Please do not say the phrase Day (Number) out loud, until you have completed the ritual below. If you say this phrase it is considered that you have "counted the Omer" without the appropriate Blessing and ritual and you lesson the energy involved.
Starting on the second day of Pesach which is the evening of the 16th day of Nissan begins the counting of the Omer. This ritual is part of the process of earning the Light of Shavuot, which is the Light of the Revelation of the Torah. This ritual helps you build your vessel in order to reveal the Light of the Torah.
This is a reminder to pick up your small package of salt. There is a Minhag of the Kabbalists to hold in their right hand a “little salt”. This action sweetens the period of the Omer since it acts as a protection shield in a number of ways. The Hebrew word for salt is Melach, the same letters as the shoresh for war. So salt acts as a vaccine against war during this time. Also the gematria of Melach is 78 which is 3 times the gematria of the Tetragrammaton. The 3 creates a protection shield for all three columns. Hint: There is no need to use new salt every day during the counting. Just put a little salt in a plastic bag. Then use this salt on your Shavuot Milk Meal Shavuot Morning. The energy of your vessel building is being inserted into the salt and will fulfill your vessel upon receiving the Torah Shavuot Morning.
Night of April 16 2023 which is 26th of Nissan in the year תשׁפג
Please, say all of the below (if unable to read the Hebrew scan the Hebrew letters prior to saying the transliteration) while standing and facing East towards Jerusalem or the Rising of the Sun.
The traditional steps of the ritual are delineated as "traditional", prior to that step. The additional steps are delineated as additional, also prior to that step. It is recommended that you do all of the steps both traditional and additional each day. If time considerations are an issue then please do the traditional steps while doing the additional steps later when you do have the time.
It is best to do the ritual as close right after sundown (in the evening - when you can see three stars in the night sky) as possible. If one has forgotten to do one day and remembers to do so during the day then one should not say the Blessing which is step 3, but do the rest of the ritual. If one has forgotten to do one of the days, the Halacha says there is no way to make it up. I suggest that one make up the missed count without the Blessing (step 3) and then proceed to continue the count with the appropriate count and Blessing. It is better to do the Mitzvah even partially then to stop doing it altogether.
We stand during this process of performing the ritual so that we can be available to draw the Light of Cleansing. When ever we sit in a process of prayer we are manifesting the energy of that particular prayer. An example of this is the saying of the Shema Israel. This draws the energy of Healing and thus we sit when saying this so that we may manifest that Light of Healing.
Traditional
1. This step will cause your soul to knowingly do this Mitzvah with the proper Kavenah (intention).
Please say the following:
Transliteration
Leshem Yechud Kudsha Berich Hu VeShekintay (יאהדונהי) Bidchilu Urchimu (יאההויהה) Urchimu Udchilu (איההיוהה) Leyachda Shem Yood Hay and Vav Hay Beyachuda Shalaim (יהוה) BeShem Kol Israel Henay Anachnu Ba'Aim Lekayaim Mitzvat Sephirat HaOmer. LaAsot Nachat Ruach LeYotzranu VeLaAsot Ratzon Boranu. Vayhi Noam Adonai Elohainu Alainu UmaAsay Yadainu Connah Alainu Yamaseh Yadainu Conanaihu.
Translation
For the sake of unification between the Holy Blessed One and His Shechinah, with fear and love and with Love and Fear, in order to unify the Name Yood Hay and Vav Hay in perfect unity, and in the Name of all Israel, we have hereby come to fulfill the commandment of the counting of the Omer. In order to give pleasure to our Maker and to fulfill the wish of our Creator. May the pleasantness of HaShem, our God, be upon us and may He establish the work of our hands for us and may the work of our hands establish Him.
Step 2. Here are some additional Verses to say or scan.
Traditional
תהלים TeHiLiM Psalms 138:8
Transliteration
Adonai Yigmor BeAdi Adonai Chasdecha LeOlam MaAsay Yadicha El Teref.
Translation
The LORD will accomplish that which concerneth me; Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; forsake not the work of Thine own hands.
תהלים TeHiLiM Psalms 57:3
Transliteration
Ehkrah LaiElohim Elyon LaEil Gomair Alai:
Translation
I will cry unto God Most high; unto God that accomplisheth it for me.
