Reflections on Parashat Shemini, Gevurah, Havdalah and Yom HaShoah
There is something deeply meaningful about the word ul’havdil — to distinguish, to separate, to see clearly.
In Parashat Shemini, we are told:
“You must distinguish between the holy and the profane.” (Leviticus 10:10)
This command isn’t only for the ancient priests standing at the threshold of the Tent of Meeting. It is an invitation extended to each of us, in every era. In a world that can feel noisy, fractured, and overwhelming — the capacity to distinguish is one of the most spiritual gifts we can cultivate.
To distinguish is not simply to divide. It is to discern what matters. It is to notice what brings us closer to compassion, integrity, and holiness — and what pulls us away. It is to learn to recognize the sacred sparks hidden within ordinary life.
This Week’s Prayer: Source of Oneness
As I strive to distinguish
the holy from the profane,
grant me the clarity
to see the sparks of light
in every living being.
Allow me to gather memories
lost amongst the sacred soundbites
frozen in the archives of time.
Let me harmonize
with the Universal Truths
chanted since the dawn of eternity,
continually echoing in my heart,
vibrating my soul.
Sanctify my intention
to elevate ordinary moments
and be a conduit of hope,
healing and holiness
and a source of unending love.
Join Our Havurah for Havdalah
Because Havdalah is so central to the theme of this week’s Torah portion, I want to share an open invitation.
Each week, our Havdalah Havurah gathers on Zoom at 9 ET to close Shabbat together — with Havdalah, Mi Shebeirach (a prayer for healing), and Kaddish. We come together to mark the transition from sacred time into the new week, to pray for healing, to remember those we love and miss, and to strengthen one another in community.
I love that Havdalah does not simply end Shabbat. It helps us carry its light forward. I feel blessed to be part of this community of creative, inspiring people who Zoom in from all over the world– and I would be honored to have you join us. Send an email to me at joanne@zenspirations.com with the subject link Havdalah Zoom Link if you’d like to join us.
Our Havurah also gathers on Wednesday evenings at 9 ET to count the Omer together, study the sefirot, and do some guided journaling. It is a beautiful, intimate way to move through this sacred season with greater intention and connection, and you are welcome to join on Wednesdays, too.
If you are not able to count in community, and want to make this 49-day journey from Passover to Shavuot more intentional, I invite you to download my latest offering– a guided journal for Counting the Omer.
Counting the Omer: The Week of Gevurah
We are currently in the second week of the Omer — the week of Gevurah, which is often translated as strength, discipline, or boundaries.
Here are the opening pages from the Gevurah section of my journal:
Gevurah is the sacred structure that helps love take form and helps us protect what matters. It is the channel through which love flows with direction and purpose.
In many ways, the priests in this week’s Torah portion were being asked to embody Gevurah — to hold the line between what is sacred and what is not, not out of rigidity, but out of deep devotion. The same is true for us. How do we set sacred boundaries that protect what is holy? Practicing Gevurah can help us become more disciplined and intentional in all we undertake.
Yom HaShoah: Remembering the Sparks
This Monday evening, April 13th, Yom HaShoah — Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day — begins.
In a week devoted to discernment and holiness, Yom HaShoah asks us not to look away. It calls us to remember, to bear witness, and to honor the lives, stories, and sacred humanity of those who were lost.
Gevurah. Strength.
The strength of those who resisted.
The strength of those who survived.
The strength of those who bore witness.
The strength of those who, even in the darkest of circumstances, preserved a spark of human dignity and love.
That, too, is part of distinguishing: choosing to remember what must never be forgotten; choosing to honor the image of God in every human being; choosing to resist indifference; choosing to carry forward light even in the presence of unimaginable darkness.
Six million sparks. We are their keepers.
As fewer survivors remain among us to share their stories firsthand, the obligation to remember — to gather those memories, to speak the names, to refuse to let the archive go silent — falls more urgently to each of us.
I invite you to light a candle this week in memory of those we lost. And I invite you to remember them in your prayers, when saying Kaddish, and in the quiet of your heart.
Artist Meet & Greet Oneg Shabbat on April 17th at Congregation Beth Or
As many of you know, my work is currently on exhibit at the Olitsky Art Gallery at Congregation Beth Or — a show I described in my recent blog post, Answering the Call.
If you are in the Philadelphia area, I warmly invite you to join me for Shabbat services at 7:30 PM on Friday, April 17, and stay afterward for an Artist Meet & Greet at the Oneg beginning at 9:00 PM. I would love to share the exhibit with you and say hello in person.
Guided Journaling Questions
1. Distinguishing the Holy: Where in your daily life do you catch glimpses of hidden holiness?
2. Seeing the Sparks: What would it look like for you to carry the light of Shabbat more consciously into the week ahead?
3. Gevurah — Sacred Boundaries: What helps you distinguish between what nourishes your spirit and what depletes it?
4. Gathering Memories: How does memory shape the way you move through the world?
5. Elevating the Ordinary: What is one ordinary moment you could transform into something sacred this week? Complete this sentence: This week, I want to elevate…
Closing Blessing
May you have the clarity
to distinguish the holy from the profane —
and the ability to find– and appreciate–
the holy in the ordinary.
In this week of Gevurah
may you find strength in community,
and grow in your ability
to set wise and loving boundaries.
May you live in alignment
with your core values,
and may all you do and all you say
flow from a place of
hope, healing, holiness, and unending love.
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