During the First Crusade, the crusaders are locked out of Cologne, Germany and the local Jews are saved, following the orders of the local bishop to close the gates to the city. (see "Today in Jewish History" for Iyar 8)
In a number of local provinces, where the local bishop tried to avert the masses from harming the Jews, the Bishop would have to escape for his own safety.
1,200 Jews were massacred by a Christian and Muslim mob attack on the Jewish section of Toledo, Spain, on this date in 1355.
R. Yaakov Lorberbaum was a well-known halachic authority who served as rabbi in the Eastern European cities of Kalish, Lissa, and Stryi. Among the famous and widely-studied works of this prolific author are Chavos Daas and Nesivos Hamishpat, both in-depth commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law).
Tomorrow is the forty-first day of the Omer Count. Since, on the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall of the previous evening, we count the omer for tomorrow's date tonight, after nightfall: "Today is forty-one days, which are five weeks and six days, to the Omer." (If you miss the count tonight, you can count the omer all day tomorrow, but without the preceding blessing).
The 49-day "Counting of the Omer" retraces our ancestors' seven-week spiritual journey from the Exodus to Sinai. Each evening we recite a special blessing and count the days and weeks that have passed since the Omer; the 50th day is Shavuot, the festival celebrating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Tonight's Sefirah: Yesod sheb'Yesod -- "Connection in Connection"
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are seven "Divine Attributes" -- Sefirot -- that G-d assumes through which to relate to our existence: Chessed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut ("Love", "Strength", "Beauty", "Victory", "Splendor", "Foundation" and "Sovereignty"). In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven sefirot are mirrored in the seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul: Kindness, Restraint, Harmony, Ambition, Humility, Connection and Receptiveness. Each of the seven attributes contain elements of all seven--i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", etc.--making for a total of forty-nine traits. The 49-day Omer Count is thus a 49-step process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one the forty-nine "sefirot."
Links:
How to count the Omer
The deeper significance of the Omer Count
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
To live a G‑dly life, to keep all the mitzvahs with awe, with love, and with joy—this is not something distant from you. It is who you truly are.
Because within you is a soul, a G‑d point, a divine living being that cannot allow itself to be torn away from G‑d, that only desires to be always at one with Him.
For this thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it. (Deut. 30:14)
The Alter Rebbe taught:
Here’s what you must do:
Fix a time each day to study the words of inner Torah and ponder who G‑d is, who you really are, and what the relationship is between your soul and Him.
And then call out to Him in prayer that He will open your heart.
Then, at those moments when you are tugged away from your true desires, you will only need to remind yourself, “No, this is not me. The real me doesn’t want to be separated from my G‑d even for a moment. Why should I be a fool and listen to a voice that is not me?”
The struggle—the struggle is precious. It is not up to you to win the struggle. Cherish the struggle.
But to be who you truly are in the things you do, the words you speak, and the thoughts you choose to dwell upon—this is very close to your heart.
It is who you truly are.