יחזקאל YeHeZKeL Ezekiel 16:6
Transliteration
VaEhEhVor AhLaYiech VaEhrAich MitBoSehSeht BeDaMaYich VayOmar Lach BeDaMaYich ChaYi VaOMaR Lach BeDaMaYich ChaYai:
Translation
And when I passed by thee, and saw thee wallowing in thy blood, I said unto thee: In thy blood, live; yea, I said unto thee: In thy blood, live;
תהלים TeHiLiM Psalms 104:1
Transliteration
Barki Nafshi Et Adonai Elohim Elohai Gadalta Meod Hod Vehadar LaVashta:
Translation
Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with glory and majesty.
תהלים TeHiLiM Psalms 104:2
Transliteration
Oteh Ohr Kasalma NoTeh Shamayim KaiRiAh:
Translation
Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain;
Step 3. Say this Blessing which activates Surrounding Light or Ohr Makif.
Traditional - review the discussion above regarding when not to say this Blessing.
This link (below) teaches the Kavenah for all Blessings. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with this Kavenah and do this with every Blessing that you say. It will enhance your connection to the Creator.
Transliteration
Baruch Ata Adonai (יוד הא ואו הא)Ehlohainu Melech HaOLam Asher KidShanu BeMitzvotav Vetzivanu Al Sephirat HaOmer:
Translation
Blessed are You Hashem Our God, King of the Universe, Who set us aside in order to sanctify us with his Mitzvot and instructed us to Count the Omer (at this time).
Specific Kavenah to this Blessing.
Large Hebrew Letters above have a Gematria of 65 which is the same as Adonai, a Name of God relating to Malchut or manifestation. Malchut is our physical world.
Step 4. Saying the next Hebrew Statement is the actual "Counting of the Omer"
Traditional
The purpose of Counting the Omer is to climb the Tree of Life Sephira by Sephira, as well as to count up to the Day of Shavuot with anticipation. We actually count in three different ways. One is to count days. One is to count days of weeks and the third way is to count the Sephirot. Today we only count in two ways. This is because of the unity expressed in the number ONE.
Transliteration
HaYom Echad AhSaR Yom LaOmer SheHaim Shavuah Echad VeArbaAh Yamim
Translation
Today is Day Eleven of the Omer which is Week One And Four Days
Step 5. Ohr Penimi - Inner Light
Traditional
Transliteration
HaRachaman Hu YaChazeir Ahvodat Bait Hamikdash Limkomah Bimharah BeYamanu AMEN:
Translation
The Merciful One, He will return the Service of the Holy Temple to its place, speedily, in our days. And we all say Amen.
Step 6. Per the ARI (Rabbi Issac Luria) we utilize Psalm 67 in 2 specific ways to cleanse specific attributes of our character in order to elevate a specific Sephira. This Psalm is unique in that it has 7 verses with 49 words and the middle verse has 49 Letters. We will utilize a word each day (Large Bold Letters) during the counting and also a Letter (Large Bold Italic Letter) within the middle verse for spiritual cleansing. The more one learns about each Letter and Word the stronger, more thorough their cleansing will be. The cleansing of a specific character trait allows one to move higher (closer) to HaShem. This is called Building Your Vessel in Kabbalah.
Traditional
תהלים TeHiLiM Psalms 67
Transliteration
Translation
Verse 1: For the Leader; with string-music. A Psalm, a Song.
Kavenah
This first verse does not count as one of the 7 verses as it is describing the type of Psalm:
Verse 2
Transliteration
EloHim YaChaNanu VeVarkanu YaAir Panav ETanu Selah:
Translation
God be gracious unto us, and bless us; may He cause His face to shine toward us; Selah
Transliteration
LadaAt BaAretz Darkehcha Bekal Goyim YeShuAhTecha
Translation
That Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy salvation among all nations.
The Midrash teaches that Bakol is a Name for the daughter of Avraham and Sarah. The meaning of the word Bakol is "in all or every thing". What do you lack that does not allow you to conceive of yourself as complete in "all things". How can yo fill these lacks and help other people with the same actions
Verse 4
Kavenah
Transliteration
Yoducha Ahmim Elohim Yoducha Ahmim KuLam:
Translation
Let the peoples give thanks unto Thee, O God; let the peoples give thanks unto Thee, all of them.
