Stairway to Heaven
This article has been published in the Sinai Chronicle, Sinai Reform Synagogue, Leeds Stairway to Heaven Are you ready to count your way to personal transformation? The Omer Counting can be seen as the world’s oldest ’12 Step Program’, an antique method of self-improvement. According to the Chassidic tradition this is certainly the case where each ‘sefirah’ (‘counting’) is aligned with a Kabbalistic description of the Divine, like ‘Gevurah’ (power) or ‘Chesed’ (loving-kindness) for us to emulate. Be what may, the message is clear – the Omer is not only a Biblical commandment (Lev. 23:15) in which we count our way from freedom (Pesach) to Revelation (Shavuot) – but also a stairway to Heaven into our deepest personal experiences. A lot happens en route. From the first counting (on the 15 th of Nisan, second Seider night, for those who celebrate) to the 50th on erev Shavuot itself (6 th of Sivan), the tragedies and joys of the Jewish people pass us by. On our relentless march to receive ...