With Shavuot beginning on Saturday night, June 4, this is the final week of the counting of the Omer.
Today is the 47th day of the Omer
Hod in Malchut: Humility in Sovereignty
How do we prepare for life’s significant moments? Granted, we do not always know when they are coming, but when we do, what can we do to get ready? How can we ensure that we are present as we mark moments of transition, moments of celebration, moments of deep sorrow?
These questions animate the discussion of Shavuot in our Talmud. Almost 2,000 years ago, our rabbis understood that we cannot—literally or metaphorically—stand at Sinai without being ready, without taking time for spiritual and emotional (and sometimes even physical!) preparation. Today, the third day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, kicks off what our tradition calls Shloshet Yamei Hagbalah—the Three Days of Limitation, of Demarcation. They are days of preparation, based on the Torah’s description of the days leading up to the revelation at Sinai. We are told where to go, how to dress, with whom to connect, and what to avoid. Some of the instructions are deeply problematic (hello, “do not go near a woman”), but all are geared toward making sure that we are—in every sense of the word—present when Torah is revealed. The attribute of hod, which we honor today, can mean both “splendor” and “humility,” and I cannot think of a better way to describe the emotional combinations of our biggest life moments.
Our students in Pre-K, TK and sixth grade have been practicing, ready to mark this moment in their growth and their learning. Prom and graduation pictures fill my social media feeds. “Wedding season” is upon us. This is a season of transitions—of school years coming to an end, of new beginnings, and of new endeavors.
This very morning, my daughter will stand on our bimah and recite Shechechiyanu as her time in our Aaron Milken Center comes to an end. What a moment of splendor, for her and her classmates, for me and Ben and all of the other parents, for our families, for all of those who have helped her—as the blessing says—to reach this moment. And what a moment of humility—especially for me and Ben—of recognizing how enormous the miracle of her life is, of how fortunate we are to have this moment to celebrate, of how small this big moment is in the span of what we pray will be a long life.
We give thanks, in the spirit of splendor and humility, for the precious gift of life and for the chance to celebrate these moments within it. I hope you, whether you are celebrating today/this month or not, can take a moment to give thanks as well, with all the splendor of life and the humility of knowing its preciousness.
—Rabbi Sari Laufer