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Mirror of My Soul
detail by © Joy Krauthammer
Joy In Sephirat HaOmer
- Joy Krauthammer
It makes
sense to me that I, Joy, wanting to succeed, am creating and publishing
this Count the Omer site on the Kabbalistic Sephirat HaOmer Malchut sh
b'Netzach, Omer day 28.
The day of
Malchut holds all the energies in the Kingdom that came before through the six
prior Sephirot vessels; thus today I can manifest within all this mamash /
truly holy energy. This fourth week of (sh b') Netzach
is going forward in joyful endurance. With all the contained Omer energy, I can
create from the foundation, for a new workshop in a place of fullness and
presence where Shechina reigns, and offer it 'officially' to the universe.
Yesterday in Yesod / foundation,
I was preparing to birth "Count the Omer" and today I feel and know
it is time to give it awakening in the universe.
May you be
blessed with miracles in holy vessels to receive and hold with Emunah /
faith the downward Sefirotic flow from the Infinite. May you be able through
your conscious Omer Counting and purifications of blemishes, to transform
darkness, struggle, bitterness, tears and mitzrayim / narrow places,
into balanced freedom and joy and welcome all the Sephirot into your
being, to cleanse you / as a mikveh, and in joy, to welcome sustaining
waters of life, Torah, especially at Shavuot.
My goal with the workshop is to help others
who want to understand an introduction to the Sephirot, and be able
to mamash, meaningfully, Kabbalistically Count the Omer for 49 days
within seven weeks, from 2nd day Pesach to Shavuot. With the counting, I
hope that participants can integrate the understanding and subtle actions
of Sephirot into their life. The knowledge is useful every day, as we
become more consciously aware of our attributes, relationships and
inter-connectedness on the Tree of Life. I love sharing intuitive guidance
with people to become more spiritually attuned on their paths, just as I learn
from my beloved teachers. G*d calls to me, and I try to listen, as I
"Serve G*d With Joy." - Psalm 100:2
In workshop
we explore the Sephirot and examine their integration for our Four Worlds:
Spirit, Mind, Heart and Body. Participants at home Count at night and do the
daily purification work of Counting.
For over two
decades (since at least 1990) I have been blessed to seriously study Kabbalah
and Sephirot with my many Jewish teachers here in the US and in Israel, and
through good Jewish books, and wisdom-filled internet sites, and I
continue to do so, especially at this time of the Counting of the Omer. One of
the first best books I studied was Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's
"InnerSpace" because my teacher at the time recommended it. In 1990,
a teacher who finally allowed females in his class, Sephardic Syrian rabbi,
Fred Dweck, z'l, advised me not to read on my own, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz'
"13 Petalled Rose - Discourse on the Essence of Jewish Existence and
Belief." I didn't listen, read it while in Bali, and that book truly was
a catalyst for my transcendence and part of my transformation. (Later I was
thrilled when I was hired to be a part-time Public Relations consultant for author,
Rabbi Steinsaltz, and also meditated (in Hebrew and French) in Jerusalem with
the translator of the book, Yehuda Hanegbi. All these relationships have me
feel more connected.)
My first
teacher from over two decades ago, with whom I still learn, Baruch Hashem, is
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (author, and founder of Aleph). I love dancing
the Sephirot, guided by Reb Zalman. I now paint, photograph, digitalize, and
write my connection to the Sephirot. I had studied for a decade in
Sarah's Tent with Rabbi Judith Halevy as we lived our Sephirot and 'Four
Worlds' through many expressive mediums, telling our creative story
through all the ARTS. I've studied with Breslovers, Lubavitchers, Neo-Hasids,
Orthodox, and deeply with Jewish Renewal teachers through spiritual
retreats. Favorite teachers in person included Reb Dovid Zeller,
z"l, and Shlomo Carlebach, z"l, both of blessed memory, as well
as Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum and Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh. I began study with all
these rabbis over two decades ago. I once tried to make myself invisible in a
corner of a room when women were not allowed in to study with Rabbi
Gingsburg. Later, years ago, Rabbi Ginsburgh told me when I questioned him
about my gender status, that "Since Moshiach is coming, women, too, now
need to be prepared."
Through
Chabad's Rabbi Eli Rivkin, I began to understand the relationship between
Splendor, Thanksgiving and Humility. (I met the Lubavitch Rebbe, zt'l, in
1970 and have visited his grave.) Another current internet teacher who guides
me to deep places in understanding the Tree of Life, is Rav Rahmiel Hayyim
Drizin. Since 1996, I use and always recommend Rabbi Simon Jacobson's Omer
book, "The Spiritual Guide to Counting the Omer". Other books
over the years I also refer to, and display during workshops. I am grateful for
all my resources, my large library, computer, and teachers.
