Tonight begins the 15th Day of the Omer (April 27-28, 2006) , which is Hesed in Tiferet.

Read about the Kabbalistic imagery for this day that connects to the ideas expressed in the piece below.

Toddler Activist, Shai Gluskin at age 1.
Pacoima, California, 1959

The Save Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide is happening in Washington this Sunday. I'm going with my family, my synagogue, my synagogue movement, my neighbors; so many people I know are going. And we'll be dwarfed by all the people whom I don't know who are going.

In terms of what is happening in Darfur, what needs to be done, what are the best policies to advocate for... I haven't kept up. I don't know. I'm not going to Washington to advocate for a method or a policy, but something simpler: no to genocide.

My colleague Rabbi Vivie Mayer from Danbury, CT reports that people there refer to the rally as "going to Darfur" and not "going to Washington." Many in her community are going.

In the photo I'm certainly not advocating for anything beyond my own nose. Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development don't start heating up till about age 10. So while my cause in this case is likely something along the lines of "Let me out of this friggin' 'play' pen!," the intention and commitment are strong and pure.

There is nothing complex about the nature of the oppression, no strategizing about the best form of advocacy. There is a clear outcome which would fully dismiss the complaint.

Stop the genocide. Period. We'll know when it is over when people stop dying. Period.

I deeply appreciate all those who are working on the muddled earthly complexities of alleviating the suffering in Darfur. I certainly can't claim to be among those doing that important work. My participation this weekend is nothing other than helping to deliver a simple message. Would that that would be enough.

1. Are you going to "Darfur"?, to "Washington"?
2. What are your thoughts, intentions, and or feelings?

I invite you to comment by clicking on the link.

Today is the 14th Day of the Omer (April 26-27, 2006) , which is malkhut in gevurah.

Read about the Kabbalistic connection between this day and the Gevurot prayer (second blessing) in the Amida.

Blooming Cherry Tree (Is it a Cherry?)
Corner of Sedgwick and Ellet in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia
April 23, 2006 by Shai Gluskin

"I", "love", "you" period. No ambivalence.
"I", "love", "me" period. No ambivalence.

All the criticisms go away, not forever, but they are hidden.

My practice of putting away those criticisms gives me the knowledge (residing in my kishkes/stomach as well as in my brain) that I can live without them.

Keeping company with the criticisms are the disappointments and the losses as well. Exiling them does not deny their existance, which would be fruitless.

My ability to celebrate what I have is nurtured by a life lived within limits. My experience of the presence of God (malkhut/shekhina) grows with my ability to respect gevurah (e.g. the reality of my ultimate death—timely or not, the importance of discipline and respect, the value of law and limits).

In Pirkei Avot 4:1 Ben Zoma says, Eizehu ashir? Ha-sameiach b-chelko. Who is rich? Those who rejoice in their portion.

Mt. Airy's Spring eruption calls "Rejoice!" And let us say, "Amen!"

Today is the 13th Day of the Omer (April 25-26, 2006) , which is yesod in gevurah.

Pine Needles in Spaces on Porch
Gluskin-Braun Porch in April, 2006 by Shai Gluskin

"Abba, you better get out of bed now or we won't get to school on time"? How grateful I am that my children actually want to go to school!

Though part of me longs for a world in which I would stay in bed all day, I would actually rot in such an environment.

Gevurah demands a world outside of the Garden of Eden in which everything dies.Yesod helps us to use those limitations to be productive.

I just finished reading Ian McEwan's novel, The Cement Garden. In the story, gevurah/death is not mediated by any form of structure and it leads to a nightmare. The orphaned children, through no ill intention, violate all the structures associated with death and in so doing, put themselves in a kind of deep sleep, being dead in spite of being awake.

On this day, let us remember that the structures in our lives can be antidotes to death, even though we sometimes rebel against them. Let this be a day when we clearly see that choosing structure can be a form of choosing life.

Examples of yesod in gevurah:

• Regular prayer
• Regular exercise
• Regular study
• Regular community service