Counting the Omer Day 35: Malchut of Hod

Malchut is sovereignty, leadership, as well as dignity. Being humble does not mean being a slob. Being humble is not the same as thinking you are worthless. One should be humble with dignity. Even the most humble surroundings can be made dignified by taking proper care of them, and it’s the same with our personalities. The rabbis caution us to always find the middle ground. There’s a teaching from Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Pzhysha, who told his students they should carry around two pieces of paper. On one is written, “I am nothing but dust and ashes,” and on the other “The world was created for my sake.” If you feel too full of yourself, remind yourself that you are nothing but dust and ashes. If you feel too low, too humbled, remind yourself that God created the world for your sake. Both are true at the same time. Our sovereignty and our humility ideally co-exist.