I typically only post on Rosh Hodesh, the first day of each Hebrew month. But, as Passover draws near, I wanted to share something from last year which was meaningful to me. Perhaps might help us count the days toward the reduction of Covid-19 and return to some normalcy.
I am saddened that I was not able to make it back to Israel to sit with my family for our Passover Seder this year. But, I am grateful to spend this time with, and be helpful to, my parents. It is a gift to be here as spring comes to Southern California. When I came down from Los Angeles last month, I decided I wanted to be intentional about recognizing beauty each day. To do so each day, I have been taking a picture of a different flower. Several days ago, I ran out of flowers in the yard. But because my parents house backs up onto significant undeveloped acreage I was able to look a bit further afield. I had been walking in these fields nearly every day, typically splitting my attention between the trail and the birds and the occasional four-legged creature. Now I began to look at the shrubs and the weeds that surrounded the trails. My first discovery was California Poppies, hands down my favorite wildflower. But then, one after another I found myself taking photos of the flowers on plants I had previously seen only as weeds.
As I have watched the flowers transform the landscape, Passover has day by day drawn closer. On Thursday night, the second night of Passover, we enter the time of the Counting the Omer, Sefirat HaOmer. Each evening we are commanded to count forty-nine days until Shavuot, the ‘fiftieth day.’ Among other things, this counting takes us from our freedom from Egypt at Passover to Mount Sinai and the receiving of Torah on Shavuot. Each day that we count we are not only drawing closer to receiving Torah but we are preparing spiritually to do so.
Not only do Passover and Easter mark the transition into spring, they have also traditionally marked the transition of students around the world. After spring break they head back to school but their eyes are now turned toward the goal: summer vacation. In Israel they begin what is called Sefirat HaGomer, the Counting to the End. This play on words takes them day by day to the freedoms that summer will bring.
This year, our Omer and Gomer periods are marked not only by these age old countings but by the counting of another day of physical distancing, isolation and strain. The counting of how many are infected and how many have lost their lives. While we don’t know exactly when the end will be nor do we have a hard number to look forward to, if you are like me, you are still finding yourself counting the days.
I have never been particularly successful in remembering each evening to count the 49 days. In fact, I am pretty sure I have yet to make it all the way through. Until last year. Last year I by chance heard a suggestion by Rabbi Shavit Artson to create our own counting. So I did – I wrote a list of 50+ soul-feeding activities I wanted to do. Few of them would take more than 10 minutes, and most were things I felt I should be doing more of – special time with each child, flowers for Shabbat, swing on a swing set, call various friends just to say hi, leave a random note for someone, garden…. Each morning I would look at the list and choose which I wanted to do that day. I made it to 49 days. And each day my soul sang a small song. When Shavuot came, I was ready to stand before God and like the Israelites so long ago say yes with a full heart.
Passover, especially the Seder, as well as the Easter meal, are supposed to be times of family, times of togetherness, sharing and love. And while we may be physically distant, one from the other, this year, our hearts and souls remain connected to each other. The core of our being is not changed by Covid-19, infact, we may have been reminded of what really is at our core. I pray that we each find the depth of our true being and when we are finally done counting, that we remember that core each and every day.
Whether you celebrate Passover, Easter or simply the coming of spring, I wish you happiness and love. Look around you, see the weeds in a new light & allow them to become your flowers. Will you join me in creating a personal Sfirat HaOmer counting list?
Receive posts like this each Rosh Hodesh (new month).