Divine Presence within Endurance: 28 Days Omer 5782

May 13

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Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of the Omer in the year 5782. שחינה שבנצח. Shechinah within Netzach. Divine Presence within Endurance. When we reach beyond what we think we could handle, God is with us. When we sink into how great it is to be alive, God surrounds us.

Choosing To Be Israel, Choosing To Be A God-Wrestler

When I first returned to deep Jewish practice, my brain was flooded with "peace" activist rhetoric. I found it so disturbing to read blessings for Israel every day. It took me quite awhile to break through the anti-Jewish bias that had accumulated in my thought process. I finally broke through to understanding that the majority of the time "Israel" is mentioned in Jewish prayer, it is as a collective name for my people. And the name means God-wrestler.

God Is With Me Always

My understanding of the Divine is quite different from many people. I try hard not to attempt to convince anyone of God's existence. Although, I am known to defend God from specious arguments. My goal in writing these blog posts is to help people sink into a more expansive understanding of God. Breaking free of childhood narratives. Diving into the mystery at the heart of the universe.

Omer Counting is about allowing space for God to enter into our daily lives. As Shabbat begins, how are you greeting the Ground of Being?

Remembering Those Lost to COVID-19

Two years ago, I reflected on the seemingly overwhelming fact that 250,000 people worldwide had died from COVID-19. Now, we are marking an even grimmer day: almost one million people in the United States have died from COVID-19. Globally, over six million people have died from COVID-19. Each person contains worlds and each death is painful. We have ripped through the fabric of humanity.

Yes, we need to endure and move forward. Yet, we must also recognize that this disease continues to hunt us. Getting sick, especially getting infected more than once, can increase long-term negative health outcomes. And people continue to die of the ever-increasingly contagious disease. I am not a health expert. I rely on county public health experts, medical experts via Twitter, and Your Local Epidemiologist to understand what is happening with this pandemic. May we never forget those whose lives were cut short. May we stay vigilant for our own health, and for the health of all who live on earth.