Article #12
Subject: 49 great ideas/concepts (along with some additional prayers) to help count the omer from Passover to Shavuos
Author: Andrew W. Harrell
Posted: 9/14/2008 01:31:59 PM

Seven Thoughts About Loving Kindness
(Chesed)**
1st
day

Chesed of
Chesed

Loving kindness is compassionate
and forgiving

(it does not keep a record of wrong)

2nd
day

Gevurah of
Chesed

Loving kindness is stronger than death
(Song of Songs)

3rd
day

Tiferet of
Chesed

Loving kindness seeks more to give
than receive. (It is beautiful)

4th
day

Netzach of Chesed
Loving kindness is patient
(while having integrity and supporting the rights of others)

5th
day

Hod of Chesed
Loving kindness is obedient and submissive
to God’s
will (it therefore shares in his glory)

6th
day

Yesod of
Chesed
Loving kindness rejoices not in wrong
intentions, but in the truth (2 Corinthians)

7th
day

Malkuth of Chesed
Loving kindness fears God and does
not consider what will happen to
itself.

(This is its royalty)

**note: For those who believe we are at many moments of our lives living
right now, in the fullness of time in God's heavenly present moment we will
return to this topic considering passages from the Book of Romans, Chapter
12, during week seven of our Pentecost/Shavuos this year.

April 9

Seven Thoughts About Goodness and Justice
(Along with Gevurah…strength)

1st day of the weekly count, 8th day of the omer
count

Chesed of
Gevurah

“The quality of mercy(justice) is not strained.”
(its definition is not tightly controlled)

William Shakespeare

“Let justice roll like water and righteousness

Like a mighty stream.” Jewish Prayer Service

2nd day of the weekly count, 9th day of the omer
count

Gevurah of
Gevurah

“Justice is freedom combined with equality.”
Mortimer Adler, Six Great Ideas *

3rd day of the weekly count, 10th day of the omer
count

Tiferet of
Gevurah

Justice is everyone and everything
participating in its virtue (its
good

according to its kind or its concept) Plato, The Republic

4th day of the weekly count, 11th day of the omer
count

Netzach of Gevurah
No good fruit (end) can come from a bad tree
(bad means). No bad fruit (end) can come from a good

Tree(good means).” Jesus Christ according to the

Gospel of Matthew

Good defines evil, evil defines good, good comes

From good, evil from evil.”

Sefirah Yetzirah, Book V.

5th day of the weekly count, 12th day of the omer
count

Hod of
Gevurah

Good – What is desirable for its own sake

6th day of the weekly count, 13th day of the omer
count

Yesod of
Gevurah
divine order—a rightful (according to a sound
everlasting principle)** procession of truth
from
Beginning as good faith to its
correspondence
And completion as a realization in one of us or
All of us or the World around us.

7th day of the weekly count, 14th day of the omer
count

Malkuth of
Gevurah

'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”
Joseph to his brother, story in the Torah

*An idea is a representation in our minds of a thought. A concept can be
distinguished from a perception in that it has a likeness class (that is
likeness or non-visual intellectual thought as opposed to an image or
perception). Concepts themselves have likeness classes. Therefore a great
idea is a synonym for a likeness class of a concept.
** Being divine, this correspondence can only take place inside of a field
of being which has its existence as a part of God’s name. Furthermore, in
order for God to have a name he must be a unique individual, that is, a one.

April 16

Seven Thoughts About Beauty
(Tiferet)

1st day of the weekly count,15th day of the omer
count

Chesed of
Tiferet

“Beauty is controlled grace.”
Leonardo da Vince

Renaissance Christian Definition

2nd day of the weekly count, 16th day of the omer
count

Gevurah of
Tiferet

“Awareness is a mirror reflecting the four
elements. Beauty is a heart that generates

Love and a mind that is open.”

Thich Nhat Hanh,- Buddhist Gatha ***

3rd day of the weekly count, 17th day of the omer
count

Tiferet of
Tiferet

“Beauty is understanding that which is
desirable for its own sake. Love is aspiring

Upward toward eternal beauty.”

Saint Augustine, Confessions.

4th day of the weekly count, 18th day of the omer
count

Netzach of
Tiferet
“And, why do you worry about clothes? See
how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor

Or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in

All his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,

Which is here today and gone tomorrow and is

Thrown into the fire, will he not much more

Clothe you. O you of little faith?”—Jesus Christ

Gospel of Matthew



5th day of the weekly count, 19th day of the omer
count
“
Hod of Tiferet

"As long as we have bodies, we must inhabit the dwellings prepared for us by
our good sister the Soul in her vast powers of labourless creation."

Plotinus, Second Ennead, Chapter 9, verse 18. The Great Books, Edited by
Mortimer Adler, U. of Chicago Press.

The beautiful is that which pleases us on being seen.”
Saint Thomas Aquinas
“The beautiful is that which pleases us upon being contemplated.”

Immanuel Kant

6th day of the weekly count, 20th day of the omer
count

Yesod of
Tiferet
“Truth is beauty and beauty truth, that
is all you know and all you need to know.”

