Between Passover and Shavuot we count the days until revelation at Mount Sinai and the receipt of Torah. The word “Torah” is understood traditionally with increasing meanings: Ten Commandments; the Five Books of Moses; Hebrew Scripture; the Rabbinic commentaries; elevated wisdom. The first book of the latter writings is the Book of Psalms, a collection of 150 poems to God. As poetry or song, each word is purposeful and each psalm uses structure and repetition of words to convey core messages. And yet, the specific context or prompt of most Psalms is unknown. And well it should be. For each Psalm, like a great song, is an invitation to the listener to make the words her or his own.
In taking the time to understand the artistry and theme of the Psalm we will personalize. Each Psalm learned during our half hour together is an act of “Omer,” or preparation for receiving the Torah at Shavuot.
