middot – Page 2 – The Tree of Life

Omer Count: Day 10 Tiferes of Gevurah – Balance of Strength

Finding the right balance within the framework of discipline is important. For example, in regard to self-discipline, within the regimen of an exercise routine, there should be a certain amount of time and effort spent in order to achieve an overall goal.

Yet, too much too soon might not be of benefit, and could even be detrimental to one’s own sense of well-being. The same is true in other arenas of life. Whether the social sphere, one’s vocation, or even a hobby, there should be a balance kept in mind.

Coordinating mind, body, and spirit endeavors is necessary as well, to stay in balance.

week two – Gevurah

The middah of gevurah is equivalent to strength, judgment and discipline. Typically, gevurah is balanced by chesed. G-d created the world through the attributes of Judgment and Mercy. Otherwise, mankind could not have survived strictly according to the aspect of judgment placed upon mankind. Therefore, G-d’s mercy balances the harshness of judgment, making it possible for us as human beings to be spared the ultimate punishment for our sins.

Additionally, in a striking example found in Torah, Abraham suppresses his mercy toward Isaac, his only son, in order to follow through on G-d’s will in regard to the test of the Akedah. He does so through the attribute of gevurah, that denotes constriction, as opposed to the expansiveness of chesed. Thus, in this case, gevurah supercedes chesed, for the sake of countering the natural love toward a child, in order to show devotion to G-d. It was only a test; yet, a very real one for Abraham.

Omer: Day 29 Chesed shebbe Hod

Love (kindness) within Splendor (humility)

The role of kindness within the quality of humility. How does kindness influence the potential for humility? Kindness may serve as a key ingredient of humility. Otherwise, kindness may actually be a result of the quality of humility. To humble ourselves before G-d, and others, downplaying our “plusses,” and acknowledging our “minuses,” places us in a position to better appreciate others, by not seeing ourselves as better than them.

Therefore, kindness may be a consequence of recognizing our inherent sameness with others. It is easier to be kind to those whom we feel a common connection. Recognizing our own humanity, reflected in the eyes of others, may help us to bridge the gap with personal acts of kindness.

note: The counting of the Omer serves as a spiritual journey. We are called upon to leave our own personal limitations behind us, as we travel on the path of freedom, away from the influence of negativity in our lives. This is a forty-nine day journey, a self improvement plan, between Passover and Shavuot. Each of the seven weeks corresponds to one of the seven middos (character traits) that we will have the opportunity to improve upon in our lives.

My personal reflections on each day’s combination of middot are not meant to be comprehensive; they are not based upon any one particular system. Nor, may my insights be characterized as authoritative, because I am a student, not a teacher. I simply hope to inspire others to delve into an exploration of their own personality, for the sake of tikkun hanefesh (rectification of the soul).

Omer: Day 26 – Resilience in Adversity

Hod shebbe Netzach: Splendor (Humility) within Victory (Endurance)

Hod may also be rendered as humility. The quality of humility in regard to endurance may be envisioned as a bamboo tree yielding to a strong wind in a storm, signifying, that endurance in the face of life’s challenges may also require resilience. When we are able to acknowledge our limitations in the face of adversity, then we may be compelled to gather inner strength. In other words, our limitations may compel us to renew our strength through a resilient spirit.

The splendor of hod represents the light of G-d, that shines upon us when we humble ourselves in respect to Him. (We mirror his light). By recognizing our limitations, we may receive His blessing to endure, with a little help from Above. Our resilience in the face of adversity may depend upon an added measure of assistance from outside of our own resources, in order to persist with any worthy endeavor. In G-d’s eyes, when we reach out to Him, we are being dependent in a good way.

Omer: Day 21 – Balanced Autonomy

malchus shebbe tiferes: kingdom within beauty

The sovereignty of G-d over His creation is tantamount to keeping order in the world, according to His frame of reference, a perspective that transcends our limited viewpoint. In our own lives, we are granted a certain amount of autonomy over ourselves, that should not be taken for granted. Therefore, we need to be responsible decision makers, while also recognizing that we cannot control all the circumstances of our life; even so, we can still choose how to respond in any given situation.

Yet, our sense of autonomy is best taken into consideration with respect towards the greater context of our relationship with G-d, as well as our fellow human beings. With that in mind, reflect upon how important these relationships are to our own sense of well-being. No man is an island; we all need some amount of social interaction, to a greater or lesser degree, depending upon the individual. Additionally, as limited beings, we may benefit from turning towards G-d for comfort, guidance, and inspiration.

