Lag B'Omer, 33 Days of Omer 5782

Today is thirty-three days, which is four weeks and five days of the Omer in the year 5782. הוד שבהוד, Hod ShebeHod, Gratitude within Gratitude. Lag is the way 33 is said transposing the Hebrew alphabet as a counting system... thus the name of the minor holiday of Lag B’Omer!

Gratitude for Dr. Bob Levy, z"l

Lag B'Omer is the second yarzheit, the second anniversary, of Dr. Bob Levy's death. I learned of his passing while in a Zoom shiva meeting for a colleague's mother. Dr. Levy was a passionate historian, an honored B'nai Mitzvah tutor, and a proud Jew. No one has ever taught with such animation and pathos for the suffering of our people. I had the distinct honor of being among his last students. He passed away before our final class, which was supposed to be a reflection point on a year of soaking in his knowledge of Jewish history from the Middle Ages to modernity. Instead, we spent our final class mourning our beloved professor.

I didn't know Dr. Levy personally. I was looking forward to the next chapter in our relationship, when I could be among the former students that he bear-hugged in the hallways, always eager to know what people are up to. There are so many things about Jewish intellectual history, Jewish professional life, and the future of the Jewish people that I want to discuss with Dr. Levy. I pray one day to merit the opportunity to continue our conversation.

Gratitude Within Gratitude, Splendor Within Splendor

When we are truly able to appreciate our own, individual gifts, we become able to emanate Gratitude.

When we take the time to get out of our heads and make our personal space beautiful, we reflect Spendor.

Love, Healthy Boundaries, Beauty, Truth, Compassion, and Endurance together create Splendor.

When we allow ourselves to be conduits of light, we become beacons of Gratitude.

May you be able to sink into Joyful Gratitude. May we all acknowledge the Splendor of Being.

Previously on Lag B'Omer...

Gratitude in Pandemic Times, 5781 / 2021.

Creating a dwelling place for the Divine, 5780 / 2020.

5779 / 2019: Splendor surrounds us and gives us life.

5778 / 2018: Allowing Splendor to flourish.

5777 / 2017: Three-fold souls and bonding with the Infinite.

Image by sagar pradhan via Pixabay.