the Inner lag baOmer by Sagi Shukrun

Omer - Achievement

We are 26 days along the count and 8 days away from Lag BaOmer. The counting of the Omer is an important commandment which G-d commands us to do each year in preparation of receiving the Torah which includes all of G-d’s commandments in order to be able to observe the commands of the commander-in chief, G-d Almighty himself. We can all learn something from this strong word – command. When was the last time you commanded something or someone? You might have suggested or implied, but commanded? What we need to realize is, that besides for following G-d’s Torah and Mitzvahs (commands) haphazardly and “trying” to be a good Jew, we have to command ourselves to be the best we can. In Hebrew the word for command (mitzvah) means also to bind and unite. By doing the mitzvahs we unite with G-d. By commanding ourselves we unite with ourselves, the real you. We have to realize that our main mission in life is to fulfill the commands of G-d in the best way possible in quality and quantity. Not to remove ourselves from worldly matters such as the finer things in life or other interests and act like angels; rather we have to use the best the world has got to serve G-d. The Holy temple was decked-out in gold, so too we can be. But this is all in order to elevate the world to be a fit home for G-d to come and live with us here. This is our purpose, carried out in our own individual way. We have to command ourselves to carry out this mission. This serves as our ultimate will. Next, we must constantly meditate on what and how we can fulfill this mission. When we get a strong “hunch” and insight into practical action we must begin to carry them out immediately with the aid of proper advisers. We must imagine that we have already accomplished the mission and feel as if we are there now. This is what counting the Omer is all about. We rise above our basic emotions and selfish feelings, a meaningless 9-5 existence, a “he who dies with the most toys wins” worldview, and connect to the Creator himself. We follow this up by taking practical action. We create an image of what we need to be and begin to make it a reality. On the way to achieving success, we receive a giant bonus from G-d in the form of insight and rise to infinitely higher levels. This is Lag BaOmer. We receive the secrets of the Torah, the holy book called the Zohar. In the Zohar it tells us to envision our ultimate goal, see and feel ourselves already there, and work practically to achieve it while keeping ourselves fit and in-line to realize it at any moment. Then we keep working to receive the Torah, the holiday of Shavuos…

by Sagi Shukrun