Counting The Omer In The Light Of Chassidus # 1 - A Class By Rabbi Spalter

Summary

Rabbi Spalter delves into the spiritual significance of Counting the Omer, as taught by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1951. This 49-day counting period connects the Jewish departure from Egypt to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The process symbolizes the transformation and purification of the animal soul within us, using the Omer offering as an expression of this spiritual journey. Rabbi Spalter elucidates how this ancient ritual provides a framework for self-improvement and spiritual ascension, engaging both our divine and animalistic natures.

Highlights

• Rabbi Spalter discusses a discourse from the Rebbe on Counting the Omer. 📜
• The Omer offering is connected to the purification of the animal soul. 🐄
• Spiritual revelations can be gifts rather than earned experiences. 🎁
• The journey from Pesach to Shavuot is about spiritual ascent. 📖
• Understanding the role of divine and human efforts in spiritual growth. 👼🤲

Key Takeaways

• Counting the Omer is a journey of spiritual refinement. 🌟
• The Omer offering symbolizes purification of the animal soul. 🐂
• Revelations during Pesach were unearned but transformative. 🌅
• The 49 days to Shavuot represent personal spiritual growth. 📈
• The ritual involves engaging both divine and animalistic qualities. 👤🐾

Overview

In a captivating session, Rabbi Spalter engages his audience with a deep dive into the significance of the Counting of the Omer. This period marks a transformative journey for the Jewish people, stretching from the exodus from Egypt to receiving the Torah, and offers rich insights into personal growth and spirituality. Guided by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, this exploration sheds light on how the act of counting itself is emblematic of the inner spiritual work necessary to elevate the animal soul within.

The discourse highlights the contrasts between divine gifts and human efforts in the spiritual realm. During Pesach, the divine revelation is described as a gift, bestowed upon the Jews not because of their deeds, but as an act of pure grace. In contrast, the Counting of the Omer is a time when individuals actively engage in self-improvement and spiritual ascension, aligning both their divine and animalistic sides towards a higher purpose.

Drawing from the teachings of Chassidus, Rabbi Spalter illuminates the process of refining one's character and spiritual faculties through the ritual of the Omer offering, traditionally composed of barley, symbolic of the animal soul. This class emphasizes the importance of balancing intellectual and emotional growth, inspiring participants to pursue a holistic path to spirituality that incorporates both rational understanding and heartfelt devotion.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 03:00: Introduction and Background to the Omer The chapter titled 'Introduction and Background to the Omer' begins with a welcoming note to the Kabulan Coffee session. The speaker acknowledges a short break and informs the audience that the sessions are back in full swing. The main topic of discussion is a ma'amar (a Chassidic discourse) by the Rabbah focusing on 'Sefirat HaOmer' or the counting of the Omer. The discourse being studied was given by the Rabbah on Lag BaOmer in 1951. Copies of the text have been made available for participants to follow along.
• 03:00 - 04:00: The Meal Offering of Barley This chapter discusses the offering of barley during a specific period related to the Jewish Shabbat (Shabbos). It marks the starting point for a 49-day count, known as the Omer, which begins the day after this barley offering, referred to as the carbon amid or aimer offering. This period involves counting both days and weeks, ultimately totaling 50 days.
• 04:00 - 12:00: Spiritual Significance of the Omer This chapter discusses the spiritual significance of counting the Omer, highlighting that the counting begins in relation to Pesach rather than Shabbat. There's an indication of a deeper, possibly complex, spiritual understanding implied, as it is mentioned that this process might be difficult to fully comprehend.
• 12:00 - 20:00: Revelation and the Response from the Jewish People The chapter discusses a revelation and how it is received by the Jewish people. It begins by addressing a common mistake or misconception related to the timing of when certain practices or traditions should start, particularly a misunderstanding that things should always begin on a Sunday. The transcript seems to reflect on this mistake, hinting at broader themes of understanding and interpretation within the community.
• 20:00 - 31:30: Understanding the Three Levels in the Song of Songs The chapter titled 'Understanding the Three Levels in the Song of Songs' begins by emphasizing the importance of using a language that avoids mistakes and misinterpretations. This sets the stage for a deeper understanding of the Song of Songs by initially explaining the concept of 'home' and how it relates to the journey of counting 49 days. However, the transcript appears to be incomplete or disrupted, leaving some parts of the narrative unclear or untranslated.
• 31:30 - 45:00: The Days of the Omer and Perfecting the Animal Soul The chapter titled 'The Days of the Omer and Perfecting the Animal Soul' begins with an explanation of the meal offering, a significant ritual in many religious traditions. The transcript seems to break off early, but it suggests a discussion linking religious practices, like the offering, to personal development and spiritual growth. The Omer, a period observed in some religious calendars, is likely explored as a time for self-refinement and improvement of the 'animal soul', which refers to our basic, instinctual nature. The chapter presumably explores how rituals and spiritual observance during the Omer can lead to personal transformation.
• 45:00 - 60:00: The Intellect and Emotions of the Animal Soul The chapter titled 'The Intellect and Emotions of the Animal Soul' begins with a discussion on barley and wheat, noting the differences in offerings. It suggests that barley was chosen instead of wheat because the subject acted in a way akin to an animal.

