Today is Day 40 of the Omer, and the spiritual focus is Hod she’b’yesod, Humility in Bonding. The overarching theme for this week is yesod: bonding and connections. The trait we add to help us tweak the trait of yesod is hod, humility.
An example of the combination of these two traits today is that sometimes, someone we care about thinks differently than us. They might have a different opinion that we find hard to hear, or they might make us feel angry or hurt. It is easy to think that we are right, and to lose faith in them. When someone disagrees with us, or thinks differently than us, it can be hard to let go of our initial disappointment, anger or hurt. We can find it difficult to forgive, or see beyond the particular disagreement. Hod, humility, can be important in this situation. Humility reminds us that there is more than our opinion. There is more to a friendship or relationship than one or two disagreements. Humility tells us to broaden our focus from the thing that upset us, to see the full person, to see more than that one thing. It reminds us that perhaps their opinion is useful to hear. Perhaps we are a bit stubborn, or arrogant, in believing that our view or assumptions are the only ones that matter in an interaction.
In our parasha this week, Behar-Behukotai, we are told to practice humility when it comes to other people and to the land. We are not to see ourselves as owners of anyone or anything. Ultimately, everything and everyone is from and of God. Our parasha tells us that every seven years, there will be a Jubilee year, when all slaves are set free. The land is also freed from our incessant demands. God reminds us that ‘The land is Mine. You are but guests.’‘ (Lev. 25: 24)
Exercise for the day: This Shabbat, come to shul to offer thanks to God for this beautiful miraculous Airbnb we call Earth, that we get to share with our Divine Host.
Today, bend a little for the sake of a relationship you are in. Set aside your ‘rightness’ for the sake of the connection between you. Be open to hearing a different perspective.
This Shabbat, may you find a deeper connection to God, and to God’s creatures and creation.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Marcia Plumb
