From Bamidbar to Revelation
Shavuot, the Festival of Revelation, commemorates the giving of the Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, and is the culmination of our Omer counting journey. In an attempt to capture the light of Torah illuminating the path for those who are, who were, and who will someday be present at Sinai, I painted hundreds of individual metallic brush marks to create this colorful image, entitled At the Mountain.
As we prepare to stand once again at Sinai, I offer this Shavuot prayer:
Journey Toward Revelation
A Prayer for Shavuot
For 49 days we are instructed
to count the Omer,
as we journey
from freedom
to revelation.
We’ve studied the seven lower Sefirot—
the Divine attributes of
Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet,
Netzach, Hod, Yesod,
and Malchut—
striving to understand,
emulate, and embody
their sacred essence.
Seven weeks of seven days:
a matrix of 49 pairings
inviting us to grow,
to prepare ourselves
to receive the gift of Torah.
May each day we count
ignite a deeper knowing
of the Divine within us
and all around us.
Sinai eternally awaits—
transcending
the conveyor belt
of linear time.
Revelation,
continuously unfolding,
insistently beckons us
to encounter
the Mystery.
Braced by community,
surrounded by the generations
who came before us
and those yet to come,
we answer the sacred call.
We gather the sparks,
we sow the seeds,
we ascend the mountain
of inner transformation.
May each step we take
draw us closer
to who we are meant to become.
And when we stand
at the threshold of revelation,
may the Light of Sinai
illuminate our path.
May we rise to the challenge
of living the Torah we receive—
weaving the sacred into the everyday,
bringing compassion, courage,
justice, and truth into the world.
May we become vessels
of Divine presence,
radiating holiness
in a world longing for healing.
Our 49-day Omer journey culminates with Shavuot. We have counted not only the days, but the qualities of the heart. We’ve explored the seven lower sefirot, cultivating compassion, discipline, balance, endurance, humility, connection, and dignity. With each pairing, we prepared ourselves—spiritually, emotionally, and communally—for the moment of Revelation.
This week’s Torah portion, Bamidbar, begins the Book of Numbers, in which every tribe is counted, every person named. It reminds us that in the wilderness—Bamidbar—every soul matters. Everyone counts. And perhaps even more importantly: everyone is counted on.
My illumination for this parasha features Numbers 3:43, about the counting of the firstborn. Each number is more than a statistic—it is a sacred reminder that every life has meaning, purpose, and potential. Each one is part of the unfolding Revelation.
This theme continues in the prayer I wrote for Bamidbar:
Journey to the Mountain
A Prayer for Parasha 34, Bamidbar
We journey toward the mountain
shrouded in clouds
of history and mystery.
The gift of Torah eternally awaits
transcending the conveyor belt
of linear time.
Revelation,
continuously unfolding,
eternally beckons us.
We were,
we are,
and ever will be
at Sinai.
We are each called
to discover it
in our own day
and sanctify it
in our own way.
May we be blessed to be present to its ongoing unfolding.
Journaling Prompts
- What does it mean to you to be counted—to be seen, valued, and included?
- Who counts on you? How does that responsibility feel?
- When have you experienced a moment of personal revelation?
- What does Sinai mean to you—not just historically, but spiritually?
- In what ways do you weave Torah into your daily life?
- What clouds of “history and mystery” have shaped your spiritual path?
Closing Blessing
May the counting continue—
not just in numbers,
but in joy and meaning.
May you feel the weight and wonder
of counting, being counted, and counted on.
May Sinai rise before you,
not as a distant mountain,
but as a living moment
waiting to be encountered.
And may the Torah you receive
on this holy day
take root in your heart,
inspire your actions,
and illuminate your path
with purpose, love, and light.
Chag Shavuot Sameach!