Thanks for all the supportive comments on my last post. I'm glad to have such good company on this journey.

I realized that I didn't include a blessing for counting each night. Here's the one I'm using, in English because I don't know enough Hebrew to translate it: "Here I am, ready and prepared to take action toward building a nation governed by just and righteous laws. I undertake this journey to Election Day in homage to the ancient journey from liberation to revelation, and with the intention to manifest both liberation and revelation in this time. Blessed are You, Holy One, who show Your love for Your people Yisrael through the gifts of Torah, mitzvot, discipline, and law. Today is the [] day of mishpatim, making [] weeks and [] days of mishpatim." (Or you can reverse the order of days and count: "Today is [] days until Election Day, making [] weeks and [] days until Election Day.")

For week one, I wrote, "At the end of this week, you should have a list of three candidates or organizations to support, at least one social change action that you feel you can do consistently and sustainably, and a little grounding in love and compassion for yourself, your community, and the world." I do indeed have that! If anyone's curious, my targets for support are my synagogues, Kolot Chayeinu and Prospect Heights Shul (my personal choices); this slate of hotly contested Senate races (my longer-view choice); and God's Love We Deliver, which feeds ill and homebound New Yorkers (my immediate-aid choice). In terms of "My Role in a Social Change Ecosystem", I'm primarily a disruptor and a caregiver, and two activist actions I know I can do are give money and textbank. I feel like I'm already starting to see how these choices and self-understandings can interact, which makes me feel very empowered.

When I'm feeling all revved up and excited, I often overextend myself. Fortunately, the characteristic of week two is gevurah.

Week Two: Gevurah - Strength, Judgment, Discipline, Discernment, Boundaries

R' Yael Levy translates gevurah as "strength, judgment, discernment" and I would also add discipline and boundaries. The kabbalistic view is that gevurah is needed to protect mortals from the abundance of chesed, a sort of spiritual filter so the holy fire of divine love doesn't burn us up. The strength of gevurah is not so much the strength to act as the strength to make one's own choices for how to act, the strength to say yes and the strength to say no. When we're filled with our own overwhelming love—or fear or rage or grief—we can give too much of ourselves, or overwhelm others with our passion, urgency, or agitation. Gevurah reminds us to take action mindfully and deliberately. I was going to say "In a time when resources are limited—" but resources are always limited. We only have so much time, energy, money, willpower, access, ability, knowledge, and support. At the same time, we have so many powerful feelings and face so much inward and outward pressure to act. So no matter the circumstances—but yes, especially in our current circumstances—I think gevurah is crucial.

9/22: 8. Chesed sh'b gevurah, compassion within boundaries: It can be hard to say "no" without second-guessing our motivation as laziness, cowardice, or a lack of commitment, but setting boundaries is part of how we show compassion for ourselves. Take this day to forgive yourself for having, and asserting, limits and limitations. Suggested reading: "Compassionate Boundaries: How to Say No with Heart" by Carley Hauck.

9/23: 9. Gevurah sh'b gevurah, discipline within discipline: Still feeling pulled in many directions? Narrow your focus and break through the choice paralysis. Working from your lists of causes to support and ways to be supportive, take one action—any action, no matter how small—that you can do immediately and without hesitation. Be impulsive and instinctive. There's no such thing as a wrong choice. If it feels right to do, do it! Feel the rush. You just tipped the scales toward a better world.

9/24: 10. Tiferet sh'b gevurah, balance within boundaries: Is there an action that feels like it's one step outside your comfort zone, something you would do if you could but aren't quite sure you can? Take a meta-step toward bringing it within reach: research it, plan for it, or ask someone for company or support. Remember that the actions that require you to push yourself a little are often the ones that feel most meaningful, because they expand your understanding of what you're capable of. Suggested reading: "How to Gently Coax Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone" by Karen Schlaegel.

9/25: 11. Netzach sh'b gevurah, vision within discernment: Considering your chosen forms of action, determine what quantity or frequency of action is sustainable for you in the next 38 days and beyond. Make a budget of whatever resources you have, tangible and intangible. Make space for resting and for things that recharge and motivate you. Be honest about your limits and don't burn yourself out; pacing yourself for the sake of long-term commitment is better for the movement and better for you. Suggested reading: "Sustaining Ourselves as Activists" by Helen Cox.

9/26 (Shabbat): 12. Hod sh'b gevurah, presence within judgment: How are you feeling right now about the choices you've made over the past 11 days? Take some time to sit compassionately with your feelings. If they're guiding you to make a change in how you're approaching these exercises or to your lists of causes and actions, then go ahead and make that change. (You can do this anytime, not just today.) Retain the right to make your own decisions about what you do and how much you do, and to adjust as you need to. You are the only one who sees all of yourself and can determine the approach to activism that's right for you. Be flexible to accommodate who you are right now, even if it isn't who you thought you were or who you want to be.

9/27: 13. Yesod sh'b gevurah, motivation within strength: What are the core principles or emotions that motivate your activism? Take some time to think about them and write them down. Be honest; everything is fair game, from altruism to personal gain and from generosity to spite. Then pick one motivation that calls to you, match it to an action and a cause, and take that action now. Feel the satisfaction of scratching that motivation itch. Suggested reading: "What Motivates Us to Engage in Activism" by Helen Cox.

9/28: 14. Malchut sh'b gevurah, manifestation within discernment: One of malchut's most intriguing aspects for me is the idea of immanence, the manifestation of the divine. Malchut promises that even in a deeply damaged world, we can create a welcoming space for the sacred and beautiful. Drawing on your motivations and allowing your priorities to be whatever they are, envision a social change goal or a way the world could be better than it is—small or large, easily achieved or seemingly impossible. Keeping your vision and intention firmly in mind, take an action toward that dream becoming real.

At the end of this week, you have taken three concrete actions for social change. You've also examined your capabilities and limitations, refined your sense of what's possible, budgeted your resources, and nudged yourself toward doing something challenging. And you've given yourself space to be who you are, a compassionate understanding of your motivations, and a vision of a better future.

Next week is tiferet, the week of balance, beauty, mercy, and truth, which channels the abundance of chesed through the judicious constraints of gevurah to create a steady, sustainable flow of energy.