Dash Of Drash

This week's parsha (Emor) includes the instruction to count 50 days, the period known as Sefirat HaOmer. In the Torah, this is an agricultural ritual linking the barley harvest to the wheat harvest marking each day with a special wave offering of barley; for the rabbis it marks the journey from freedom of slavery in Egypt to accepting the covenant of the Torah at Sinai (Pesach to Shavuot); and for Kabbalists it is a period of deep spiritual refinement with each day representing a quality of profound significance. Recorded on the 31st day of counting the Omer, Tiferet of Hod, this episode reflects on the power of the fifth week of the Omer - Hod, which is admission, gratitude, splendor and transparency - getting ourselves out of the way!