7 = 5 + 2
Dear Family,
I hope everyone is well.
Tonight and tomorrow is Lag Baomer, and there will be events like bonfires, parades and outings etc.
BECAUSE LAG BAOMER IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT DAY, I DECIDED TO DO THE WEEKLY EMAIL EARLIER THIS WEEK, WITH THE HOPE THAT MAYBE MORE OF US COULD ATTEND SOME THESE ACTIVITIES, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME.
It is well known that this day is very close to Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai, who is in attendance, and it is a propitious day for one's prayers to be answered!
To try and get a sense of the power of this day, I would like to share some points from the Maamer I learnt about Lag Baomer, from the Alte Rebbe's Siddur, and which I think also reflects the power of our Judaism, how precise and important everything is, and how true.
In brief the story of Rebbi Shimon is quite well known and interesting.
While he was in hiding in a cave for 12 years (plus another year) he learnt Torah very deeply and he wrote the Zohar. As food he had access to a spring of water and a carob tree.
It is said that his Neshama is a spark of Mosheh Rabeinu, and that Mosheh gave us the Revealed Torah, and Rebbi Shimon revealed to us the Hidden Torah. - 2 giants of our people.
He was niftar on Lag Baomer, with his knowledge, and he requested that this day be one of celebration! (See attached below for interest)
There are many instances in Torah where 7 is divided up as 5+2. For example the lights of the Menorah in the Temple were lit as first 5 and then at a different stage, the last 2. And when enumerating the 7 fruits of eretz Yisrael, there is an interruption after mentioning the first 5, before the final 2.
Similarly the 7 weeks of the Counting of the Omer, reflect the refining of our 7 Emotional attributes, as we have discussed (each attribute has within it each of the other 7, leaving us 49 combination of attributes to refine over the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuos)
Of the 7 main emotional attributes, the main 'body' of them ends after the first 5 (like our body containing all the vital organs). And the last 2 are like the 'lower body and thighs' - The Alte Rebbe says that this is a well known and established fact.
The first 5 relate to ourselves and our development, and the last 2 relate to our giving over to others.
And what week are we now in? The 5th.
And what day of the 5th week are we going into (ie Lag Baomer)? The 5th.
And what is the 5th emotional attribute? Hod.
So Lag Baomer is Hod within Hod! - the lowest of the lowest level of the body of our emotions.
And Hod is the character of Humility, Recognition and Gratitude. (and contains all 7 emotional qualities - Rabbi Shimon Jacobson)
Recognition and Gratitude
Both words have similar Hebrew roots - modeh (modim) and hodaah.
In shemoneh esreh prayer, in the section where we say' modim', (and bow) the Rebeim added in a second modim which we say in the repetition of shemoneh esreh (called modim Derabanan) and this reflects the concept of HODAAH SHEBEHODAAH.
This can be explained briefly as follows: The main modim is the capability of a Jew to RECOGNISE and be GRATEFUL to Hashem in a fashion of beyond and higher than the world, and in a real way. Mostly we do not have this capability, but we do have the capability to at least RECOGNISE THIS RECOGNITION, or agreeing to recognise (represented by us saying a second modim in the repetition of Shemoneh esreh.)
Nearly there if you can still hold tight!
It is also well know from Sefer Yetzirah that the end is wedged in the beginning, and the beginning in the end. Ie the highest light and purpose of Creation, can be found specifically in the lowest most remote areas.
Translated, in our context, this means, that the highest light of Creation is manifest at the level of HODAAH SHEBEHODAAH (where we barely recognise Hashem, but we agree to recognise Him, and we have not rejected Him), on the day of HOD SHEBEHOD, LAG BAOMER, the day we celebrate with REBBI SHIMON BAR YOCHAI, a day which is full of blessing, and potential for blessing.
May all our prayers be answered for good, and wishing everyone a happy Lag Baomer, and a Gut Shabbos.
http://www.merkazanash.com/sites/default/files/459%20-%20Lag%20Ba%E2%80%99om er.pdf.