Home Jewish Holidays How To “Fix” Each Sefira Day

How To “Fix” Each Sefira Day

by Ephraim Portnoy
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In Likutei Moharan I, 182, the Rebbe teaches: “Know, that whatever people speak about during the days of Sefira, they are only talking about the Sefira of that day. Someone who understands is able to hear and know this, and if he will pay attention well to what people discuss he will hear them talking only about the Sefira of that day.”

Once again, it seems as if we have a lesson in Likutei Moharan which reveals a very lofty idea- that everything that we are discussing these days, everything we hear, is all somehow related to that day’s Sefira. But what does this have to do with us? Are we “someone who understands”, as the Rebbe puts it, that can hear what people are saying and understand what it has to do with Sefira?

And even if we do understand, what does that have to do with our own personal Avodas Hashem? We are all aware of the ironclad in the Rebbe’s teachings that every idea which he taught us must be applicable in a practical way for every single individual, regardless of his spiritual level at that moment.

As we know, each day of Sefiras HaOmer corresponds to a different spiritual characteristic which we can rectify on that day. For example, as these lines are being written on the 15th day of the Omer, we are supposed to be working on “Chessed of Tiferes”.  But as we all know, it’s not so easy to know exactly what we have to do in order to rectify these spiritual attributes. We may very possibly not even know what they mean!

I believe that this is what the Rebbe is addressing in this short lesson. Reb Nosson explains in Hil’ Pikadon 4:8 that all of the various experiences, trials and obstacles which each of us encounter every day correspond with the Sefira of that day. So what the Rebbe is really saying in this lesson is, there’s nothing to worry about! Hashem will make sure that every conversation that you have today, every conversation which you overhear, is somehow connected to exactly what you need to rectify today, whether you understand how or not. In other words, all the tools are right in front of you, all you have to do is be aware of this and try to conduct yourself accordingly. Keep in mind in whatever you get involved with that you are trying to cleanse yourself in the aspect of today’s Sefira.

Of course, as the Rebbe adds, if you can pay attention well and understand somewhat how your experiences are related to your mission, you should keep that in mind as well, and that will help you even more.

Reb Nosson adds on that this is not only during the days from Pesach until Shavuos. Each person has his own personal Exodus from his own personal Egypt. And of course, we all have a personal Kabbolas HaTorah which we are preparing ourselves for. This personal Sefiras HaOmer doesn’t necessarily have to be from Nissan until Sivan. Every person, when he begins to leave his negative past and starts coming closer to holiness, whenever it may be, experiences a Yetziyas Mitzrayim.

As he prepares for his own recieveing of the Torah, he may worry that he doesn’t know exactly what he needs to fix and how.

The Rebbe is telling us, Hashem is taking care of you. If you pay attention, you will realize that everything that’s going on in your life is all carefully planned in order that you should be able to rectify and purify whatever you need to.

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