Verse 5
Transliteration
Yismechu Verannu LeUMiM Ki TeshPot AhMiM MiShor Ulumim BaAretz Tanchaim SELAH:
Translation
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for Thou wilt judge the peoples with equity, and lead the nations upon earth. Selah
Kavanah
There are actually only 48 Letters in this verse not 49 as the ARI teaches. He adds one Italic Vav to equal a total of 49 Letters. This is quite a common technique since the vowel itself is the Vav only the word is spelled incompletely and will change when the Mashiach arrives.
The Letter Vav is a metaphor for a channel as well as the Torah. Utilize this channel called Torah to help bring you to balance today and everyday. It is also used as the word "and" in Hebrew. It is tool to connect and unify. Use this Vav to unify all of the people you Love with all of the other People you love.
Verse 6
Transliteration
Yoducha Ahmim Elohim Yoducha Ahmim KuLam:
Translation
Let the peoples give thanks unto Thee, O God; let the peoples give thanks unto Thee, all of them.
Verse 7
Transliteration
Ehretz Natnah Yevulah Yevarkanu Elohim Ehlohainu:
Translation
The earth hath yielded her increase; may God, our own God, bless us.
Verse 8
Transliteration
Yevarkanu Elohim VeYeru Oto Kal Afsai Aretz:
Translation
May God bless us; and let all the ends of the earth fear Him.
Step 7: It is now time to say the Ana Bekoach which has 42 words (actually 49 - the seventh word in each verse is the word with all of the first letters of the other six words - they are printed at the end of the verse). This is the 4th cleansing tool that we will utilize tonight. The Letter that we will use tonight will be large and bolded. Stop and meditate on that Letter using the Kavenah written below the verse.
Traditional
Verse 1
Kavenah on First Verse
Meditation while saying the first verse of the Ana Bekoach is "unconditional Love". As well as removing the negative aspect of the physical world as well as the Power of Redemption.
Transliteration
Tzerurah Tatir Yemincha Gedulat BeCoach Ana
7th word is pronounced Aleph Bet Gimmel Yood Taf Tzadi
Translation
Please - with Power - Greatness - Your Right Side - Releasing - Knot
Verse 2
Kavenah on Second Verse
Meditation while saying the second verse of the Ana Bekoach is "Tearing Up Satan" and "Guarding our Gates". Our gates (eyes, ear, nose, and mouth) are the entry point for the negative system.
Transliteration
Norah Taharenu Sagvenu Amcha Rinat Kabel
7th word is pronounced Koof Resh Ayin Sin Tet Nun
Translation
Awesome - Purified - Our Praise - Your People - Rejoicing - Receive
Kavenah
Ayin is a Letter that connects to wisdom and also the 70 Nations. As a word it means "EYE". How can you reach out to more people to bring them closer to HaShem. The best way is to be a "better" person today than you were yesterday and let the people notice how you have changed. In what ways can you be "better"?
Verse 3
Kavenah on Third Verse
Meditation while saying the third verse of the Ana Bekoach is Parnassus and Sustenance and returning the energy that we gave away.
