From Matzos to Cheesecake

"You shall count for yourselves-from the morrow of the rest day, from the day when you bring the omer of the waving-seven weeks, they shall be complete. Until the morrow of the seventh week you shall count, fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to Hashem (Vayikra 23:15-16)." We see from the Torah that we are obligated to count the days from Pesach to Shavuot. In correspondence with this counting an omer-a quantity- of new barley was brought to the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) as an offering everyday, including Shabbat. This period is known as the Counting of the Omer and even though today we have no Temple to bring sacrifices to, the mitzvah of counting the omer stands.

The counting begins on the 16 of Nissan, the second night of Pesach after nightfall and continues until the fiftieth day, Shavuot. We actually only count forty-nine days, but because the counting is aimed at Shavuot, the fiftieth day, we consider the entire count a fifty day count.

We learn from the pasuk, "count for yourselves" that it is incumbent upon every person to count for themselves; one cannot exempt another person from this mitzvah. Women and are not obligated in this mitzvah. In most communities if they do count, they do so without a bracha.

The correct time to count the omer is as soon as it is definitely night-setate kochaviv (In most communities one counts the omer right after the evening prayer of Ma'ariv. We always do the most habitual mitvah first. In this case it would be Ma'ariv, and then count the omer.). One counts standing, not sitting, although if you sat and counted you still fulfilled the mitvah.

One counts the omer is as follows:

1.Recite the blessing, "...Who has sanctified us in His mitzvahs and commanded us to count the Omer.

2.State, "Today is number (of day) days to the omer." As soon as one reaches the seventh day one also includes the counting of the weeks. Grammar is very important and the gender of the number needs to correspond with the word masculine word "day" and "week". It's best to use a sidur or Omer counter.

3.Follow with the petition for the speedy building of the Beit HaMikdash and the return of its services in our day.

4.In most communities one then recites Tehillim 67 followed by (for Sephadim) Ana b'Koach.

One does not say shechianu for this mitvah, even though it is performed only once a year. There are many explanations as to why. If one begins to count and then forgets one night, the mitzvah for the counting loses its continuity and therefore the blessing of shechianu on the entire mitzvah would be in vain. The Rashba writes that the blessing of shechianu is only stated when connected to joy or festivity. We have no Beit HaMikdash and the counting of the omer is a sad reminder of this fact. Therefore, we cannot recite the prayer until it is rebuilt, may it be so speedily in our day.

The counting of the Omer connects the two holidays, Pesach and Shavuot, to one another. We were brought out of exile to receive the Torah. Each day as we count we are reminded of this. This time is therefore most appropriate for reflection on how we can improve our midot, receive the Torah with joy and enthusiasm once again and help build Beit HaMikdash

The Omer and Honey
Peaks and Valleys - The Good Omer and the Bad Omer
Omer Personalities - R' Akiva and R' Shimon Bar Yochai
From Beast to Man
From Matzos to Cheesecake
Lag B'Omer - Breaking up the Count
Mitzvah lesaper et haMispar hamesaper
Not Fowl, but Foul
One Long Party: Pesach to Shavuot
Oops, I forgot to Count the Omer
Sheva Shabbatot temimot tiyenah
The Best Unbroken Chain
The Mourning after the Night Before
The Students of Rabbi Akiva
What Does Lev Tov Have to do with Sfira?
The Counting of The Omer
Lag B'Omer - The 33rd Day