The 23rd Day: 3 weeks and two days of the Omer — Gevurah of Netzach

Discipline in Victory is one way to approach this energy. The first thing I thought of around these words were the Marshall Plan, the discipline with which the Allies rebuilt Europe after WWII. And thinking of this in opposition to the punitive victory of WWI.

Another way to think about the energy of the day is the Discipline of Endurance. In a ten day vipassana meditation retreat, meditators are asked to follow a code of discipline, and eventually, to learn endurance by sitting for certain periods of time without any movement whatsoever. Simply sitting and watching the mind's reaction to the body's sensations with equanimity. This is called a sitting of adhitthana, that is, of resolute determination. It sounds painful, and it can truly be painful. But it can also lead to a transcendence of pain and suffering, it can lead to a depth of understanding of suffering that frees you. I cannot be explained, it can only be experienced.

With that, I'd like to include a short Hasidic tale of resolute determination in a discipline:

A Haisd of the Rabbi of Lubin once fasted from one Sabbath to the next. On Friday afternoon he began to suffer such a cruel thirst that he thought he would die. He saw a well, went up to it, and prepared to drink. But instantly he realized that because of one brief hour he had still to endure, he was about to throw away the work of the entire week. He did not drink and went away from the well.

Then he was touched by a feeling of pride for having passed this difficult test. When he became aware of it, he said to himself, “Better I go and drink than let my heart fall prey to pride.” He went back to the well, but just as he was going to bend down to draw water, he noticed that his thirst had disappeared.

So may we all learn to free ourselves from both desire and pride through discipline, endurance, clear sight, and compassion.