Transliteration
Shamraim Cevavat YeChudecha Dorshai Gibor Na
7th word is pronounced Nun Gimmel Dalet Yood Caf Shin
Translation
Observe - Like a Letter Bet - Your uniqueness - Demand - Strengthen - Please
Verse 4
Kavenah on fourth Verse
Meditation while saying the fourth verse of the Ana Bekoach is Eternal Victory and Acknowledgment
Transliteration
Gamlaim Tamid Tzidkatecha Rachamai Tacharaim Barchaim
7th word is pronouncedBet Tet Resh Tzadi Taf Gimmel
Translation
Grant Them - Eternal - Righteous - Compassion - Purify Them - Bless Them
Verse 5
Kavenah on fifth Verse
Meditation while saying the fifth verse of the Ana Bekoach is Appreciation and Thankfulness
Transliteration
Adatecha Nahail Toovcha Barchaim Kadosh Chasin
7th word is pronouncedChet Koof Bet Tet Nun Ayin
Translation
Your People - Govern - Goodness - Abundance - Holy - Invincible Your
Verse 6
Kavenah on sixth Verse
Meditation while saying the sixth verse of the Ana Bekoach is "spreading the wisdom of Kabbalah"
Transliteration
Kedushatecha Zochrai Penai Le-Amcha Ga-eh Yachid
7th word is pronouncedYood Gimmel Lamed Pey Zion Koof
Translation
Your Holiness - Remember - Turn - Your People - Proud - Unity
Verse 7
Kavenah on seventh Verse
Meditation while saying the seventh verse of the Ana Bekoach is "completion and perfection through / with Loving Kindness"
Transliteration
Ta-Alumot Yodaya Tziakatanu Ooshmah Kabel Shavatanu
7th word is pronouncedShin Koof Vav Tzadi Yood Tav
Translation
Hidden - You Know - Our Wail - And Hear - Receive - Our Cry
Verse 8
This Verse is said "silently" in a whisper
Kavenah
This verse grounds any excess energy
Transliteration
Va-Ed Le-Olam Malchuto Kevod Shem Baruch
Translation
Forever World Your Kingdom Honor Name Blessing
Step 8: The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the 42 stops that the Children of Israel made while in the desert for 40 years is a metaphor for the Stages of our Life and can also be used for the steps of any process. Here is the teaching by Rabbi Simon Jacobson expanding the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov by using modern psychology.
Additional
Eleventh Journey - They left Alush and camped in Refidim, where there was no water for the people to drink
This Journey is connected to the Ayin of the Second Verse of the Ana Bekoach.
Refidim means weakness, referring to the stage of life when we experience an intense crisis of faith (greater than the one at the Sin Desert), questioning G-d’s presence amongst us. Refidim is a diminishing of spiritual commitment or passion (“their hands weakened from the words of Torah and the fulfillment of Mitzvot”). To the extent that Moses “named the place Testing-and-Argument because the people had argued and had tested G-d. They had asked, 'Is G-d with us or not?' (Exodus 17:7). And when we are in this state of weakness we become vulnerable and open to attack from the powerful forces of doubt and apathy – “Amalek arrived and attacked Israel there in Refidim” (Exodus 17:8)..
Meditation
There is only one way to fight Amalek, which is the nation connected to the energy of doubt. That tool is the word Vaday ודאי intertwined with your Name. If you do not have this combination write to me and request it.
Transliteration
Ribono Shel Olam, Ata Tzivitanu All Ydi Moshe Avdecha LiSPor Sepherot HaOMeR KeDai LetaHaRaiNu MiklePoTaNu UMTuMATaiNu KiMo ShKaTaVTa BeToRaTach: USPaRTaM LaChem MimCHaRaT HaSHaBaT MeYoM HaVeAhCHeM ET OMeR HaTeNuFah SheVa SheBaToT TeMiMoT Te'YeNa: MiMaCHaRaT HaSHaBaT HaSHVeIT TeSaFRU CHaMiSHiM YoM KeDai SHeYeTaHaRu NaFSHoT AhMCHa YiSRaEL MeZoHaMaTaM: UVCHaiN YeHi RaTZoN MilFaNeCHa HaShem ELoHaNu ELoHai AVoTaNu SheBiZKuT SeFiRuT HaOMeR SHeSeFaRTi HaYoM YeTuKaN Ma SHePaGaMTe BeSePHeRa
Translation
Master of the World, You have Commanded us through Moshe Your Servant to enumerate the counting of the Omer, in order to purify us from the Klipot and our defilements. This is as it is written in Your Torah: And you shall count for yourselves, from the day following the Shabbat, from the day on which you bring the portion of your wave offering, there shall be 7 complete weeks, until the day following the seventh week. You shall count 50 days so that the spirits of your Nation Israel shall be purified from their defilements (Leviticus 23:15-16): Therefore may it be pleasing before you HaShem our God and the God of our Forefathers, that by virtue of the Counting of the Omer, that i have counted today, the flow that i have caused in the Sefirah of
Kavenah and Actual Counting
Transliteration
Netzach Shebe Gevurah
Translation
Victory of Judgment
Instruction and Kavenah for meditation
After saying the above phrase, (which is the actual counting of the Sephira) STOP and meditate on what is the meaning of this phrase. Here are some attributes that will help you. Realize that this list is not complete.
