Chazak Chazak: Why the Book of Redemption Is Filled with Counting

This weeks double header Torah portion wraps up the book of Exodus. Traditionally, as soon as the Torah reader recites the last verse, everyone rises up and chants in unison “Chazak Chazak Venitchazek” a mantra like gesture geared towards redirecting the accumulated spiritual vibes, insights, and inspirational realizations, energetically; an infusion of sacred fuel at our disposal. This five times a year booster shot is our ally, rising up with us to meet whatever destiny has in store for us.

This week, however, while the blessing is no different, it is, like so much these days, not the same. It’s harder for me personally to wrap my head around harnessing the energy of this particular block of passed time. I wouldn’t compare it to harvesting the sickly crops of a bad season, but I am still struggling with the whole process of how best to sift out the pockets of really powerful energy; from

deep within the charred landscape of devastation that Covid 19 has left, and still leaves in its wake.

Here’s a thinking tool that might be useful.

Though the highlight Motiff of the book of Exodus is the story and theme of Redemption, there’s a counter energy that accompanies it throughout. There’s a preponderrence of “counting” that occurs throughout this book. In broad terms one can see the notion of numbers, or any form of counting, as the antithesis of redemption. Numbers, are a force rooted in the limiting sphere of Gevurah, geared toward definition and limitation by its very nature.

The unique Ying and Yang of Redemption, couched in a framework of the interventionist Divine flow of Chesed, shadowed by its own counter intuitive restrictive nature, (Numbers and counting) captures this paradox perfectly.

For starters, one need not feel guilty in discovering treasure buried in the rubble.

Sometimes the numbers truly “don’t lie” in the surprising ways they function as the limiting conduits through which we are poised to discover our most limitless selves.

Much Love,

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yossi