I remember
studying Sephirot with Rabbi Marcia Prager during a Memorial day
Shabbaton, 1994, and having a hard time with "Hod" because I didn't
clearly understand Hod. I'm a whole lot better now with Hod and have made good
friends with Hod. A new friend sitting next to me at that retreat moment
created a song of Hod, and I shook my organic shaker accompanying her song as
she sang. Much of my writing takes place during Hod, and in the mode of
Hod. I love Hod. I love G*d, too. That 1994 Shabbaton was transforming for
me.
That spring
I graduated with my Non-Profit MBA from the University of Judaism/UJ (now AJU),
and included a Religion * chapter with the Sephirot in my thesis on
Strategic Planning. My thesis professor stated clearly that I couldn't
include "spirituality" in my MBA thesis. "Spirituality", I
was informed, didn't belong in the work place. They X'ed out the chapter. I
kept it in. (All three Thesis hard-bound book copies disappeared quickly from
the University.) Since that time, Spirituality is the most popular topic at the
UJ/AJU, including "Spirituality in the Work Place", which was what I
was proposing.
The
Shabbaton inspired me to begin the application process for rabbinical
school with Aleph. I spent the summer with divine teachers for four weeks
at Elat Chayyim, and another week each at National Havurah Institute and Omega
Institute. By the time Aleph Fall classes were to begin, my husband, z'l,
once again was battling metastatic brain cancer. Shortly after,
Academy of Jewish Religion expressed desire to have me in their new rabbinic
school. My dream died as I served G*d as Caregiver Angel Warrior. I
am blessed to continue to learn with wonderful teachers, and teach Judaism, and
serve as spiritual guide.
For a couple
of decades, I integrate the Tree of Life into all the workshops that I offer,
and share my knowledge with whom ever asks, and continue to mentor others, as I
am a Simchat Chochmah ~ Joy of Wisdom wise woman. I love it
that friends call me their "Shamash," as I am invited to
'light their fire'. (The light and fire of Torah is what Lag B'Omer
- day 33, is about.)
Years ago I
taught the president of an Orthodox synagogue to Sephirotically Count the Omer.
The members had only been religiously counting with the number count of days
and weeks. I explained the deeper significance of spiritually elevating their
Omer counting for the sake of cleansing. The shul continues to use what
I shared with them, and I feel good that they create their own Omer calendar
each year, and include the blesSings for each day's combination of Sephirot.
A decade
before my own study began (when I felt I was 'old' enough), I had hired
Kabbalah teachers (including Lubavitchers) for Jewish Women's World, an educational
consortium of synagogues, that I was directing for several years.
Enjoy my ART
of Sephirat HaOmer with about 100 posts.
Kabbalistic Sephirat haOmer Psalms of my soul--poetry, prose, art and photos, are visible on:
Mirror of My Soul
by Joy Krauthammer ©
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A note
excerpt to my Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
Dear Reb
Yosef,
I think that
by following the Sephirotic Counting of the Omer beginning on the second night
(including the understanding Kabbalistically of the Seder plate symbols), we
are more capable of accomplishing Service with justice, compassion and
holiness. I don't mean just saying the counting words, and reciting the
blessing, but delving deeply into what it means to me, so that I am a better
person, carrying forth my mission.
BlesSings,
Joy
“So said
Hashem: My firstborn child is Israel…Send out My child that he may serve
Me” (Exodus 4:22,23).
You can see
where my heart and soul lie in understanding the Omer counting. Hours each day,
I do study Torah. *
* Pirkei
Avot (which we study
during the Counting of the Omer), Chapter 2, Mishnah 9-
Rabban
Yochanan ben Zakkai learned Torah from Hillel and Shammai. He taught: Even if
you have studied a lot of Torah, do not be boastful, for that is what you were
created to do.
You may
contact me, Joy
Krauthammer, by leaving a COMMENT in the confidential COMMENT
space below, or writing to me at :
joyofwisdom1 @ gmail.com .
Delete the spaces surrounding the @.
I look
forward to sharing sacred time together with you as we explore and climb the
TREE OF LIFE.
BlesSings
for spiritual elevation,
Joy
Krauthammer
All photos/materials in sites by Joy Krauthammer are under copyright protection by © Joy Krauthammer.
Permission by Joy Krauthammer, needed to repost/copy/reprint/use. Request in Comments, FB, or write/call personally.
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