Chol HaMoed
No Rest for the Weary
Dear Friend,
Ah! We’ve scrubbed our homes, cooked up a storm, and relived the Exodus through the Seders. Now’s the time to sit back and enjoy our freedom, right?
Wrong.
Now’s when the real work begins.
When the Jews left Egypt, they were a foundling nation, still shrugging off the shackles of slavery. To be sure, they had witnessed wonders and miracles and G‑dly revelation, and they followed Moses into the desert with a firm faith and commitment to G‑d. But in order to truly be ready to accept the Torah, they had to go through a 49-step process of refinement to rid themselves of the slave mentality and embrace their G‑dly mission. They had to take the inspiration of the Exodus and integrate it into their hearts and minds.
And so must we today.
Sefirat HaOmer, the Counting of the Omer, is the way we take our soulful Seder experience and translate it into real personal growth. It’s a time to dig deep, reflect, examine our flaws and refine our characters.
Enjoy the journey!
Sasha Friedman
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team
P.S. How were your Seders? What was particularly meaningful to you this year? Let us know in the comment section below!
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