hazzan Diana Brewer was ordained through the aleph ordination program. she leads prayer services regularly at the jewish community of amherst, and is on the staff of the davvenen leadership training institute.

Day 11 נצח שבגבורה Netzach SheBiG’vurah

Endurance. Will. Active Force. Leadership. Eternity. Victory within Strength. Power. Boundaries. Structure. Discipline. Discernment. Judgement.

2 more senselessly dead. 4 more gravely injured. Thousands more terrified. I am more full of questions as I write today than anything else. How will we find the Strength to Endure? When will our lawmakers find the Will to be an Active Force for safety and set real Boundaries around gun acquisition?  

Netzach teaches us about one-day-at-a-time living. Today, I spent the day sick at home, wondering intermittently if I will be able to show up and serve at two Yom HaShoa events in my community that I am committed  to over the next couple of days. There’s no way to know until each of those days arrives. Day-to-Day living, I have discovered, is the real secret to Endurance. Keeping things on a 24 hour basis requires the Strength for only one day. I can do that quite reliably. 

I pray that there will not be another violent atrocity in the news tomorrow.  There’s no way to know until tomorrow arrives. Meanwhile I will tap into the energy of this day, walking through the next 24 hours. I will seek out ways to be an Active Force for goodness. To practice the Discipline of perspective - we are a small blip on the timeline of Eternity. I may also be sad, mad even. I may even take a dip into discouragement. It is hard not to go there.

May we find the Will to harness our Strength for goodness. May our Leadership be Framed in Discernment. May we inhabit the Strength of this One Day. 

Omer Day 12 הוד שבגבורה Hod SheBiG’vurah

Omer Day 10 תפארת שבגבורה Tiferet SheBiG’vurah