Counting The Omer In The Light Of Chassidus # 1 - A Class By Rabbi Spalter Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 good morning and welcome to the kabulan coffee we took a little break we're back in full swing we're going to learn today a minor of the rabba on the topic of svira sahimra the counting of The Omen it is remind me that the rabbit said and like blamer of 1951. and it's in the right here made copies for you and you can follow along
• 00:30 - 01:00 the Shabbos from the day you bring the carbon amid the aimer offering 50 days 49 days the shirakasu is that you should first bring the Omer offering and then you start counting then starts to 49 days and you count days and you count weeks
• 01:00 - 01:30 that's why it says in the process that you should count when from when you bring the aimer first you bring then you count when in reality we're starting to count in the mirror of the pesos not the matter of the Shabbos we don't always can't understand
• 01:30 - 02:00 especially when you realize when you know that that is actually made the mistake thinking that you do start always on a Sunday
• 02:00 - 02:30 a language that doesn't lead to any mistakes any misinterpretations this will be understood by first prefacing a little explanation on the home what is it what is dismissed for counting 49 days foreign
• 02:30 - 03:00 a meal offering and that was brought of
• 03:00 - 03:30 barley and the same thing the means also from barley was different than that she brought barley instead of wheat the mission says the reason s because she acted like an animal so
• 03:30 - 04:00 therefore her meal often should be of animal father right the mission says that's why she brings from barley but now we have to understand why was the aimer offering board brought from Bali it's all good why the state is offering was from Bali it makes sense she acted in an animalistic way so she brings an animal type of food for aimer good logic but why the aim are offering
• 04:00 - 04:30 out of barley Brothers the answer is known because the afraid the spiritual service of the carbon the offering of the aimer and the counting of the aimer is what's it all about to purify Elevate sift through and perfect the animal Soul within the yid which is
• 04:30 - 05:00 and therefore you bring the email offering is brought from the animal food because the whole idea of the Mitzvahs offering as a introduction to counting the Emir is about perfecting the animal Soul within the human being which is the human soul which is called in hasid is the animal so because it's
• 05:00 - 05:30 animalistic so the offering that's brought is from animal food understood now that I've explained what is this thing that the behavior is about perfecting the animal soul she said that to give away the great revelation of Hashem that took place when the Jews were redeemed from Egypt on the first day of
• 05:30 - 06:00 Pisa says that Hashem revealed himself not through an angel not through um it was me and it says later on in the English themselves the god the King of Kings he himself revealed himself to the Jewish people in Egypt and took them out that said that that Revelation was an
• 06:00 - 06:30 enormous amount of Godly revelation he said that Revelation came from Hashem it wasn't a response to some great deed that the Jews did here which elicited such a great Revelation as a reward as a response it came out from Hashem you know on his own he initiated that relation to get the Jews out of Egypt in other words it was undeserving oh is
• 06:30 - 07:00 that means the Jews on their own their spiritual state was and they were still in a state of distance where they were not really worthy or even capable Kaylee means vessels to receive such a great revelation it was overwhelming to them they weren't capable of absorbing that of you know of uh of taking it in in a more personal
• 07:00 - 07:30 inward way they were not at the spiritual level where they can receive and properly appreciate such a great revelation for Gilman of my life is announcement this Revelation nonetheless did reveal itself but it was because Hashem decided that's what he wanted to do it wasn't sometimes there's a revelation of God that comes as a response to something great we do
• 07:30 - 08:00 so that is a arousal from above that is elicited through an arousal From Below that we first initiate a an arousal From Below we do something extraordinary we prepare ourselves for a great Revelation and in response Hashem responds and reveals himself to us in Egypt it wasn't that way in Egypt there was a is an arousal from above without any
• 08:00 - 08:30 without any arousal from above below first understood huh yeah five days ago that gave the Jews the ability the power to start doing something on their own once they received such a great revelation that opened them up to Godliness at somewhat at some level they weren't
