Today was Day 35 of the counting of the omer, the malchut b;hod, the kingdom of beauty and humility. Micah said that what G-d requires of us is to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our G-d. What does it mean to walk humbly? Simon Jacobson says that to walk humbly is to walk tall. I’ve been thinking a lot about body language lately. What does it communicate? Do we have a tendency to misread body language. Can we hold our heads up high and still be humble? I think the answer is yes. Recently we got some distressing news. It is not life-shattering but it was very expensive and disappointing. There were a couple of ways to look at this piece of news. We could disappointed–and we are, or we could see ourselves as incredibly lucky, which we also are. I realized that it is a both.and thing. What I didn’t have to feel was a sense of shame in the mix. Humble does not mean shame.

I am reminded of a guided meditation by Rabbi Susan Freeman. She taught, as an infant not quite ready to walk, we walked with G-d, blameless, like Noah who was blameless in his generation…Noah walked with G0d (Gen 6:9). Walking provides a sense of wholeness, of being fully present, with nothing separating us from anything. Walking with G-d. Later we are like Abraham who is told to Lech Lecha, go towards himself, Now we are no longer walking with G-d, but before G-d. “Walk before Me and be blameless (Gen 17:1) We continue walking, walking, walking, secure in the knowledge that G-d walks with us. Walking a long time, the body begins to become weary, very tired. We wonder what is the point of this long journey. we may be resigned. Angry. Bitter. We may wonder, “What have we gained by keeping G-d’s charge. and walking in mourning, before the Lord of Hosts (Malachai 3:14). But strangely we are not frightened but calm. We are safe. We are going to a safe place. “Ki holech adam el olamo, For we walked to our eternal abode.” (Eccesiastes 12:5). There is a calmness even as we stop walking. There is no fear. G-d is with us, right behind us, as always. G-d has been a constant companion. G-d neither slumbers nor sleeps. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we shall fear no evil.”(Psalms 23:4). A full lifecycle of walking with G-d, humbly as Micah suggests.

So I took a walk today. I revelled in the beauty, the greens and the yellows, the forsythia and the daffodils, the tulips and the magnolias. The bright blue sky. The gentle breeze. I felt G-d’s presence wash over me. Rabbi Nachman of Bratslev said that we spend an hour outdoors each day alone walking with G-d and pouring out our heart. I was humbled as I walked tall and as I walked with G-d. So may it be for us all.

Rabbi Nachman’s prayer:

Grant me the ability to be alone;
may it be my custom to go outdoors each day
among the trees and grass – among all growing things
and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer,
to talk with the One to whom I belong.
May I express there everything in my heart,
and may all the foliage of the field –
all grasses, trees, and plants –
awake at my coming,
to send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer
so that my prayer and speech are made whole
through the life and spirit of all growing things,
which are made as one by their transcendent Source.
May I then pour out the words of my heart
before your Presence like water, O L-rd,
and lift up my hands to You in worship,
on my behalf, and that of my children!