Keats---viewpoint of a poet

“Your love, O YHWH, reaches to the heavens

Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness

Is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the

Great deep…For with you is the fountain of life,

In your light we see light.” View of King David

About why God is beautiful


7th day of the weekly count, 21 day of the omer
count

Malkuth of
Tiferet

"We must always remember that beauty is a partial thing,
that cannot be identified with what pervades the whole;
nor can several objects be stated as everything."
Plotinus ibid, verse 17.

"Pretty is as pretty does.” Protestant
Christian saying passed down in the Calohan

Family (from Alma May Calohan) to her

Daughter Virginia Calohan Harrell

*** Quoted from “Present Moment, Wondelful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for
Daily Living.”( 1990) by Thich Nhat Hanh with permission of Parallax Press,
Berkeley California.

April 23
Seven Thoughts About Patience and Integrity
(Netzach)

1st day of the weekly count,22th day of the omer
count

Chesed of Netzach

"Let not mercy and kindness forsake
you."

Sanctify the name of God
with our love
"Withold not good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of
your hand to do it."[Romans 13:7; Gal. 6:10]*


2nd day of the weekly count, 23 day of the omer
count

Gevurah of
Netzach

Exalt and lift up the name of God*
"Keep sound and godly wisdom and discretion."
"Be not afraid of sudden terror and panic."
"For the Lord shall be your confidence, firm and strong, and shall keep your
foot from being caught."


3rd day of the weekly count, 24th day of the omer
count

Tiferet of
Netzach

Bless the name of God
bring it into our consciousness
"Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord."*

4th day of the weekly count,25th day of the omer
count

Netzach of Netzach

"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all you heart and mind
and do not rely on your own insight or understanding."
*
Rest in the name of God
(with patience)

5th day of the weekly count, 26th day of the omer
count

Hod of
Netzach

Give glory to the name of God
"Happy is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom, and the man who gets
understanding. For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver,
and the profit of it better than fine gold...more precious than rubies; and
nothing you can wish for is to be compared to her. [Job 28:12 -18] Length of
days are in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor. Her
ways are highways of pleasantness, and all her paths are of peace "* #

6th day of the weekly count,27th day of the omer
count

Yesod of
Netzach

Praise the name of God
(in eternal life)
"Do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary
or impatient about or loathe or abhor his reproof. For whom the Lord loves,
he corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights." *

7th day of the weekly count, 28th day of the omer
count

Malkuth of
Netzach
Honor the name of God
"Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labours]
and with the firstfruits of all your income; so shall your storage places be
filled with plenty." *

* Most of these thoughts are contained in the 3rd chapter of the Book of the
Proverbs of King Solomon
# For those who gain wisdom, will eventually learn to have peace of mind,
and, as my Buddhist prayer partners teach, peace of mind is, dear friends,
our most precious attainment and highest happiness. For if we have this, God
can supply us with the rest of the riches of the glories in Christ he has
prepared for us through the divine order of his providence and the hidden
protections that the small, but important, parts of each of us play in his
great plans for all of us (the contributions of each of us being tied
together in a huge and complex network of salvation, the stronger for the
fact that the temporary loss or transformation of any part of it can be made
up by the reserve forces contained in the rest).


April 30th


Seven Thoughts About Obedience and Glory
(Hod)

Some twofold thoughts from the Birkat H’shir, Blessing of Song
Which is part of the 15 expressions of praise of God in the Yishtabach
prayer

1st day of the weekly count, 29th day of the omer
count

Chesed of
Hod

b’arachot v’hodaot
blessings and thanks



2nd day of the weekly count, 30th day of the omer
count

Gevurah of
Hod
k’dehshah v’malchot
holiness and dominion

3rd day of the weekly count, 31st day of the omer
count

Tiferet of
Hod

t’ehllah v’tiferet
psalm singing and beauty

4th day of the weekly count, 32nd day of the omer
count

Netzach of
Hod

Rest,eternally, in the name of God
(with patience)

5th day of the weekly count, 33rd day of the omer
count


Hod of Hod
az
v’mem’shalah
strong help and power

6th day of the weekly count, 34th day of the omer
count

Yesod of
Hod

hallayl v’zim’rah
(praise or veneration and melodies)

7th day of the weekly count, 35th day of the omer
count

Malkuth of Hod
song and praise
Seven Thoughts About The Foundation of Our Righteousness
(Yesod)


1st day of the weekly count, 36th day of the omer
count

Chesed of
Yesod
Watchfulness
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for
They are the children of God.”

2nd day of the weekly count, 37th day of the omer
count

Gevurah of
Yesod
Zeal
“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst
For righteousness, for they shall find it.”

3rd day of the weekly count, 38th day of the omer
count

Tiferet of
Yesod
Cleanliness
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find
mercy.”

4th day of the weekly count, 39th day of the omer
count

Netzach of
Yesod

Separation from the World-
“Blessed are you who are persecuted
for my sake, for great is your reward
In heaven.”

5th day of the weekly count, 40th day of the omer
count

Hod of
Yesod

Purity--
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.”

