Day 21 of the Omer

21
Malkhut b’Tiferet
Sovereignty within Harmony / Balance / Compassion

Tonight at sundown begins the day of sovereignty within harmony and compassion.

Malkhut can also be translated as “nobility.” How do you strive to be noble and regal in your compassion for others and for yourself?

The sefirah of malkhut is connected with Shekhinah, the immanent, indwelling Presence of God Who is manifest in creation. How can we make God manifest in creation through our harmony with one another, through our compassion for one another?

---

As I count the Omer, let my counting create a tikkun, a healing, between transcendence and immanence, God far above and God deep within.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ רוּחַ הַעולָם, אָשֶר קִדשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ אַל סְפִירַת הַעמֶר.

Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu ruach ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sfirat ha-omer.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, breath of life, who makes us holy with mitzvot and gives us this opportunity to count the Omer.

Today is twenty-one days, which are three weeks of the Omer!

How to help R’ Weiner and his family after the fire

Dear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends,

As you may have read in this morning’s Berkshire Eagle, there was a devastating fire last evening at the family home of Rabbi David Weiner, who serves Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. Thankfully the Weiner family is okay; they are currently staying with a KI congregant.

KI is in the process of setting up an emergency fund for donations to help the Weiner family replace the many necessary items they need while they put their life back together.

Anyone who wishes may make a donation by going to knessetisrael.org or by sending a check to Congregation Knesset Israel, 16 Colt Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (please write “Emergency Fund” on the envelope and in the check memo.)

You can also check the KI website beginning next week for a list of donated items to replace items lost in the fire.

I’m grateful that Rabbi Weiner, his wife Judith, and their three children are okay — but my heart aches for them as they prepare to rebuild their home and their life, having lost so many items to fire, smoke, and water damage. If you are able to make a donation, either of money or of physical objects (especially once their list of needed items is online next week), I know it would be much appreciated.

Our sages teach that there is extra merit in giving tzedakah before Shabbat. Both because in the traditional paradigm one doesn’t carry money on Shabbat (and so one can’t give money on the day itself), and because giving a free offering of our hearts is a way of opening ourselves to receive the influx of blessing which Shabbat can provide. Please keep the Weiners in mind this Shabbat, and in days to come.

Take care and Shabbat shalom,

Reb Rachel