In the Kabbalistic schema, netzach and hod balance into yesod. If tiferet is the heart center, bringing together the various emotional energies to the core of inner balance, yesod is the sexual organ, bringing together the various productive energies to the place of generativity. ...
In some charts of the sefirot, yesod is simply the phallus, and in many Kabbalistic texts, it does function in this way. But the situation is actually more complicated. Sexually, yesod is the conduit between male and female energy, and as such includes both male and female genitalia. Think of it in terms of generation and procreation. Yesod is where the energies come together ... For a man, this can be understood as bringing together all the energies and projecting them out into the world. For a woman, it might be understood as bringing together all the energies so that their manifestation can be birthed.
Hopefully, it is clear that this sexual imagery is both metaphorical and actual. We use generative language in our common speech all the time: “the idea is gestating,” for example. And certainly, that applies to yesod as well. Yet microcosm reflects macrocosm; our experience of union reflects the structure of the universe.*
Inspiration, determination, and action: the two condition the third, sustain it, and allow what was once merely a thought to manifest into actualization.
The Connectivity within Connectivity
Shulamit (Song of Songs 1–8)
The Song of Songs is a love poem full of images: a maiden in a garden longing for her shepherd lover, a man praising a woman with dark eyes like doves, a city where lovers are apart and yet together. The woman of the Song of Songs is named once in the poem—Shulamit. Perhaps her name is a reminder of her character—peaceful, whole, complete. Shulamit goes out searching for the one she loves. “Let us go into the vineyards," she cries. “Let us see if the vine has flowered, if the blossoms have opened.” Her lover answers her in a similarly rich and eager tone. The sensuality of the Song of Songs is free and gentle, based in loving relationship. It is not violent but playful, not hierarchical but poetic.
Shulamit teaches us about the power of deep intimacy with humans and with nature. She is yesod shebeyesod, perfect connection. We welcome her into our gardens when we experience our intimate relationships as loving, equal, and fluid—as part of the song of everything.
R'Jill Hammer, Omer Calendar of Biblical Women
ולא ידע איש את קברתו פירוש שלא ידעו היכן משה קבור וגנוז כי באמת הוא נגנז ונקבר בדעת של כל אחד ואחד מישראל ...רצה לומר שהדעת גנוז אצל מי שהוא שפל בעיניו והוא מנגד והיפוך בית פעור
And no one knew his burial place—this means they did not know where Moshe was buried, for in truth he is buried in the minds of each and every member of the Jewish people...namely, wisdom is hidden within all those who [like Moshe] are humble in their own eyes
(א) ג וּבְחִינָה הַזֹּאת, הַיְנוּ: וְיוֹסֵף הוּא הַשַּׁלִּיט, הוּא בְּחִינַת מְלָאפוּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בכל ספרי קבלה ומובא בשערי ציון שער תיקון הנפש) בְּרִית – מֶרְכָּבָה לַיְסוֹד, אֲשֶׁר הוי"ה שֶׁלּוֹ בְּנִקּוּד מְלָאפוּם. כִּי הַמְּלָאפוּם הוּא הָאוֹתִיּוֹת "מְלֹא פוּם", לְהוֹרוֹת, שֶׁכְּלֵי הַשֶּׁפַע, הַיְנוּ הַפֶּה שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק, הוּא מָלֵא מֵאֱלֹקוּת שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
(1) 3. This aspect of “Yosef was the ruler” corresponds to the m’lapum. As is written: The brit is the vehicle for Yesod, the HaVaYaH which is punctuated with a m’lapum. This is because the letters of M’LaPUM spell M’Lo PUM (a full mouth), indicating that the vessels of bounty—i.e., the tzaddik’s mouth—are filled with the Blessed One’s Godliness.
(א) ד וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ בּוֹ בְּחִינַת צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מְלֹא פוּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א): וְעַמֵּךְ (יִשְׂרָאֵל) כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים....
