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B'nai Emet -> Messages -> Conservative Jewish Commitment -> 2002Building BridgesI Never Heard of That Holiday…Yom HaMeyuchas? Shloshet Yemai Hagbalah? Leaving Egypt after hundreds of years of slavery was the first step in achieving Israelite unity, nationhood, and faith. The Omer counting which we began at the second Seder continues for 59 days, upping the count each day in anticipation of receiving the Torah. This year, May 12 was Rosh Hodesh Sivan and was followed by Yom HaMeyuchas, The Day of the Noble. After the Exodus from Egypt, God instructed Moshe on Rosh Hodesh Sivan to tell the nation, “You shall be a mamlekhet Kohanim v’goy Kadosh (a kingdom of priests and a holy nation).” On the second of Sivan, Moshe delivered the message and charged Israel with its new status of nobility, Yom HaMeyuchas. Then for three days, the Israelites stood at the foot of Mount Sinai (Sivan 3, 4, and 5) anticipating Matan Torah, the Giving of the Torah, on Shavuot. These days are called Shloshet Yemai Hagbalah, the three days of limitation, on which we focus on the spiritual, not physical pleasures. This is a bridge from the Exodus to the Revelation. This is the Omer count, and this is the final preparation of Rosh Hodesh, Yom HaMeyuchas, and Shloshet Yemai Hagbalah. Today we need to build bridges, too. From North America to world Jewry in distress; from the affluent to Jews in need; from Jews of knowledge to those yearning for their Jewish anchor to the future; from Diaspora Jewry to Masorti Jews in Eretz Yisrael. And the bridge must be constructed by Jews of nobility, treating Jews with nobility, and Jews without limitation loving and caring for Jews with barriers, challenges, and pain. May the ultimate redemption of humanity begin with Shalom for Israel and for World Jewry. |
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