Day 47 of the Omer

Today we reach the fifth day of the seventh week, and we focus on Hod in Malchut, Humility in Leadership.

In gazing at the stars, we often see "stars" that are not really stars. At times, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn shine in the evening, night, or early morning sky near the horizon, and to the naked eye they look exactly like bright stars. In fact, these "stars" are planets, and the light they seem to give off is actually the result of their illumination by the Sun. Unlike the Moon, they appear as dots or "stars" because of their greater distance from the Earth.

In exhibiting leadership in our personal and professional lives, we can't always be the source of the light, we can't always stand out. Sometimes we must allow the light of others to illuminate us and give us wisdom and strength. Sometimes we must reflect what comes from others. Sometimes we must hold our uniqueness in our hearts and blend in. Always, we must understand that our ability to lead is a reflection of the Divine.


Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kid-shanu b'mitzvotav, vitzivanu, al sefirat ha'omer.

Blessed are you Adonai our G!d, ruler of the universe, who sanctifies us with mitzvot and commands us regarding the counting of the Omer.

Today is forty-seven days, which is six weeks and five days of the Omer.