The Census

THE BIG IDEA

(Dramatic) Love is in the air.

This week’s Torah Omens invite us to take an internal census on the nature of love. Included in this week’s dramatic energy are the requirements for closeness, the consequence of wrong actions, the path to forgiveness, and the deep commitment that comes with reconciliation.

Not only does Moses manage to have the people forgiven (for praying and partying around a golden calf) but in the process he draws God even closer. 

Notice where, in your own life, you might have you violated clearly established boundaries and the fallout of that choice.

Whatever shock greets you this week, allow it to pass through. Stay focused on Moses’s lesson teaching us how to navigate and diffuse the most dramatic situations, and even benefit from the opening.

Tap into the divine channel Moses opened in the cosmos, clean out the toxins, take accountability, and advocate for yourself.

Don’t just ask to be forgiven, ask to draw closer. 

DRAWING CLOSER: A MOSES STARTER KIT

This week carries the story of the first cosmic heartbreak.

Please excuse the graphic analogy.

Imagine walking in on your beloved engaging not only in an illicit affair but a full blown orgy on your wedding weekend — (and your brother who was in charge let it happen). 

First Phase: Assess the situation. Contain the violation. Take action.

Notice Moses’ intuitive response: He throws down the tablets (that were written by God). He confronts his brother (who was supposed to be in charge) He assesses the situation. (HUGE SIN) He takes action. (melts down the calf and makes them drink it.) He invites allies (me l’h Eli) He orders the allies to take aggressive action. (To kill spiritual violators) and only then does he face God, and begin to pray. 

Phase 2: Accountability. and Prayer.

Once the sin has been removed, only then can Moses turn to God in prayer.

He leaves the offense and takes space for himself.

He offers God his honest assessment of the situation. (Very very bad) He doesn’t pass the blame on to Aaron who was with them. (Even though he is clearly displeased). And in an act of profound accountability, Moses binds his fate to theirs for all time. 

Phase 3: Pull Closer

Moses doesn’t just settle for forgiveness, he asks for more. He asks to see God’s face. He asks to have God walk exclusively with this people for all time.

Phase 4: Prayer. Repair. and Deepened Commitment

The prayer and accountability works and Moses is invited back up the mountain. It is then, as God passes in front of him that he speaks the 13 attributes of  God’s generosity and justice., revealing the properties of the Source Energy - that we can access until this day.

It seems that true forgiveness invites properties of deep compassion and charity.

INNER WORK GUIDE

Notice places in that life where you violated someone’s clear boundary.

How did your response measure up next to Moses’ actions?

Did you take action? Did you take responsibility (even when excuses were available)?

Did you use the opportunity to draw closer. 

Paradoxically Moses teaches us in the moment of greatest offense, how to ask for more.

How to appeal for an eternal commitment.

BAD BABYSITTER

Let’s imagine you are a (spiritual) child and one of your (spiritual) parents leave town for longer than expected. On the day they are supposed to return (and don’t) you freak out and decide you are going to be a (spiritual) orphan forever. 

You turn to your (spiritual) babysitter and tell them you need a new (spiritual) parent immediately. 

Your (spiritual) babysitter tries to distract you but that turns into a raging party.

Who are you in this story?

The one that freaks? The one that quietly waits? The one that is always ready to party? 

Are you Aaron, the spiritual babysitter that tries to keep the people from uprising and in the process fails to prevent an enormous sin? 

Or are you the (spiritual) parent that comes back to the shock?