Rosh Hodesh Iyar Torah Essay

Iyar is the second month of the year according to the Torah calendar, following Nisan, which is “the first … of the months of the year.” Iyar is deeply linked with another cycle: the counting of the Omer. This cycle counts the fifty days between Pesach and Shavuot, seven weeks that represent the foundational process that begins in the Exodus and culminates with receiving the Torah. This process simultaneously embodies the slow shedding of the 49 gates of Egyptian impurity on the one hand, and entering into the gates of Torah wisdom on the other.

The Zohar compares this process with the course of purification women undergo after menstruation:

                And you shall count unto you – ‘You’ specifically, similarly to that which is stated, ‘She shall count for her seven days,’ ‘for her’ – for herself; here too, ‘for your’ – for yourselves. And why? In order to be purified in the sanctified waters above, and then connect with the King and receive the Torah (Zohar, Emor, III 97b)

The Zohar places significance on the word ‘you’ in the verse. The phrase ‘unto you – for yourself’ also appears in the Zohar’s commentary on God’s commandment to Abraham, לך לך: “Lekh Lekha – for yourself, to improve yourself, to improve your level” (Zohar Lekh Lekha I 77b). The Zohar understands God’s mission as one of tikkun, or self improvement. Abraham’s search for the Divine involves a search for his own destiny through self-improvement. As Abraham delves into understanding the Divine attributes, he will identify his source in the sefira of Chesed, and consequently find his destiny and tikkun. For this purpose, he is required to undergo a journey from sefira to sefira and from one level to the next, utilizing each to repair the parallel attribute in his personality.

Similarly, Kabbalistic and Hassidic literature delineate the journey of a person counting the Omer. The purpose of engaging in the counting of the Omer is purification, self-improvement, and elevation: a process that touches the root of one’s life journey. The Ba’al Shem Tov explains with regard to Parashat Mas’ei:

These are the journeys of Bnei Israel […] for all the journeys amounted to 42, and these are with regard to each person from the day he was born until he dies, and this means that the day of one’s birth, when he exits his mother’s womb, is similar to the Exodus from Egypt, and then he journeys from one journey to the next until he arrives in the higher land of life […] and the 42 journeys are tantamount to the counting […] from the first night of Pesach to the holiday of Shavuot, which concludes receiving the Torah. And although they are 49 days, each week is one complete aspect, and the root is 42. This is intended to provide direction to the Israelite person, that he might know the correct path which he should walk all his life, to journey from one journey to another. (Degel Machane Ephraim, Mas’ei)

Indeed, in R. Haim Vital’s Sha’ar Hakavanot, the author analyzes Sefirat Haomer based on the AR”I’s teachings, according to which the Exodus involved a high level of Divine intervention, and the Seder therefore includes a powerful ancient light which is concealed as soon as the first day is over. At this point, human efforts are required to bring us toward tikkun, for the purpose of achieving the high level of receiving the Torah. Sefirat Haomer involves an intentional journey toward this goal of human self-correction, which is linked with the sefirot system:

It is also correct for one to direct one’s efforts on these 49 days toward an improvement of any sin he has preformed with regard to all seven sefirot. The way to do this is to amend any sin and flaw with regard to the sefira of Chesed on the first week. On the second week one should direct efforts toward amending sins in the sefira of Gevura. And so forth with regard to all seven weeks.

Various methods have been suggested for working on one’s attributes through the sefirot, similar to the concept ‘just as God is merciful, so too you should be merciful.’ One clear example can be found in the Kabbalistic musar work Tomer Devorah by R. Moshe Cordovero, which offers a ladder that begins with Malkhut and concludes with Keter.

However, the nature of Sefirat Haomer is more complex. It includes two opposing and complementary movements: with regard to the mathematical count, it ascends, from one to fifty days. On the other hand, from the sefirot perspective the movement is reversed – descending from Chesed in Chesed – the highest of the seven sefirot – to Malkhut in Malkhut – the lowest aspect. The ascending movement is one of elevation – elevating that which is earthly (התערותא דלתתא). It centers on man’s desire to become purified and improved toward receiving the Torah through the ascending ladder of working on one’s attributes. Conversely, the descending movement is one of lowering that which is high (התערות דלעילא). It centers on the Divine desire to descend and dwell in our midst through giving us the Torah.

The Zohar identifies both of these movements with the complementary male and female elements of Sefirat Haomer. On the one hand these are ‘days of the male world,’[1] which demands “counting while standing on one’s feet […] like the male stands in his strength, as opposed to the female who sits” (Zohar, Tezaveh 183a). On the other hand, “as it is written (Lev. 23) they (תִּהְיֶינָה: in the female form) shall be seven whole weeks. Since these are female, scripture spoke in the female form.”