Endurance, Eternal Victory, Persistence. Netzach is an expansive force that acts on the world and gets things done. Netzach is connected to Prophecy.
How does one bring the essence of Eternal Victory to bear in the frame of Judgment? What does victory look like as Judgment?
This week is in the frame of Gevurah. How does one Expand Power? How does one improve ones strength? How does one conceal Severity and Judgment? What is the purpose of setting boundaries? Is there a difference between judgment and discernment? How does one bring the essence of Setting Boundaries to bear in the frame of Judgment
Continue to finish the paragraph as follows:
Transliteration
VeTaHaiR VeETKaDeSH BeKDuSHa SHeL MaALa Amein SeLah:
Translation
will be corrected and i shall be purified and sanctified with supernal sanctity, AMEN SELAH:
You have now finished the Traditional Counting of the Omer. Please continue as the additional sections will help you to build your vessel to receive the Light of the Torah which is revealed on Shavuot.
Step 10: Each day of the year there are Tzadikim (Righteous People) who have chosen to leave this world on a particular day. There is a connection between these souls and this day. They ask us to utilize their connection to HaShem, to strengthen our own connection to HaShem, and to our spiritual actions during this day.
The more one learns about a particular Tzadik, the better is ones connection to their channel ability. All these actions are bringing us closer to HaShem.
Historically Birthdays have not been celebrated by the Jewish World until the last 200 - 300 years. Kabbalah teaches that the Birthdate represent the Keter or potential of the Soul while the Death Anniversary or Hilula represents the actual accomplishments of the Soul. While the Hilula is the stronger of the two from our perspective we can also utilize the Birth Date of a Tzadik to assist us in our spiritual connection.
Step 11: Rabbi Chaim Drizin (zoharialev@aol.com) teaches that there is a correlation between the Sephira we just counted and the 55 Prophets from the Book of Prophets in the Tanach. By studying the verses that were channeled to US through these male and female Prophets we enhance our connection to the Sephira and continue to build our vessel.
Rabbi Drizin teaches that the Prophet associated with Netzach SheBeGevurah is Gad HaNavi (the Prophet).
Below are a few verses and it is our intention to add more verses as time permits.
First Samuel Chapter 22 Verse 5
Transliteration
to be done later
Translation
And the prophet Gad said unto David: 'Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah.' Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
There is a modern commentary that connects 49 WOMEN mentioned in the Tanach to the 49 Days of the Omer. The woman connected to Tiferet SheBe Gevurah is Dinah the daughter of Jacob and Leah.
Dinah, daughter of Jacob and Leah, is named “judgment.” Dinah is born into a world of limitation, of gevurah, simply because she is a girl. When Dinah grows up, the severity of her world becomes even more apparent. She is raped by a local prince, and her brothers slaughter an entire town to avenge her rape. One ancient midrash even claims that Dinah is forced to give up the child she bears as a result of the rape (see Asnat, day 19).
The Bible does not give Dinah a voice to tell of her experience. Yet Dinah’s spirit has somehow survived. Though Jacob gives Dinah no blessing and Moses gives her descendants no tribe, Jewish women can acknowledge one another as Dinah’s lost tribe. We ourselves can give Dinah a voice. We can imagine that Dinah found the persevering strength, the netzach shebe’gevurah, to go past her victimhood and become truly free. We are most like Dinah when we find a voice to speak of our tragedies, and transcend them.
How can a parent name a child Judgment which is the meaning of the female Name Dinah? One midrash explains that Dinah was supposed to be male since Jacob needed 12 sons to achieve his destiny. Leah showing her mercy and appreciation towards her sister Rachel prayed for this baby to be a daughter.
In my opinion, the pain of Dinah, who is raped by her soulmate, and then having her soulmate killed by her brothers, being forced to give up a child is representative of the pain that many of us experience in this life when our expectations and fairy tale hopes and dreams are not met. We honor Dinah by feeling the pain of those who experience similar fates like the plague of "sexual trafficking" in our generation.
