Counting the Omer Day 43: Chesed of Malchut

Chesed of Malchut, lovingkindness of kingship/sovereignty. We now enter our last week of the counting of the Omer, and focus on our final personality trait, “malchut,” literally “kingdom.”

The lowest of the sefirot in the kabbalistic conception of the Godhead, malchut also represents the level of the “shechinah,” the female aspect of the divine presence, and the level where God’s presence becomes manifest in the world.

Just as malchut is the place where God’s leadership is manifest it is where our leadership is manifest. It’s the level of “actualization,” the intersection of our inner world with the outer world. It’s a very important junction.

Leadership is a two-way street. Nations often get the leaders they deserve. Only a society that has a lot of corruption would generate and tolerate corrupt leadership. Those being led also reflect back to the leadership the traits that they believe the leadership wants to see. People learn from example.

Today we explore chesed, lovingkindness, in leadership / sovereignty. We all have aspects of our life where we have “sovereignty,” where we take the lead (and we also all have places and times when we are led). Does your leadership express itself with care for others? When you are in a leadership role, do people feel affection for you as well as they recognize your capabilities for the task at hand and your concern for others?

Love is a much stronger basis for enduring leadership than fear. A relationship based on love can endure forever. Fear depends on the continued maintenance of fear. If the balance of power shifts there is no fear; and those being led will continually be trying to find ways to shift the balance of power.