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Why, in the counting of the Omer, do we move downward instead of
upward? Why do we move from chesed of chesed all the way down to
malchut of malchut? Why not move up from malchut to
chesed and then finally to the opening of the 50th Gate, bina?
In line with the dynamic behind all Jewish prayer and
meditation, here too in the Omer, we move upwards in order to bring something
down!
In counting, we move up from 1 to 49. In sefirot, we move
down from chesed to malchut. In this sense, two movements are
taking place at the same time. Certainly we are trying to refine and elevate
ourselves, but this itself is in order to be able to receive the Heavenly Torah
that will be brought down all the way into malchut on Shavuot.
In essence, this light (that of the Ein Sof) beaming down
through keter, chochma and bina) was revealed for a split
second on Pesach night. It was immediately withdrawn, however, because we hadn't
worked for it. This is why we start counting the Omer the day following Pesach.
We do this, again, in order to be able to receive that light again when it will
be revealed fully on Shavuot, but this time as the crown jewel of all our
counting, i.e. our work, our struggles, our achievements.  | | " Unless we work to internalize the light, it will never be ours...." | | |
In other words, when the light shone on Pesach, it encompassed
us and lifted us up out of our personal "Egypts". Since we hadn't really done
anything to deserve it, we didn't have the "vessels" to receive (i.e.
internalize) the light. The light was therefore withdrawn. It is for this reason
that we were given the Omer period. During the Omer, we struggle to refine and
elevate ourselves in order to be worthy of bringing down that incredible
illumination of Ein Sof into every aspect of our mundane lives, into
every aspect of the physical world, to irradiate the physical with the
spiritual, to impregnate the physical with the consciousness of the spirit.
Heaven cannot do this work for us. G-d can reveal the light and we can be lifted
up above the mundane, but unless we work to internalize the light, it will never
be ours.
As seen in the following text from Rabbi Abraham Chayim of
Zlotchov (a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch), this is essentially how the
great Masters understood the relationship between being miraculously catapulted
above the mundane on Pesach, and the relatively "mundane" work of the Omer
period:
Behold, it is known what the Arizal said concerning the word
"Pesach", namely, that it means "skipping" and "leaping", alluding to the fact
that the level of Expanded (Mature) Consciousness, is internalized on Pesach
night, before the level of Constricted (Immature) Consciousness. [This is
clearly the opposite of the normal "order" of things, in which a child grows and
develops gradually from a state of immature mentality to a state of mature
mentality or expanded consciousness.] | | " Each of these traits are inter-inclusive...." | | |
I heard from the holy lamp, my master and teacher Rabbi Abraham,
of blessed memory, son of my master and teacher, the holy lamp, Rabbi Dov Ber
[the Maggid of Mezritch], may his memory be blessed for all eternity, an
explanation of the Ari's statement: It is known that [the work of a human being
in this world is that] he must first subdue the seven basic character traits
associated with the seven lower sefirot (chesed, gevura,
tiferet, netzach, hod, yesod and malchut). That
is, he must direct his love, his fear, his pride, his sense of accomplishment,
and his sense of importance to G-d. It is also known that each of these
traits are inter-inclusive (i.e. each contains elements of all the others),
making a total of 7 x 7 = 49. If a person sublimates all seven of these traits
in general (7) and in particular (49) under the Awe of G-d, then [great blessing
and light] will be drawn down upon him from above, from the 50th Gate, the World
of Thought, bina.
Now, behold, in Egypt, Israel were "naked and bare" (Ezekiel
16:7) of the mitzvot and sunken in [49] levels of impurity, serving idols [just
like the Egyptians]. Yet, G-d lifted them up in a single instant, without any
effort on their part, and brought them to the 50th Gate, as it is written, "And
the Children of Israel went up from the land of Egypt 'chamushim'
[usually translated as 'armed', but here it is written without a vav, and
can therefore be read as 'chamishim', meaning 'fifty']" (Ex. 13:18),
indicating that they were lifted up to the 50th Gate (bina). The problem
is that this was not G-d's intention in creating man. On the contrary, man's
divine service involves his working on himself to subdue his evil inclination so
that his soul will not "eat the bread of shame" [when he returns to the upper
worlds]. Being that G-d was the one who lifted them up [at the Exodus], what
benefit could they possibly have accrued for themselves? Therefore [in order to
correct this situation], this great illumination is taken from them immediately
after Pesach, and they are commanded to count the 49 days of the Counting of the
Omer, to rectify their own traits, in general (7) and in particular (49), so
that, on the 50th Day, Shavuot, [they can receive the same light they received
on Pesach, but this time having earned it, and] they can come to the World of
Thought, the 50th Gate. This then is the meaning of giving them Expanded
Consciousness first (on Pesach) and then Constricted Consciousness [during the
subsequent 49 days of the Omer].
Now, behold, it is clear that this is exactly how G-d interacts
with each person. For, at the beginning, when a person puts his heart to serving
G-d, a tremendous illumination comes upon him. The Rokeach (Rabbi Eliezer
of Garmiza), of blessed memory, spoke about this, saying, "There is no stronger
illumination than when a person first begins to travel the path of piety."
Afterwards, this illumination is taken from him, and he is only assisted [from
afar, i.e. subtly] to fix his traits and his errors, until he finally comes,
after much work, to the World of Thought.
| | " We experience Expansion before Constriction...." | | |
[This is like the progression from Abraham to Isaac, and from
Isaac to Jacob/Israel. The "Abraham" stage is one of tremendous light, in which
we meet with people who keep the Torah, speak and learn the Torah, rejoice on
Shabbat and bring up wonderful families. Afterwards, the "Isaac" stage
corresponds to the period when we have decided to dedicate ourselves to this
old-new way of life, to learn in a yeshivah, to change our life-style. But it is precisely then that
we begin to feel the overwhelming weight of the whole thing. We also start to
perceive the same people whom we thought were shining examples of the highest
human beings in a different light. We discover that they too have their faults. Finally, after much work, we come through to the extremely important
"Jacob/Israel" stage in which we can finally truly internalize and embody the
light of heaven, as opposed to just receiving it without having worked for it.
In other words, if we didn't have to come through the Isaac stage, when all the
light that shone during the Abraham stage is withheld, we could never get to the
Jacob/Israel stage where this light is internalized.]
"Kadesh, uRchatz" [the Kiddush and washing of the
hands at the Passover Seder] is a sign of the order of Pesach. Here too we
experience Expansion before Constriction. Thus, we begin with Kadesh
signifying that a great "kedusha" [holiness] is drawn down upon us to
sanctify and elevate us. Afterwards, this powerful holiness is taken from us!
[This forces us to look at ourselves, and discover how truly unworthy we are.]
This is why it is followed immediately by "uRchatz", alluding to the fact
that we must wash ourselves and purify our traits in general (7) and in
particular (49), until we receive the Torah on the 50th Day, and are ushered
into to the 50th Gate (bina, Imma).
(Rabbi Abraham Chayim of Zlotchov, Haggadah Pri Hayim,
Drush Kadesh uRchatz).
Click here to proceed to Counting Up and Down: Part Two.
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