Rooted in Revelation: A Journey of Presence, Purpose, and Possibility
Parashat Behar–Bechukotai • Week 7 of the Omer: Malchut / Shechina
It is with a heavy heart that I am opening this week’s blog with a commemoration and prayer for two young lives that were extinguished this week.
In Memory of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim
Eternal Source of Hope and Healing,
Be with our shattered community
as we mourn the loss of two young lives—
Israeli Embassy staffers
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim—
whose love and light were extinguished
in an antisemitic act of hatred and gun violence.
As Israel and the Jewish people face this new devastation,
we carry the weight of wounds still unhealed
from the tragedy of October 7th.
So many still grieve, still ache, still long—
for the return of the hostages,
for healing, for justice,
for peace that feels so far away.
Layer upon layer, the sorrow grows.
May we find solace in our shared grief.
May the bereaved families
be strengthened by the love that surrounds them,
and carried by the compassion of community.
May the memory of Yaron and Sarah
be a continual source of strength and blessing.
May their light—though taken—never be lost.
And may we honor them by standing against hate
and working for a world rooted in justice, compassion, and peace.
Our Journey Continues
This week, as we read the final double parasha of Leviticus—Behar and Bechukotai—we also enter the final week of the Omer: Malchut/Shechina, often translated as sovereignty or the indwelling presence of the Divine. Below are the opening spreads from the Malchut section of my forthcoming guided journal: Counting the Omer: A Spiritual Journey, available in 2026.
Malchut reminds us that we are not only vessels for Divine light—we are co-creators in how that light is shared. It is the culmination of all the other Sefirot, integrating love, strength, compassion, endurance, humility, and bonding into sacred presence.
This week is an invitation to live with intentionality, to lead with love, and to embody the holiness we’ve been cultivating as we’ve been counting the Omer and journeyed toward receiving Torah at Shavuot.
This is the final step on our Omer path. Malchut is leadership grounded in service, and wholeness born of integration. Like the moon, which has no light of its own but reflects the light of the sun, Malchut reflects the light of the other Sefirot.
As we approach Shavuot and God’s gift of Torah, this is a time for reflection.
What do you see when you look into the Divine Mirror?
Are you aligned with your values?
Are you attuned to the sacred?
How do you show up in the world?
Torah Illuminated
My illustration for Parashat Behar is based on Leviticus 25:10:
“Proclaim liberty throughout the land for all its inhabitants.”
This verse, part of the instructions for the Yovel (Jubilee) year, reminds us of our collective responsibility to ensure freedom and justice for all. The idea of restoration and return—of land, of people, of purpose—is at the heart of both the Jubilee and the spiritual journey we’ve undertaken during the Omer.
Prayerful Reflections
This is an earlier version of my prayer for Parashat Behar, hand-lettered in one of my journals:
For Behar:
Eternal Journey
The entire Jewish people—
including those not yet born—
were present at Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah.
Was I there with my ancestors?
Will I be there with my progeny?
Am I present enough to be there today?
Let us journey to the mountain
where God’s Gift of Torah
eternally awaits,
transcending the conveyor belt
of linear time.
Sinai is meant
for each of us to discover
in our own day
and sanctify in our own way.
Time is fluid.
Revelation is continuous.
We were, we are, and ever will be
at Sinai.
May we be blessed to be present to its ongoing unfolding.
For Parashat Bechukotai, I illustrated Leviticus 26:4:
“The tree of the field will give forth its fruit.”
And here’s my prayer for parashat Bechukotai:
Spiritual Journey
Source of Connection,
Grant us the ability to form
a Kehilah Kedoshah— a Holy Community—
inspire us to work together
to make a difference in the world.
May we each tap into the spark of divinity
that You have implanted within us
and may each of us be open, truly open,
to imagining new possibilities.
May the light of each of our souls
shine out into the world as kindness
and may the love in our hearts help us
choose our words and actions with care.
May we remember to listen more than talk;
compliment more than criticize;
and to hone our unique gifts
and use them to help one another
so we may all shine the light of Your love.
May Your gift of Torah always be a source of inspiration,
and may we be blessed to feel Your presence
as we take this next step on our spiritual journey.
Journaling Prompts for the Week of Malchut
- Where in your life do you feel most aligned with your soul’s purpose?
- What does it mean to lead with humility and heart?
- How do you experience the Divine presence—in yourself, in others, in community?
- What do you hope to receive at Sinai this year?
Closing Blessing
May you walk forward with courage,
grounded in the teachings of Torah,
uplifted by the spark of Shechina within you.
May you remember that Sinai is not behind you,
but within you—calling you to rise, to reveal, to radiate.
May you feel the fullness of your being,
and may that wholeness bring healing to others.
May you enter Shavuot not only as one who has counted,
but as one who is ready to receive.