• 08:30 - 09:00 capable of receiving that great Revelation and the moment that it happened because they were still was sunken into the depravity of Egypt but that at least gave them the opening the the the Boost the first shot of the spirituality where they can start be you know getting into the spiritual realm into the spiritual service five days above and that brought about that they should then go to Martin
• 09:00 - 09:30 Taylor to Mount Sinai and receive the greatest even greater revelation of mountain Tata so it started with Hashem then the Jews responded and that brought them to Martin Taylor where God again revealed himself even on a greater level do you understand it hasn't a possibility was in order that the Jews should then go to Martin Taylor and received the terror on the mountain of Hernan harcina
• 09:30 - 10:00 said in other words one is the completeness for the perf you know the the ultimate completeness of The Exodus from Egypt is only when the Jews will be at Mount Sinai and receive the Revelation uh received the Torah of the Revelation that came along with it foreign
• 10:00 - 10:30 in the song of songs says draw me after you we uh draw me he says he's talking draw me after you I will run bring me King bring me into your inner chamber so this person talks about three levels
• 10:30 - 11:00 draw me then comes we will then pursue you and then the third step the king should bring me into his inner chamber and I will explain when it says first draw me this is a reference to its viswan The Exodus from Egypt when God started initiated and
• 11:00 - 11:30 Drew us he revealed himself to us without us doing anything in preparation for it he drew us then started uh and he explains machini Edition he drew us that's when God revealed himself in Egypt these Thrones the Jews on their own were sunken into the 49 levels of impurity or Gates of
• 11:30 - 12:00 impurity so they were not in any shape way shape or form uh you know ready or uh vessels you know receptacles for any great Revelation so this came completely initiated from above it's just that God revealed himself by the great kindness to the Jewish people so that's what is and that caused that great Revelation cause that they should be redeemed from their terrible situation
• 12:00 - 12:30 so that's the first step machini draw me we're telling God draw me he himself without doing anything to receive it to deserve it he's drawing us this is also why it says draw me in the singular right delay the lake you see my costume not as deposit concludes the next part of the posit says
• 12:30 - 13:00 after you we will pursue it's plural first it says draw me singularly then it says we will pursue you in the plural there's a why is that he explains it very simple because that great revelation of PESA caused a response we said it was God initiated that Revelation right so what part of us did it affect
• 13:00 - 13:30 only our Godly soul when the god is so so great the revelation of God is it it was it of course it moved it was moved but the animalistic Soul within the Jews they weren't a move they were so sunken into the depths of Egyptian culture and Egyptian corruption that they didn't really affect them so that's why it says in the singular that when the god revealed himself from Mount Sinai he drew mainly the absolutely Kiss The Godly soul
• 13:30 - 14:00 but the animal Soul remains in this situation doesn't really it's not doesn't change didn't change so much that's why it also says by The Exodus from Egypt the Jews had to run from Egypt explains this in his in Tanya
• 14:00 - 14:30 please have to be run why they have to run out of Egypt foreign wanted them to leave it wasn't like there was anyone that was gonna stop us they would have walked out leisurely taking their time no one would have
• 14:30 - 15:00 stopped them so why they have to run run means usually when you're escaping yeah people are you know you're in the middle of the night no one's looking your run right the Egyptians wanted them that would have given them the permission to leave in fact they did give them the permission to leave Pottery was the one that woke up in the middle and I told him you can leave so why they have to run hello because the evil nature within their left ventricle of the heart which is the place of liaison it's in his greatest
• 15:00 - 15:30 strength right pull behind us therefore because there is still in their negative evil State nothing was changed internally or inherently so if they would have stayed there even for another second we're told they would have been done it would have affected them forever so they had to run because they couldn't afford to walk to take their time because the the evil they were so strong and overwhelming to
