baruch Hu and Shechinah, or, if you will, and they did--between us and the G*dhead. So....
Hubbatzin Barry and I were riffing on this sephirotic pair like giggly newlyweds while out on our Omer walk today. And then we, hilariously, stumbled across the pictured dog and inscription. Fair enough--it's not quite Day 28, Shabbat, here.
Reb Nachman's wedding talk that is right there in Sichot Haran 86 takes this topic, shall we say, as an opportunity to go deeper. He reports on wedding customs in the text, e.g.:
"Bread is thrown at the groom, as a humorous blessing to be able to... rise to the occasion, as is written "Wherever the spirit went...the OFANIM were lifted up" (EZ 1:20). An OFAN is an angel. Baked goods are OFIN. The similar spelling indicates a similarity in essence."
So, too, are we entering the weekly cosmic wedding, Shabbat, tonight here, Omer Day 28--Malchut (a very female/birthing sense to this term that is also considered to be Shechinah) wrapped in Netzach (success/triumph).
Well, Reb Nachman points out that just as we received the divine words of Torah on Shavuot, so too, on Shabbat and at any Jewish wedding words of Torah are traditionally spoken by the groom (and these days in the circles in which I frequent, by both partners to the marriage). Reb Nachman explains that bringing down these words of Torah helps to unite the couple because:
a) the gematria for the word SINAI is the same as that for SULAM, ladder.
b) Angels are going up and down that ladder, which he deems to be Jacob's ladder, and parallels with "dancers going up and down, raising and lowering their bodies [in a] dance [he uses the word PRISTAKES] on the ladder of Sinai on the day of the wedding."
Reb Nachman even explains the custom of interrupting the couples' Torah talks--it is the breaking of the Tablets. Interestingly no breaking of a glass appears in the discourse portion that I read.
Well, it's cool indeed that Gen 28:11 has Jacob lying down, vayishkav, which also spells VaYesh ("There are" --"K"B" (22)--the 22 letters of the Torah. Reb Nachman's verse to take the meaning further is Gen. 46:5: "I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will bring you up", as in the dancing mentioned which turns out to symbolize: Exile and redemption.
His great sense of humor while maintaining the cosmology he is intent on teaching indicates that it is also customary "for the dancers to do somersaults....based on: Ex 19:3 "And Moses went up." and Ex 19:20, "And G*d descended onto Mount Sinai." Reb Nachman teaches that "Sinai then involved 'the superior below and the inferior above." Hence somersaults with Shechinah on top and called inferior..."
Oh Reb Nachman, you partriarchal mystic....
Well, still fascinating stuff illuminating traditions and possibilities for our own Shabbat.
If you have access to the text, there's a good deal more to harvest. Go for it, just don't forget to dance. SHABBAT SHALOM and blessings from my heart to yours....