Will. Endurance. Victory. Leadership. within Love. Kindness. Generosity.
The combination of my being a pretty concrete thinker and my perfectionistic tendencies led to some particularly yummy images this evening as the new day settled in with the darkness. How does that work?
Netzach SheBe Chesed. Netzach within Chesed. I want to get it right. I've had plenty of experiences writing these in the past where I suddenly realize I've reversed the middot. It can be very slippery. Somehow I became very focused on this possibility this evening. This is where the concrete thinking comes in. Netzach within Chesed. Netzach inside of Chesed. First I thought of items in a basket - a basked of Chesed. That didn't quite do it, although I do love a nice basket.
Then it started to flow. Being wrapped up in Love/Generosity/Kindness - being swaddled in a puffy, cotton quilt, held tightly in the arms of a beloved, head and shoulders wrapped in my beautiful tallit sharing an intimate moment with the Holy Blessed One, who is Chesed.
Then the fun really began. What if Netzach were, literally, inside of Chesed? I thought of my various understandings of Netzach - Will. Leadership. Endurance. Victory. Day to Day Effort. What is the effect of Love on these qualities? What would it feel like if my Leadership were Swaddled in Love? Perhaps I would more fully participate in my relationships. Perhaps a swaddle of Love would give me the strength to Endure the slings and arrows of any given day. What does Victory look like wrapped in a bear hug? I saw a celebration of a hard-won success. (A friend shared today that she had just finished her doctoral dissertation. I’d love to give her that hug, but she lives far away...). What does my Will look like wrapped in the silky tallit of G-d’s Chesed?
I hope that was anywhere nearly as much fun for you as it was for me.