• 15:30 - 16:00 them that had they stayed a little more would have been maybe they would never have been able to leave so that's why it says they have to run because this is a sign that their negative was still very very nothing was changed inherently so what was moved as a result of the great Revelation that took place that day foreign
• 16:00 - 16:30 the great Revelation that came from above on pesach only caused a move that only had an effect on The Godly soul but the animal Soul remained in its strength his full strength didn't wasn't moved at all well that's why he needed to run and flee from Egypt
• 16:30 - 17:00 now it's time for you to start because moving closer to me on your own terms and that's when the stars that we should start changing and becoming more and more connected Asha 's this includes the working with and perfecting of the nephews the animal soul
• 17:00 - 17:30 says we will pursue you now it's not only the natural kiss the goddess so now we're also talking about the animal Soul also because that was the job for both Powers forces within us to start pursuing godliness what is Naruto we will pursue you it said connotes they're they're pursuing From Below from from below towards Hashem from us
• 17:30 - 18:00 towards Hashem in other words what does draw mean that the the the the one from above is drawing the one from below right but Naruto we're running after you means that from we are making the we're we're we are the ones that are pursuing Hashem so that shows already that it's coming from below from the from the Jewish people and it's reference to both forces within the year
• 18:00 - 18:30 that are now in a mode of spiritual connection s that's why it says the plural we will pursue is because this affects not only this part affects not only the natural Keys the goddess or but it also fat affects the animals that's why it says we will run after you
• 18:30 - 19:00 pursue you with our with our Chase um that's the nature of the of the animal soul s the animal soul is attracted to it's not leisurely they're not that the animal soul is never legally when they want something it goes after it with Force right when you hear something that you want that you never surbam is attracted to it doesn't wrestle against it you know it
• 19:00 - 19:30 doesn't take its time ah wait till next week doesn't wait till next week when they want something it really wants it and it for it goes with Force that's why it's called the animal you ever saw a bull walk slowly when I want something it charges or any animal yeah doesn't work slowly it's not the nature of the nature
• 19:30 - 20:00 Bahamas the animal soul to walk slowly run the chases okay foreigners and then it doesn't even work it's just not interested but if you get it to be attracted it runs there's no walking by the left Obama's
• 20:00 - 20:30 has a positive effect even under Godly soul what's the difference in in kabbalistic terminology the two souls are usually compared to man and Animal Human The Godly Souls referred as Autumn human and the animals so the second soul is called the animal
• 20:30 - 21:00 an animal is much stronger than the human being that's just by Nature right so the human being the goodness when it's interested in godliness power its force is that of the human being the animal Soul's force is that of an animal much stronger you can get the animal soul to want to learn tighter to want to give to the doctor to want to do mitzvahs it's going to do with a much greater force than
• 21:00 - 21:30 even the natural kiss so what happens they never shall accuse The Godly Soul comes down into our body it's Sent From Heaven into our body to work with the god with the animalistic soul to get it to learn Terror to do Mitzvahs to be involved does the natural Keys get any benefit from this or is it only about doing you know doing something for the God for the animals no the Netflix is also benefits why because when it does get enough shabam is
• 21:30 - 22:00 interested now even the nationalities goes for the ride right it's riding on this animal and when the animal runs forward fast air natural kisses on it and it also has the benefit and the advantage of powerful misses powerful pursuit of terrorism that's what he's saying over here foreign
• 22:00 - 22:30 that Pursuit that strong Rush its attraction to Godliness is with limits the limits of the Navajo of every nephew of Every Soul has its limits soul nice about taster said it enjoys an
• 22:30 - 23:00 additional light and an additional Force it enjoys it gets an advantage of a Pursuit that is beyond its limits that's the whole point of it it's not that it runs fast it's the running the the the rush the chase the pursuit represents indicates a type of leap Beyond its limits so then that official kiss on its