Lifting ourselves up above our station in life, trying to make ourselves out to be more than who we really are, would be presumptuous. In recognition of our dependency on G-d, we realize that we have limitations, and do not rule the world. Acknowledging the value of others in our lives, helps us to comprehend, that an overall sense of harmony, is promoted by accepting the contributions that other people make to our well being. Moreover, by respecting the autonomy and boundaries of others, we may be interdependent; yet, without treading on another’s toes.

Omer: Day 13 Yesod of Gevurah

(foundation within strength) Wednesday April 19, 2023

The foundation of strength, from an integral standpoint, has to do with “moral constraint.” Gevurah is also associated with judgment; therefore, judging ourselves within the context of our foundational beliefs may compel us to see if we “measure up” to the standards that we would like to uphold in our lives. A proper assessment of our foundational strengths is necessary to test the integrity of the overall “structure” – the beliefs and presuppositions that our lives are based upon.

Omer Day 12 – Something Greater

hod shebbe gevurah (humility within strength) Tuesday April 18, 2023

The humility of discipline, requires an acknowledgment of something greater than ourselves, so that we do not misuse our sense of power. There is only one authority in the world that is not of this world: the authority from Above. All other authorities must submit to Him. The more that we may try to act as an independent entity, without keeping G-d in mind, the less efficacy we will have in our own endeavors. Even if G-d permits us to go our own way, the result will not be sanctioned by him, unless we realize through our misguided efforts, that something is amiss. By leaving G-d out of the equation in our lives, nothing will add up; only through His splendor can we act in all humility, in recognition of His greater glory.

Omer: Day 11 Endure the Challenges

Netzach of Gevurah endurance of strength

The combination of attributes, netzach within gevurah represents the endurance of strength through maintaining discipline over oneself, and unruly emotions as noted in Proverbs. Scripture, especially the insights found in Proverbs, may serve as a reflection on human behavior, as well as a prescription for right conduct. Thus to paraphrase Solomon, he who rules over his passions is greater than he who is able to conquer a city (Proverbs 16:32). For “he that ruleth his spirit,” through subduing negative emotions may succeed in understanding (Proverbs 16:32, 14:29). Otherwise, one might become like “a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).

Keeping this in mind, it is interesting to note that netzach is also characterized as “victory.” Sometimes it is better to focus on our inner battles, than to seek to be victorious over external circumstances that are beyond our control. I can work on changing myself for the better; hopefully, as a result, I will be in a position to positively affect others in a limited sphere of influence. Beyond that amount of impact, I recognize that I have very little sway over what occurs in the world at large. Netzach, further associated with the idea of “conducting” or “orchestrating” helps to keep me focused on my own sense of place, in relationship to the bigger picture, while recognizing that only G-d has the omnipotence to be all powerful.

Omer: Day 10 Tiferes of Gevurah – Balance of Strength

Finding the right balance within the framework of discipline is important. In regard to self-discipline, for example, within the regimen of an excercise routine, there should be a certain amount of time and effort spent in order to achieve an overall goal. Too much too soon might not be of benefit, and could even be detrimental to one’s own sense of well-being. The same is true in other arenas of life. Whether the social sphere, one’s vocation, or even a hobby, there should be a balance kept in mind. Overall, coordinating mind, body, and spirit endeavors is necessary as well, to stay in balance.

Omer: Day 9 Gevurah: The Restraint of Might

gevurah shebbe gevurah- restraint of might

The strength of gevurah relies on the ability to restrain oneself. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Proverbs 16:32). Restraint of ourselves is key, not only for the benefit of our soul, also for the sake of being in a position to offer diplomatic relations to those who enter into conflict with us.

Another effective saying to keep in mind is that “he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife” (Proverbs 15:18). We would do well to learn from the wise words of King Solomon, for our hearts are heavy with the burdens we face; yet, too often, we are tempted to respond to others in a reactive way, rather in a manner of restraint.

If I may further explain, by way of a concrete example too rampant today. We, ourselves, might have fallen prey to the divisiveness that permeates society, dividing people into subgroups of us and them; the bitterness that festers as a result of demonizing the other, will only further the perpetuation of the lack of harmony in our lives, especially when our thoughts and rhetoric approaches the vitriolic.

Furthermore, the critical nature of the human heart, has the potential to fuel cancel culture, and further the categorization of classes of people in society into the oppressed and the oppressors, increasingly demonizing through generalizations. This is the result of permitting tyranny to rule the heart (G-d forbid).