Today is 18th day of the Omer.

Tzadik (also spelled tsadi) is the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet
Numerical value: 90
Sound: “TS” 
Meaning: 1. Righteous 2. Hunt

Sarai and Sarah mean princess. In Genesis Sarah’s was first named, “Sarai,” which in Hebrew means “my lady” or “my princess.” Then God named her “Sarah,” a similar Hebrew name meaning “lady,” “princess,” or “noblewoman.

Parashat Vayera means ”And YHWH appeared”

Genesis 18:1-15 TLV The Promise of a Son

18 Then Adonai appeared to him at Mamre’s large trees while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. ² When he lifted up his eyes to see, suddenly, three men were standing right by him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed down to the ground. ³ Then he said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. ⁴ Please let a little water be brought so you can wash your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree. ⁵ And let me bring a bit of bread so that you can refresh yourselves—then you can pass on—since you have passed by your servant.

They said, “Do just as you have said.” ⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and prepare bread loaves!” ⁷ Then to the herd Abraham ran and took a young ox, tender and good, and he gave it to the servant, who prepared it quickly. ⁸ Then he took butter and milk and the young ox that he had prepared and set it before them. While he was standing by them under the tree, they ate.

⁹ Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

“There, in the tent,” he said.

¹⁰ Then He said, “I will most surely return to you in about a year’s time, surprisingly, Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind Him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years—Sarah had stopped having the way of women. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I’ve grown decrepit, can I have desire—and my lord so old?”

¹³ Then Adonai said to Abraham, “Why is it that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Can I really give birth when I am so old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too difficult for Adonai? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”

¹⁵ Sarah denied it saying, “I didn’t laugh!” For she was afraid.

But He said, “No—for you did laugh.”

On Genesis 17:15-21 ESV Isaac’s Birth Promised

When YHWH appeared approaching Abraham and Sarah about giving birth to a son, both laughed hysterically. Abraham, “fell on his face and laughed” while Sarah, “laughed to herself” and even tried to deny it. She should know better to try to fool YHWH Elohim who said to her, “No, but you did laugh.”

Sarah was 90 years old when Isaac (Yitzchak, in Hebrew) was born. Isaac means he laughs.

Abraham and Sarah were quite old when Sarah was pregnant. There was no natural way possible that they could conceive a child. Abraham exclaims, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” (Genesis 17:17) She did — and named him Isaac (Isaac (Yitzchak, in Hebrew) which means “laughter.”

Genesis 21:1-6 NLT The Birth of Isaac

1The LORD kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. 2She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3And Abraham named their son Isaac. 4Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. 5Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

6And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter.a All who hear about this will laugh with me. 7Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”

Begin each night’s count with the blessing:
Hebrew: “Baruch atah YAHWEH Eloheinu Melekh Ha-olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al S’firat Ha-omer.”

(English: Blessed are You, YAHWEH our Elohim, King of the Universe who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.) 

Please click The Refiner’s Fire 2022 Omer

Psalms 119:137-144 TLV

TZADHE צ

¹³⁷ Righteous are You, Adonai,
and Your judgments are upright.
¹³⁸ You have commanded righteousness,
Your testimonies, and great faithfulness.
¹³⁹ My zeal has consumed me,
because my foes forgot Your words.
¹⁴⁰ Your word is thoroughly refined,
and Your servant loves it.
¹⁴¹ I am insignificant and despised,
yet I have not forgotten Your precepts.
¹⁴² Your justice is righteousness forever,
and Your Torah is truth.
¹⁴³ Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,
yet Your mitzvot are my delight.
¹⁴⁴ Your testimonies are righteous forever
—make me understand, so I may live.

By Rabbi Simon Jacobson DAY 18       NETZACH OF TIFERET: Endurance in Compassion

Tuesday evening, May 3  we count eighteen days of the Omer.  Is my compassion enduring and consistent? Is it reliable or whimsical? Does it prevail among other forces in my life? Do I have the capacity to be compassionate even when I’m busy with other activities or only when it’s comfortable for me? Am I ready to stand up and fight for another? Exercise for the day:  In the middle of your busy day take a moment and call someone who needs a compassionate word. Defend someone who is in need of sympathy even if it’s not a popular position.