Tiferet SheBeGevurah. Tiferet is the reconciliation and integration of Chesed and Gevurah. Having explored how Chesed and Gevurah operate within Gevurah these last two days, we now aspire to balance the two within the posture of Gevurah. The great hope is that today this occurs almost effortlessly in us as the result of having so focused our intentions
Where I experience this challenge most concretely, and on a daily basis, is in my parenting. I find any form of balance challenging when it comes to dealing with my child at the toughest times, but particularly when I am having to stay within the frame of Gevurah, strength, discipline. It is all too easy for me to become rigid, iced-over, unapproachable as I set a boundary. On the flip-side, I can go crashing through boundaries that I have just established, as an overflow of Chesed (or, more likely, a desire to be liked - a Chesed craving) takes over. A constant goal of mine is to be able to establish and maintain boundaries, while remaining approachable.
Tiferet is also understood to represent the heart in the Kabbalistic "Tzelem Elohim" or Image of G8d. It is the place of total compassion, which can happen when this balance, this reconciliation of Chesed and Gevurah is attained. Another of my goals is to see my child through the eyes of compassion even when she responds to her frustration by blaming me or taking it out on me.
Today, once again a bit intimidated by the order at hand, I would like to trust that my efforts in traveling the sefirot in the days gone by, I will be given the grace of balance and compassion in my dealings with myself and others.