The week of Unleavened Bread is over, we're counting toward Shavuot, and in the Elliott home, it's time to start "busy season." This is the time of year when families start planning a new homeschooling year, and we get really busy helping them in any way we can. Combined with the beautiful flowers and green grass out my window, I really enjoy this time of year! https://archive.aweber.com/awlist6425868/L5StE
Here is a list of Apostolic/New Testament passages to consider reading for #biblestudy with Parsha #tazria ("She conceives", #leviticus 12-13), plus links to related commentary: https://www.americantorah.com/....2021/01/28/parsha-ta
John 1:47Yeshua saw Nathaniel when he came to him and said about him: “Behold, truly a son of Israel in whom is no deceit.” 48Nathaniel said to him: “From where do you know me?” Yeshua said to him: “Before Phillipus called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49Nathaniel answered and said to him: “Rabbi, you are The Son of God; you are The King of Israel.” 50Yeshua said to him: “Do you believe because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than these.” 51He said to him: “Timeless truth I speak to you all: From this hour you shall see Heaven being opened and the Angels of God as they ascend and descend unto The Son of Man.”
Chesed of Gevurah
If love (chesed) is the bedrock of human expression, discipline (gevurah) is the channels through which we express love. It gives our life and love direction and focus. Take a laser beam: Its potency lies in the focus and concentration of light in one direction rather than fragmented light beams dispersed in all different directions.
Gevurah - discipline and measure - concentrates and directs our efforts, our love in the proper directions. Another aspect of gevurah is - respect and awe. Healthy love requires respect for the one you love.
Day One of Week 2 (8th day of Omer): Chesed of Gevurah
The underlying intention and motive in discipline is love. Why do we measure our behavior, why do we establish standards and expect people to live up to them - only because of love. Even judgment of the guilty is only to express love. In other words punishment is not vengeance; it is just another way to express love by cleansing anything antithetical to love. Tolerance of people should never be confused with tolerance of their behavior. On the contrary: love for people includes wanting them to be the best they can and therefore helping them be aware of anything less than perfect behavior.
Chesed of gevurah is the love in discipline; awareness of the intrinsic love that feeds discipline and judgment. It is the recognition that your personal discipline and the discipline you expect of others is only an expression of love. And that comes across when disciplining. It is the understanding that we have no right to judge others; we have a right only to love them and that includes wanting them to be their best.
Ask yourself: when I judge and criticize another is it in any way tinged with any of my own contempt and irritation? Is there any hidden satisfaction in his failure? Or is it only out of love for the other?
Exercise for the day: Before you criticize someone today think twice if it is out of care and love.
Malchut of Chesed
Mature love comes with - and brings - personal dignity. An intimate feeling of nobility and regality. Knowing your special place and contribution in this world. Any love that is debilitating and breaks the human spirit is no love at all. For love to be complete it must have the dimension of personal sovereignty.
Exercise for the day: Highlight an aspect in your love that has bolstered your spirit and enriched your life - and celebrate.