By J.J. Rosenfeld
A gut Erev Shabbat, dear friends—here is a short reflection for the 8th day of the Omer:
Chesed SheBeGevurah – Kindness within Discipline
Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz, of blessed memory—a student of the holy Baal Shem Tov and one of the early masters of Chassidut—teaches a beautiful idea:
A guest
– אורח –
brings healing to the host.
The word
אורח
can be read as:
אור ח
– “the light of eight.”
And the number eight represents that which lies beyond nature.
We see this reflected in prayer:
The eighth blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei is Refa’einu
— the blessing in which we ask for healing.
Why does a guest bring healing?
Because a guest carries within them an aspect of Shabbat.
And Shabbat itself is referred to in our homes as a “guest.”
Our sages teach regarding Shabbat:
“Stop crying out—your healing is on its way.”
There is a quiet, deeper kind of healing
that comes through
presence, through connection, through something beyond effort.
Therefore:
We hasten to visit the sick
— because we bring them healing.
And we invite guests into our homes
— because they bring us healing.
Chesed SheBeGevurah
This teaches that even within structure and limitation,
there is space for a form of kindness that transcends nature.
May we merit to bring healing to others—
and to receive that healing in return.
