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Counting The Omer

The Torah often challenges us to recover the sacred and psychological meanings in rituals that began in the realities of a society whose rhythms were set by the agricultural seasons and by the holy activity of the Temple in Jerusalem. So it is with Sefirat ha-Omer, the counting of the omer.

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the priests would offer a measure of harvested crop, or omer, on the second day of Passover. All of Israel would then begin counting the days between Passover and Shavuot, 49 days in all. The fiftieth day, the day after the counting is complete, is Shavuot, when we celebrate the giving of the Torah. We no longer have the Temple, but we still count. When it comes to moving from one season to another—as the freedom of Passover is transformed into the commitment of Shavuot--the ritual of the omer comes to tell us that, yes, every day counts.

Meditation:

The omer is the amount of ground and sifted barley offered as a sacrifice. The omer is thus neither time, nor barley, but a measurement. Why do we count a measurement? In Exodus 16:16, we learn that when the Israelites were in the desert they each received life-giving manna according to their need: one omer per person—no more, no less. Overzealous gatherers discovered that any manna in excess of an omer spoiled before it could be eaten. Fastidious gatherers, on the other hand, never came up short. An omer is thus the symbol of the precise amount to sustain someone. Maybe the period of the omer is for figuring out what we need to sustain us and how much. The days of the omer are not about counting time, but weighing an omer’s worth of what counts. (Dan Judson, Sh’ma)

As I count each day between Pesach and Shavuot, may I remain awake to the full potential and special texture of each passing moment. As I count from one moment to the next, may I be helped to act in light of that wakefulness, appreciating my freedom from, and my commitment to.

Hi’nini mukhan u’mezuman l’kayem mitzvat asay shel sfirat ha’omer

I am ready to fulfill the mitzvah of counting the omer.

Ritual:

Beginning on the second night of Passover, toward the end of the Seder, we recite the blessing for counting the omer and announce that day’s count (remember, the Jewish "day" begins the evening before). On the 48 subsequent days, find an appropriate (and easily remembered!) moment to count that day’s omer—as you kiss your children goodnight, as you set out your clothes and work for the next day. Most Jewish calendars will have the day’s count, and most prayerbooks include the ritual. As you count each subsequent evening, focus on how you change as you move from awareness (Passover) to action (Shavuot).

Blessing:

Barukh atah Adonai, eloheinu melekh ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sfirat ha’omer.

Blessed are You, Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, whose mitzvot teach us holiness, and who commands us to count the Omer.

Today is the ___day, which is ___ weeks and ____days of the Omer.

Teaching:

You shall count from the eve of the second day of Passover, when an omer of grain is to be brought as an offering, seven complete weeks. (Leviticus 23:15)

Hi’nini mukhan u’mezuman l’kayem mitzvat asay shel sfirat ha’omer

I am ready to fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer

(CLAL Faculty)

CLAL's National Jewish Resource Center develops and publishes rituals that help to bridge the gap between our contemporary lives and the ancient wisdom of the Jewish tradition.