Additional
Step 12: Here are some additional insights into the consciousness of Netzach She BeGevurah from Rabbi Drizin, as well as some additional thoughts from Chanoch
Kevenah about Netzach She Be Gevurah
Reading these will help to grow your vessel. Meditation using these letters of נצח שבגבורה after reading the Kavenah will also be beneficial.
Gematria
Netzach SheBe Gevurah has a external gematria of 666. 666 is the gematria of the Hebrew phrase Aron Hakodesh or The Holy Ark. 666 also represents the idea of Life through it having the sum of 18 when 6 is multiplied by 3. To clarify for some people who may be under a misconception: During the 1920's and 1930's there was a group of corrupt Christian Kabbalists dealing in the occult who taught an ancient teaching that 666 is the number of the beast or somehow connected to Satan. This is actually a corruption and misconception.
All this week contemplate the meaning of Gevurah using these descriptions
Gevurah represents Judgment, Power, Setting Boundaries, Procreation, and Severity.
Step 13: The Pirkei Avot teaches 48 ways to ACQUIRE TORAH
The Eleventh method to Acquire the Torah taught in the Pirke Avot Chapter 6 is by "Discussion With Students".
When the Rogatchover Gaon and the Ohr Samei'ach once met at a simcha, one of them asked the other a question in learning. The other excitedly responded by just mentioning (for example), Shabbos 45b. The reply was short in coming, but what about the Rambam Halacha... This went on for a long time as they just shouted Mareh Mikomos back and forth to each other citing gemaros, Rishonim and Acharonim with each one "getting it" and not needing to explain. That is how geonim speak to each other.
Rebbi Chanina said, "Harbeh Lamaditi Mei Rabosai", I learned a great deal from my teachers. "U'MeiChaveirai Yoseir MiRabosai", and even more from my friends. "U'MiTalmidai Yoseir Mikulam", and from my students more than all of them (Ta'anis 7a).
Kinyan HaTorah requires leaving no stone unturned even when there seems to be no treasure underneath. Men of maturity and intelligence focus on the places where the treasure is most likely to be found. You can't say the same about students. Put a bunch of them before you in a room and you can be sure that every possible argument, both sound and faulty, will be voiced. After you've been through all of them, dealt with them, and dismissed them you know you found your treasure. A treasure you can hold onto for eternity.
There will be more added to this section in coming years.
I can attest, i learn more about myself from my students than anyone else in my life.
The Sha’ar Hakavanot (collection of Kabbalistic teachings) writes that after one counts the Omer – meaning, after reciting the Beracha and then counting that day’s number – one should offer a prayer for the rebuilding of the Bet Hamikdash. The text of this prayer is, “Harahaman Hu Yahazir Abodat Bet Hamikdash Limkomah Bimhera Beyamenu Amen” (“The Merciful One shall restore the service of the Temple to its place, speedily and in our days, Amen”).
The reason for this practice is that according to most Halachic authorities, the Misva of counting the Omer applies nowadays Mi’de’rabbanan – by force of Rabbinic enactment – as opposed to Torah law. The Torah obligation of Sefirat Ha’omer applied only in the times of the Bet Hamikdash, when we offered the special Omer sacrifice, whereas nowadays, in the absence of Bet Hamikdash, when we cannot bring this offering, our counting is only commemorative. Therefore, after we count the Omer each night, we pray to God to rebuild the Bet Hamikdash so we can offer the Korban Ha’omer, and then we will be able to count in fulfillment of the actual Misva. And even according to those authorities (such as the Rambam) who maintained that Sefirat Ha’omer is required by Torah law nowadays, we offer a prayer that the Temple will be rebuilt so we can offer the Korban Ha’omer.
This also answers the question addressed by the Halachic authorities as to why we do not recite the Beracha of “Shehehiyanu” the first time we count the Omer each year. As we know, whenever we perform a Misva that presents itself on infrequent occasions, we recite the Beracha of “Shehehiyanu.” Seemingly, this should apply to Sefirat Ha’omer, as well, yet Halacha does not require reciting this Beracha before the counting of the Omer. The reason is that when we count the Omer, we are mindful of the fact that we count only as a commemoration of the actual Misva, which we cannot fulfill in its true form due to the absence of the Bet Hamikdash. The counting of the Omer thus evokes a degree of sorrow, and does not warrant the recitation of the festive “Shehehiyanu” blessing.
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