The Hatam Sofer interprets the matter as follows:

I believe that just as we count through a descending order from top to bottom, and the first day is Chesed in Chesed, conversely from the ‘female waters’ we ascend on the first day from Malkhut in Malkhut, and forever a groom and bride go toward each other. (Resp. Hatam Sofer, Yoreh De’ah 233)

The Hatam Sofer views the ascending order as an ascension of the Divine presence to meet its beloved, who in turn descends to meet the Shechina, as a groom going to meet his bride. This movement is the aspect of ‘female waters’ raised by those who dwell on earth in their work toward the designation of The Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shechina. Thus, it is controlled by the person who acts toward this goal.

If we focus on man, and examine this dual movement from his perspective, we may discern two emotional position behind the kavana (or intent) of Sefirat Haomer. By counting the days in an ascending order, one faces the ascending ladder of the work of self-improvement with regard to Divine attributes, upon which he is required to climb, rung after rung. This movement is an active male movement, which is identified with standing upright – the movement of erection and ascension. The person who counts moves forward in linear time, driving toward a purpose: the fiftieth day which completes the process, when he is ready to receive the Torah.

Contrary to this kavana, there is another emotional drive in the counting of the Omer: counting in the descending order of the sefirot. During these days, man is attentive to a Divine process which is greater than himself, and seeks to receive the Divine light which ascends into the world. This divine providence is cyclic: within the seven-week cycle, each week includes all seven internal sefirot – from Chesed to Malkhut, again and again. In light of this cyclic rhythm, the imperative ‘and you shall count unto you’ takes on a different – feminine – countenance, similar to the imperative ‘and she shall count for her.’ As we saw in the Zohar, the female element is characterized by sitting, and includes waiting, attention, and containment, which are necessary for the preparation of a vessel for the light which descends from top to bottom. The counting person is attentive to time and occurrence; he examines the appearance of the unique Divine providence for each day, and its general affect on the surrounding world, and the Divine providence in his own life. Out of this attentiveness and reception, he responds to the Divine presence that addresses him and changes often: every day, and every hour.

We are therefore faced with two separate but complementary movements: descending and ascending, male and female, doing and being. If within this space we are attentive to the counting from a general and national perspective, we can see the incredible correlation between the Divine light that descends during each of these seven weeks, and the rhythm of occurrence in our human world, and the human effort, in relation to this light.

After the week of Chesed, which provides its unique light on Pesach, and the week of Gevura and judgment, during which we mark Holocaust Memorial Day, we arrive at the counting days of the month of Iyar. This month includes four of the seven weeks of counting, and includes unique days in relation to the counting. Remarkably, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, which represent the revival of Israel, fall on the week of Tiferet. Lag Baomer, which commemorates Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai – who is the righteous foundation of the world (צדיק יסוד עולם) – falls on the week of Yesod. Yom Yerushalayim, which is identified with the Shechina, falls on the week of Malkhut. Our consciousness is deeply attentive to the special frequency of the sefirot, but at the same time, strives to approach these awe-filled days with the activity of improvement and tikkun. This year, we turn our attention to the current events within the context of the great movement of the nation’s revival, between the Exodus and Matan Torah. The pain of the new losses of those who died for the sanctification of God’s name and the land assembles into Yom Hazikaron. Our prayers for peace in the State of Israel, ראשית צמיחת גאולתנו (the beginning of the flowering of our redemption), deepens on Yom Ha’atzmaut, and our connection to the Shechina pulses powerfully on Yom Yerushalayim. As the fiftieth day approaches – a day associated with Yovel and freedom, we pray for the release of the captives and hostages, and for the renewal of the Sinai covenant.

When they are sanctified, and the home has been amended in the connection between wife and husband, this is called the festival of Shavuot […] and then that most elevated day, the fiftieth day (Bina), in an awakening from below, the Torah emerges, which is included in 49 aspects […] come see that which is written, ‘and you shall sanctify the fiftieth year, and call freedom throughout the land.’ From here, freedom goes out to everyone. And since freedom emerges from this day, the Torah which emerges on the same day is called ‘freedom.’ And with regard to this it is written, חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת (engraved on the tablets) – this should not be read חָרוּת (engraved), but rather חֵרוּת (freedom = both words include the same letters but the vocalization changes their meaning). This is the Torah which is called חֵרוּת. (Zohar, Tetzaveh, ibid.)

May God grant us the special light of Iyar, the month of Ziv (=radiance), for the tikkun, elevation, and blessings enhanced by the days of Sefirat Haomer. And may the fiftieth day – on which the Torah was given – be an hour of compassion and redemption, both on the private and public spheres.

 

[1] Ra’aya Mehimna, Mitzvah 31, cited in Zohar, Emor, 98a.