תִפאֶרֶת שְבְגְבוּרָה: JOY IN THE BEAUTY OF CLARITY BEHELD

While reciting the paragraph leading into the Shema yesterday, the phrase “נָגִֽילָה וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ,” “May we exult (נָגִֽילָה) and rejoice in your deliverance (יְשׁוּעָה),” got me to thinking about the connection between גִֽילָה(great joy) and יְשׁוּעָה, whether the deliverance is personal or collective. We often look for (or call for) Hashem’s salvation, as we just acted out and relived in our seders. We sometimes desperately want/need to see/experience this יְשׁוּעָה. Prior to this phrase, we ask Hashem “וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵֽנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ,” “to unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name.” It all got me thinking of the connections between our hearts, the experiences of deliverance, our connection to Hashem, and what the nature of ultimate גִֽילָה might be. All of this on the 9th day of the Omer, גְבוּרָה שְבְגְבוּרָה .

Today, the 10th day of the Omer, after revisiting this paragraph again with yesterday’s thoughts, I came upon a pasuk after davening in today’s Tehilim and out jumped, “גַּל־עֵינַ֥י וְאַבִּ֑יטָה נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶֽךָ,” “Open my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of Your teaching.” The new connection—for me—is between how opening our eyes, or revelation (as in גִילוּי), or better, perhaps the clarity that we receive through Hashem’s teachings is what brings us this great גִֽילָה. What better revelation is there today, as we celebrate תִפאֶרֶת שְבְגְבוּרָה, the truth/beauty that is integral to not just Hashem’s, but our own גְבוּרָה.

May all those seeking refuah or יְשׁוּעָה, for themselves or for others, experience greater levels of clarity in their lives, and may this clarity lead to higher awareness of their own inner strength and beauty, resulting in great and infinite גִֽילָה.