(ב) כִּי יֵשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל דָּבָר יָקָר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת נְקֻדָּה, מַה שֶּׁאֵין בַּחֲבֵרוֹ, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה דְּאַבַּיֵי וְאַבָּא אֻמָּנָא (תענית כא:), שֶׁהֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ: לָא מָצִית לְמֶעֱבַד כְּעֻבְדָּא דְּאַבָּא אֻמָּנָא וְכוּ'. וּבְחִינָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, הוּא מַשְׁפִּיעַ וּמֵאִיר וּמְעוֹרֵר לֵב חֲבֵרוֹ, וַחֲבֵרוֹ צָרִיךְ לְקַבֵּל הִתְעוֹרְרוּת וּבְחִינָה הַזֹּאת מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וּמְקַבְּלִין דֵּין מִן דֵּין.
(ג) כִּי קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיָה הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה בְּיַד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאַחַר מַתַּן תּוֹרָה נָתַן הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה לְיַד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ. כִּי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה הֵם הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁהַמִּצְווֹת יִהְיוּ כָּךְ.
...
(ו) וְזֶהוּ (תהלים פא): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ הַמַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, הַיְנוּ קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, הָיָה הַכֹּל אָנֹכִי, וְאַחַר מַתַּן תּוֹרָה: הַרְחֶב פִּיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵהוּ – זֶה בְּחִינַת מְלָאפוּם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: יוֹסֵף הוּא הַשַּׁלִּיט, הַיְנוּ מִי מוֹשֵׁל בִּי, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשֶּׁפַע הוּא לְפִי הַרְחָבַת הַפֶּה, וּלְפִי כְּלֵי הַדִּבּוּר, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ:
(1) 4. Now, each and every Jew possesses an aspect of “a tzaddik rules,” corresponding to “a full mouth,” as in (Isaiah 60:21), “Your people, all of them are tzaddikim.” ...
(2) For in every Godwrestler there is something precious, an aspect of a nekudah, which his friend does not have. As in the story of Abaye and Abba Umna, where they answered him, “Your deeds do not match those of Abba Umna” (Taanit 21b). And with this aspect in which one surpasses their friend, they influence, enlighten and inspire their friend’s heart. And their friend has to receive inspiration and this aspect from them, as in (Targum, Isaiah 6:3), “One receives from the other.”
(3) For prior to the giving of the Torah, the rule was in God’s hand. But after the giving of the Torah, She put the rule in Israel’s hand, each commensurate with their aspect. This is because the letters of the Torah are the embodiment of God’s will. God’s will is that the mitzvot be a particular way.
...
“I am God your Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (Psalms 81:11).
(6) And this is, “I am God your Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt”—i.e., prior to the giving of the Torah everything was “I.” But after the giving of the Torah, “open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” This is the aspect of the m’lapum, corresponding to “Yosef was the ruler.”... In other words, the influx of bounty is commensurate with the opening wide of the mouth and the vessels of speech, each person in accordance with his aspect.
לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ לְיַחֵד שֵׁם י"ה בְּו"ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
הִנְ֒נִי מוּכָן וּמְזֻמָּן לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה. וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם אֶת עֹֽמֶר הַתְּ֒נוּפָה שֶֽׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימוֹת תִּהְיֶֽינָה: עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁ֒בִיעִית תִּסְפְּ֒רוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה לַיהֹוָה:
וִיהִי נֹֽעַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ עָלֵֽינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵֽינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵֽינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵֽינוּ כּוֹנְנֵֽהוּ:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר:
הַיּוֹם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה יָמִים בָּעֹֽמֶר:
הוד שביסוד
I am prepared and ready to perform the affirmative command to count the Omer, as is written in the Torah: “And you shall count for yourselves, from the day after the day of rest, from the day you bring the omer as the wave-offering, seven complete weeks shall there be; until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days; and you shall bring a new meal-offering unto YAH.”
May the pleasantness of my Master our God be upon us, and the work of our hands established for us, and the work of our hands—establish it.
Blessed are You, YAH, our God, Ruler of the universe, Who sanctified us with Their commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.
Today is 40 days, which are five weeks and five days of the Omer.
Hod she'b'yesod