Blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
Barukh atah, A-donai E-loheinu, Melekh Ha-ʿolam, asher qid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu ʿal S’firat Ha-ʿomer.
Count
Today is twenty six days, which is three weeks and six days of the Omer.
Meditation
Exodus 5:22-6:1
5:22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” 6:1 But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
Devotional
Moses was discouraged by Pharaoh’s response and Israel’s plight. He responded by blaming himself and God. Moses correlated his actions with their suffering. But correlation is not causation. We must be careful to put the blame on those who are actually responsible for doing harm to others. There are permission structures and people along the way who are complicit in the harming of others. But don’t do to the wrong what they have done to others. God promised to intervene. We are easily and often discouraged and frustrated by persistent injustices. Often it looks like God has sided with the oppressors and their oppression is justified. Don’t be deceived and don’t scapegoat. God is not mocked and you and the oppressed will not be made ashamed for trusting in God. Justice deferred seems to be justice denied. But God works on a different timeframe and will come right on time. God raises up others to protest injustice on the behalf of the oppressed. Join the struggle because your intervention is God’s plan, their answer to prayer and God’s hand to repair the broken world.