What is Wisdom

Counting of the Omer

I was raised a Holiday Jew. Ham & swiss on matzoh was not uncommon in our Passover home. So when Michael & I were engaged in October, I was surprised to learn we could not be wed the following April, as that would be during the counting of the Omer (the time between Passover & Shavuot - when we get the Torah). Didn't the rabbi know the world revolved around me? I didn't want a long engagement, and for someone who yelled at microwaves to "Hurry up!" any delay was personal.

Fast forward to today. My cousin Lilly forwarded an email from her rabbi in which he invited his congregants to make the counting of the Omer really count (thanks again Lilly). He suggested this is the perfect time to use these seven weeks for spiritual growth and suggested categories for each week. Within the categories he listed themes to choose from. I've decided to accept this challenge.

The first week's category is WISDOM and the suggested themes are: creativity, curiosity, love of learning & perspective.

My first thoughts were a bit smug. I'm creative, curious and love to learn. Therefore, it makes the most sense to challenge myself with perspective. I could make myself look fabulous and talk about how I try to look at things from another person's perspective. I even planned the essay. But the purpose of this time of reflection is honesty about personal growth. So I wrote an even more fabulous essay on perspective in which I sounded wise & wonderful; witty and kind; a paragon of humanity. So of course it was crap. I put my phone down and went to the store (caffeine makes everything better).

As I walked down the aisle a man approached me with a wide smile and exuberantly said, "Happy Passover!" I replied, "Someone's happy. Should I wish you one as well?" He said, "Oh no. I saw your yarmulke and was excited that I knew what to say. I made my first Jewish friend recently and I'm learning a lot of new things. I didn't even know what a yarmulke was before. I even went to a seder. I understand more about Jesus and the last supper now. It really is exciting." This young man truly encompassed curiosity and a love of learning.

Then I went into the parking lot and as I got into the car an older woman approached me and started to speak. I didn't understand her accent but knew she was asking about my kippah. He husband said, "Forgive us. My wife is learning English. We are new from Venezuela, where there is perhaps the largest Jewish population outside of the US or Israel. We have many Jewish friends, but never have we seen a woman wear a kippah. And a colorful one! Did you know we have many Jews in Venezuela?" We went on to have a marvelous conversation about Judaism (they are Christian immigrants just granted asylum here). My community has an enclave of many Venezuelans. We spoke of the recent violence in Sri Lanka and he said "I don't understand such ignorance? How can it thrive like this?" I said, "It must be taught." He said, "Never in my family We will never teach such things in my family. We lost our native country - everything. We may never see our family again and have to learn new things every day because of hate. Fascism. I will never be ignorant. Thank you for letting me question you. Thank you for being kind."

I drove home thinking about these two interactions and realized how the essay wrote itself. All I have to do is remain open to those around me and I learn new perspectives all the time. Here were three people who weren't counting the days of Omer and they are changing their perspectives for very different personal reasons.

So I must never stop paying attention. For instance, last Friday, one of the doctors I met is a Jordanian Jew who is first learning Hebrew as an adult. The technician working with him has dedicated his life to helping people overcome chronic pain since he lost his beloved brother to a drug overdose after a crippling football injury as a college student. He is so dedicated he's offered to make free house calls on the weekend to recalibrate.my implant, if needed. (But I think that's partly because he really likes my biceps.) My surgeon is Turkish and he loves what he does with a passion. He wanted to work in a third world country so he chose Florida - this is his sense of humor.

So what is my take away? I'm not that important. The world around me is endlessly fascinating. The next 6 weeks will probably reveal even more interesting things. And when, or if, I'm stuck, if I hit the pause button and ask for help, it will come. I won't always get the answers I want, I probably won't get what I expect, but I'll always get them.

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