Examine the sovereignty of your sovereignty. Does it come from deep-rooted inner confidence in myself? Or is it just a put-on to mask my insecurities? Does that cause my sovereignty to be excessive? Am I aware of my uniqueness as a person? Of my personal contribution?(More on counting the Omer here)
Tomorrow night begins the Festival of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
After we have accomplished all we can through our own initiative, then we are worthy to receive a gift (matan) from Above which we could not have achieved with our own limited faculties. We receive the ability to reach and touch the Divine; not only to be cultivated human beings who have refined all of our personal characteristics, but divine human beings who are capable of expressing ourselves above and beyond the definitions and limitations of our beings.The Kabbalists of the 1500s (including Shlomo Alkabetz, known as the author of the Shabbat theme song, "Lecha Dodi") created a ritual of staying up all the first night of Shavuot studying Torah, a custom which is being revived. Last year I took advantage of the multiplicity of Jewish life in NYC to attend study sessions at three different congregations. This year I will be at a retreat upstate. Hag sameach Shavuot, everyone!
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