Day 29: Chesed she’b’Hod, Love in…well, you’ll see

REFLECTIONS

The wind came up today. It shook the cherry trees. And the blossoms started to rain down.

The pink drizzle is almost as beautiful as the blossoms. But it means the flowers’ short season is over.

I love the blossoms so much. But now I begin to grieve for them. 

So I have to find new words for the love.

Is it a love of what is splendid? A love overflowing with gratitude? Or a love tinged with humility, aware of its fragility?

All of these are possible translations of Chesed she’b’Hod.

QUESTIONS

Which kind of love resonates with you most today? Love that’s part of splendor, gratitude, or humility?

Think of a time when you experienced that kind of love. 

In that situation, were you the one who loved? Or the one who was loved? Or both? 

If you were the one who loved in that way, did it come easily? Or did you work to bring it forward? If so, what practices helped you find your way?

Did that love feel like a spiritual gift? Or the fruit of spiritual practice? Or both? Or?

ABOUT THE QUESTIONS

There are many ways to explore these questions. You can: Tell a story from your own life. Give an example from a book or a movie. Write a poem. Analyze a concept. Offer a definition. Draw a picture. Sing a song.

New to the Omer? Here’s a guide to the theory and practice. Here’s a link to Shechinah, Bring Me Home, Kabbalah and the Omer in Real Life.

Image: Blossoms at Sophia Street, 2023, by LDK