Making the Days Count: A Talk for Today

We are at the start of Chol HaMoed Pesach —that bridge between the Chag Shvii Shel Peach Shavuot and the rest of our lives. But let’s be honest: life in Israel right now is anything but normal. Between the energy of the Seder and hearing about five attempted attacks just this morning, trying to feel the “joy” of the holiday—the Simchat HaChag—is a struggle. It is a challenge to stay focused when things feel so heavy.

Tonight, we have started the count. We are at the very beginning of the Omer, and our Sages teach us that these 49 days are a slow climb. It is the time where we work on ourselves so we are actually ready to stand at Har Sinai.

We always hear the story of Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students who died during this time of year. These weren’t just ordinary Yeshiva Bachurim; they were the leaders of the generation. So, what went wrong? We are told: “They did not show honor to one another.” Think about that. They were on the same team and had the same goals, but they didn’t actually respect each other.

When there is a war, we come together because we have to. We have a common enemy, so we huddle together for safety. But that is something forced on us from the outside. The real work—the Kavod—is much harder. It’s about how you treat the person who sees things differently, prays differently, or just gets on your nerves. When we hear about security threats, it’s easy to feel like we are just waiting for news. But we are taught that we aren’t just bystanders. How we act toward one another builds the “vessel” that holds G-d’s protection over us. Every time we are sharp with someone at the store or dismissive of a neighbor, we are poking holes in that vessel. If the vessel is cracked, it can’t hold the blessing of peace we are all praying for.

Our personal “war effort” isn’t on the front lines; it happens in the small, everyday moments in the grocery store or stuck in traffic. It’s choosing patience when the line is long or giving a neighbor the benefit of the doubt even when you’re both stressed to the breaking point. We must remember that every Jew is like a single letter in a Sefer Torah. If even one tiny letter is missing or broken, the whole scroll is incomplete. We are only whole when every single one of us is respected.

The offering brought on Pesach was barley (animal food). By Shavuot, it is wheat (human food). Animals live on instinct—they feel fear or pressure and they lash out. But being human means having Middos. These 49 days are our chance to move from “animal” to “human.” It’s about learning not to just react to the stress, but to choose how we treat people despite that stress.

Our enemies want to see us broken and divided. We fight back by being unbreakable from the inside out. When we show genuine respect to each other—especially right now—we are repairing the cracks in our nation.

As we count the Omer, let’s make sure it’s more than just a number. Let’s decide that by the time we reach Shavuot, we’re going to be better, more respectful people. That is the best armor we can build for ourselves and our soldiers.

May we have a meaningful, safe Chol HaMoed and see only good news and true peace in Eretz Yisrael.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)