Observing Sephirat HaOmer

Observing Sephirat HaOmer

- Joy Krauthammer

Ritualwell sent the following e-mail question, and I responded:
"We are approaching the end of the Omer and we want to hear how you've been observing it. Share your practices here!"

Chodesh Tov Sivan

I have been observing Omer Counting since Day 1, 16 Nisan. Each night I stand in front of my fridge where I keep my Omer Calendar, and say the Bracha. One night I quickly got out of bed to Count when I realized I may have forgotten. My intention is to continue with Netzach / dedication until I reach the 49th Gate, and then Shavuot.

I forgot to cut my hair before Pesach, so in observance, my hair is unpleasantly longer because I missed it's monthly cut for 7 weeks.  I also haven't gone to any celebratory concerts.  On Lag B'Omer I read about and watched Meron celebrations. I did go to a shul picnic and played music for the party. I have looked forward to Shavuot.

I'm happy to report, I've remembered every evening to count and to make each day count. My daily practice includes reflecting and meditating on the combined energies of the day's Sephirat HaOmer. Being consciously more aware of the day and related Sephirot, being receptive, and being present in Four Worlds, has been a goal. I have recalled how my rebbes have influenced my coming closer to the Compassionate One, wanting me to align myself in the greatest Light. By the next day I am especially more aware of how the prior day's energies affected me, and my relationships.

AcCounting for the day's energies and my actions, I do personal writing, dance, drum, photograph and create art.  For remembering G*d, I've created a new Shiviti design, and used my Mizrachs. I have again thought of wearing tzitzit as fringe on a daily garment.

I have added writing and art posts to my Sephirat HaOmer sites:

http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com

http://count-the-omer.blogspot.com/ 

To share with others, in addition to my sites, I've written to Ritualwell. 

My Sephirat HaOmer art has been published in the Huffington Post's Omer LiveBlog.
I take care to submit my Omer art and writing to the Huff Post Omer LiveBlog (hoping they are accepted). I feel gratitude when they are featured. I am mamash greatly inspired by the myriad of posts that Religion editor, Josh Fleet, publishes from wonderful artists and teachers all over the globe from different denominations. I appreciate reading posts from other Omer observers.

During Omer, I have read a lot of Torah and Kabbalistic teachings from my favorite ravs, and people with whom I was unfamiliar. I've also forwarded other awesome teachings unknown to the Huff Post, and they've been included.

I've successfully encouraged others, female and male, Orthodox and Renewal, and Israeli and American, to submit their art and writing to the Huff Post for this Omer season.

In Los Angeles, for a couple decades, I've been teaching shul congregations how to spiritually Count the Omer, in addition to teaching individuals how to Count. Carefully I created meaningful 'handouts' for my presentations to share with students. I bought a new computer program and took lessons on it in order to make better handouts. I've already arranged to teach classes next year. A friend has re-created the Omer calendar for me to use next year, so I am ready!

During the Omer season at prayer time, I love wearing my ribboned tallit, designed and created exactly 20 years ago, 5753, with colors of Sephirat HaOmer, according to Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi's color arrangement.

I have spiritually and physically enwrapped myself in the Sephirot, and hopefully diminished blemishes needing tikkun, in order to reach Mount Sinai and Torah.  

Thank you for asking how I observe this season from liberation to revelation.

BlesSings on your journey to the Tree of Life.

BlesSings for personal reflection, spiritual transcendence, health, wholeness, harmony & peace, revealed miracles, inspiration & creativity & discovery, wonder, blooming gardens, majestic sunrises, love and joy,

JOY Krauthammer

"Serve G*d With Joy"

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SERVE G*D WITH JOY Omer Clock

from

PSALMS OF MY SOUL
http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com/2013/04/serve-gd-in-joy-omer-clock-day-42.html

Kabbalistic Sephirat HaOmer - day 42

Malchut sh b'Yesod ~ SERVE G*D IN JOY

Omer Counter Timbrel Clock

Expressively and joyously I give of myself as I serve G*d.

"Ivdu Et Hashem B'Simcha" - Psalm 100:2

- Joy Krauthammer

  Gila Rena Tzohara

(With the future Happy Minyan in Pico-Robertson, at Torah when Reb Shlomo Carlebach, z"l, added "Tzohara" to my name, thus Gila Rena Tzohara / double Joy and Light, Reb Shlomo said I have a million reasons to cry, and all I show is my joy.)

Malchut sh b'Yesod

Ohr

 is it Every Omer Day that I think about my attributes in 'Serving G*d' and spontaneously do divine Avodah with Kavanah in Asiyah / World of physical body and doing?

For this wood clock/calendar image, is the best Omer day Malchut sh b'Yesod - day 36, double Chai?
... because all energies flow through me into deepest Sephirah Malchut, and the radiance of Shechinah inspires and allows me with my deeply rooted, personal and unique creative contributions to mamash reveal inner JOY, as I connect and bond in Sephirah Yesod with those whom I share myself, while serving the Holy One. "Ivdu Et Hashem B'Simcha".

If the image represents earlier flowing Sephirot in my Tree of Life, maybe my Gevurah is restricting other Sephirot from having priority. There's a bissel Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod in my Avodah.  - Joy 

Serve G*d With Joy Clock

montage © Joy Krauthammer

In Hod, I share that one way I serve "G*d With Joy" is as temple musician with timbrel in hand.

Joyously teaching chevre about Sephirat HaOmer is another way I love to serve G*d.

Doing Bikkur Cholim each day in Chesed and Tiferet is another way I serve the Holy One with Joy.

In Pico-Robertson many years ago, the Roth's Bookstore owner gave me the non-working old worn clock, and in Hiddur Mitzvah, I renewed and transformed the time-keeper that I'd rescued from the trash.

Each week I would drive to Roth's bookstore in Los Angeles, for classes with wonderful rabbis. This reformed clock reminds me to "Serve G*d With Joy".

Each night for a couple decades (until I was a full-time Caregiver Angel Warrior), I was driving to LA an hour or more each way for spiritual classes all over town. Now I'm older, traffic creeps too slowly on the "worst" freeway in America--2 to 0 mph at times, and gas prices are very high for my purple truck; $20 for gas and 2 1/2 - 3 hours is a lot of spent resources for a one hour class. Couple years ago I took a semester's Talmud class at AJR and it was two hours every single Monday morning to reach LA, driving 7-9 AM.  Before class I was always on time for the blesSing to davven with the rabbinic students!  Now I am grateful for all the mamash great Jewish teachings 24/7 on the web.

For this montage, to the shined-up wood clock, I added the wood Omer Counter with the inner paper Omer scroll, that I purchased in Meir Shaarim, Jerusalem.  I love sharing it at the classes I teach on Serving G*d With Joy.  - Joy Krauthammer

Count each day, make each day count, and  "Teach us to treasure each day."  - Psalm 90.  

PS
When I wasn't buying books at Roth's, since at least 1980, I was filling my immense Judaic library from House of David in North Hollywood, where mamash, I received personal attention. David's son Philip knew before I knew, what treasure I would still cherish today.

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http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com

http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com/2013/04/serve-gd-in-joy-omer-clock-day-42.html
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