Beth Schafer
This Shabbat will mark the 36th day of the Omer. The Omer journey invites us to look inward with honesty and compassion, asking not only who we are, but who we are becoming. Jewish tradition teaches that between Pesach and Shavuot, we are not simply counting days; we are counting toward revelation. We left Egypt physically on Passover, but the work of becoming spiritually ready to stand at Sinai takes time, intention, and reflection.
That is why we count. Each evening becomes a sacred pause, a reminder that growth rarely happens all at once. The mystics understood the counting of the Omer as a journey of refinement. Every day corresponds to an interaction between the sefirot, the divine qualities that also live within us. These forty-nine days become a practice of noticing our habits, our relationships, our fears, and our capacities for love and integrity. On this thirty-sixth day, we focus on how compassion strengthens the foundations of our lives – the relationships we nurture, the commitments we keep, and the truths upon which we stand.
During these weeks, it is also customary to study chapters from Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Ancestors. Unlike other tractates of Mishnah that focus primarily on legal details, Pirkei Avot centers on nuggets of wisdom, character, and moral responsibility. As we prepare ourselves spiritually for Sinai, we do not only ask, “What commandments will we receive?” but also, “What kind of people do we hope to become to be worthy of receiving them?” The teachings of Pirkei Avot remind us that revelation is not merely about hearing sacred words; it is about embodying them.
Among its most beloved teachings is the timeless wisdom of Hillel: “Im ein ani li, mi li? U’chshe’ani l’atzmi, mah ani? V’im lo achshav, eimatai?” — “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” These words hold the tension between self-worth and communal responsibility. Certainly, in these times when we often find ourselves concerned with the world, but wanting to also create safe and healthy boundaries for our hearts and souls, they ring truer than ever. Our spirits need grounding, but the world needs our help and compassion.
You can listen to my musical setting of Im Ein Ani Li Mi Li here. It is an upbeat, toe-tapper that I sincerely hope brightens your day and reminds you of the opportunities this sacred season gives us.
Shabbat Shalom,
Beth