• 23:00 - 23:30 own has is limited but when it comes down into this world and it encloses itself in the body and an animal soul and it affects the animal soul to one Tera mitches so now the third admits that it enjoys the pursuit towards godliness is an infinite and unlimited kind of pursue towards godliness
• 23:30 - 24:00 that's why it says we will pursue in the plural band is because the animal Soul affects that also The Godly Soul should be in a Chase in a rush in a charge for godliness so both forces are now pursuing godliness is an animal soul and in absolute case and this
• 24:00 - 24:30 service this effect of the pursuit towards godliness first mushraini was in place of God Drew us without us doing it but then we begin to pursue both forces the natural keys and natural bomb is together the two forces within man The Godly and the animals all together that is generally the period between pesach that are known as the days of the over
• 24:30 - 25:00 we reach the third level that is mentioned in this process which is that the king we asked the King Solomon continues and that possibly says may the king bring me into his inner Chambers when does that inner chamber when we enter into God's inner chambers that happens once
• 25:00 - 25:30 again and so we have an hour to sum it up the days of the Omer are the days that we have to work with the natural right to get it to pursue goddess that's basically the time between patience now in this perfecting of the animal soul is two cut there's two steps two ideas is made up of two forces within the animal
• 25:30 - 26:00 soldiers two two parts to it the intellect of the animal soul and the emotive faculties of the animal soul these two elements of the animal Soul it's an intellectual faculty and it's emotional faculties are affected by the two parts of the omen the second their face that we actually bring the aim at offering and then we
• 26:00 - 26:30 start counting 49 days so the bring of the aimer offering is their tough fact the um intellectual faculties of the animal soul and then the next 49 days are to prophetically emotional attributes of the nafsa Bahamas of the animal soul is the perfecting of the intellectual
• 26:30 - 27:00 faculties of the animal soul and I want to talk about that for a minute what is the problem with the intellect of the animal soul what does this mean what do you have to perfectly what's with the intellect what's the problem with the intellect of the animal soul what is a big problem it doesn't perceive godliness godliness intellectually seems something distant to it it's more inclined to understanding worldly matters
• 27:00 - 27:30 elementalizing the intellectual faculties have to be trained and perfect you know and turned around so that when you learn that Indian and Taylor you know your your naps are bombers can can get animalistic intellect can absorb it doesn't happen though automatically and even after the the navian the intellect understands it its perceptions it's all you know there's certain things that are I understand it but does it really
• 27:30 - 28:00 do I really perceive it what are you more inclined where does your intellect more inclined the worldly matters are The Godly matters what do you perceive how do you understand things you have a Godly look at things you have a real very human worldly look at things I'll give it I'll give you examples of this we'll continue next week in this
• 28:00 - 28:30 just just understand why the aimer offering itself is about first you have to take the intellect of the animal Soul then you can get to its emotions if you never if you're not gonna you forget about the intellect of the animal so you're only going to work the emotions the emotions come from intellect you know that so you have to really get first to the intellect then you can get to the emotions right I want to explain a little bit more next week what is this thing about the intellect of the animal soul
• 28:30 - 29:00 it's a world it's a very very important thing to understand how our perceptions are that's our automatic first you know intellectual perception you have a comfort between Taylor and science yeah
• 29:00 - 29:30 for example just to give an example but there you can see right away with the intellect of the person if he's working out of his Godly intellect or his enough if your first perception is science is right you know science laws we're just talking about we have to fix the table see where the title went wrong here a lot of people that's the way they say
• 29:30 - 30:00 it's the intellect that's the perception of the animal soul it's a worldly perception some people to tell you to say something that's right now we have to see that a fixed science let's give you an example and there's so many other things but we'll have a little discussion about this next week oh yeah