6th day of the weekly count, 41st day of the omer
count

Yesod of
Yesod

Saintliness--
“Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted.”

7th day of the weekly count, 42th day of the omer
count

Malkuth of Yesod
Fear of God--
“Blessed are the meek and poor in Spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

St. Paul's beautiful words, which teach us how to pray
for what God wants for all of us to have happen:

"For in this hope we were saved.
But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope.
For how can one hope for what he already sees?
But, if we hope for what is still unseen by us,
we wait for it with patience and compromise.
So, too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up
in our weakness;
for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it
up worthily as we ought,
but the Spirit himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads
in our behalf with unspeakable yearning and groaning too deep
for utterances.
And, He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind
of the [Holy]Spirit [what his intent is],
because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf
of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will [Ps. 139:1,2]

Romans 8:24-26

"Moreover,[let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our
troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction
and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And, endurance
(fortitude) develops character [ approved faith and tried integrity]. And,
character produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope [of eternal
salvation]. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's
love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been
given to us."
Romans 5:3-5

May 13th

Seven Ways We Serve Others
(Malkuth)


1st day of the weekly count, 43rd day of the omer
count

Chesed of
Malkuth

By generosity:
“Give till it hurts”. Saint Teresa of Calcutta
"Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor;
be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord."
Romans 12:11

2nd day of the weekly count, 44th day of the omer
count

Gevurah of
Malkuth
By Friendliness:
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
"Contribute to the needs of God's people[sharing
in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice
of hospitality."
Romans 12:13

3rd day of the weekly count, 45th day of the omer
count

Tiferet of
Malkuth

By seeing good in others:
with God’s help,We see the Christ in you.
"[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing)."
Romans 12:9

4th day of the weekly count, 46th day of the omer
count

Netzach of
Malkuth
By standing by our friends:
We will walk with you till the Son of God always shines.
"hate what is evil [ loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror
from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good."
Romans 12:9

"Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing other's joy]
, and weep with those who weep [sharing other's grief]."
Romans 12:15



5th day of the weekly count, 47th day of the omer
count

Hod of
Malkuth

By loving our enemies:
we are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World.
"Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude
toward you]; bless and do not curse them."
Romans 12:14
"Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest
and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of
everyone."
Romans 12:17, Proverbs 20:22, II Samuel 16:12

"Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family]
giving precedence and showing honor to one another."
Romans 12:10

6th day of the weekly count, 48th day of the omer
count

Yesod of
Malkuth

By setting a good example:
we are the holiness of what is holy
Inside of those who are holy.
"Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient
in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer."
Romans 12: 12

7th day of the weekly count, 49th day of the omer
count

Malkuth of
Malkuth

By taking responsibility
“We are servants of the servants of the Lord.”





Additional Prayers associated with Counting the Omer
( starting with the second day of Pesach and continuing 49 days until
Shavuot). This prayer which is said along with the Omer count after Pesach
(and on other Holy days) is sometimes called the 42-letter name of God by
Orthodox Jews. It is hidden inside of thousand of pages of prayers in
several dozen of volumes. However, since we believe that you cannot
copyright the name of God , it is included here translated:
"We beg you? With the strength of your right hand's greatness, untie the
bundled sins. Accept the joyful prayers of your people, purify us with your
awesomeness oneness. Please strong One, guard those who encourage your
uniqueness. Bless them, purify them, show them pity, may your righteousness
always recompense them. Powerful Holy One, with your plentiful goodness
guide us. One and only Exalted One, depend on your nation, which speaks
about Your holiness. Accept our prayers, knower of mysteries. Blessed is the
Name of His glorious Kingdom forever."
And, just for good measure and the benefit of all of us ...here is an
additional , even more ancient transliterated prayer, associated with what
is called the 11-letter (11 Hebrew letters that is) name of God, that
according to the Torah, the prophet Moses said to ask God for his sister
Miriam's healing. " Ayl Na Raphaa... Na Lah." It can be translated
as, "Please Lord...please heal her." Please heal the spirit of our lady (the
Shekinah, whose body is the Church of all believers) our divine companion
whose spirit is surrounded by the souls of four archangels. It comes from
some of the first Torah portions in the book of Numbers. Traditionally it is
read and prayed as a community in the congregations the 1st Sabbath after
Shavuous.
Sometime later after Moses healed Miriam with this prayer, God's Spirit in
Moses descended on the prophet Elijah, a Man of God, (the word of the LORD
came unto him) and he obeyed it in order to heal a widow who feed him and
with whom he sojourned. Then, with God's help, he blessed...resurrected,
revived and brought back the soul and spirit and body of her Son to
her. "By this she knew that he was a Man of God and that the word of the
LORD in his mouth was truth."
1 Kings 17:8-16(17-24).

Article #286
Subject: Further teachings on Goodness, Hope, Righteousness, Faith, Truth
Author: Andrew W. Harrell
Posted: 6/10/2016 08:47:57 AM

The Divine concepts of Goodness and Hope have to exist for their own sakes. But, Righteousness, Faith,
Truth can exist for others. Andrew H