WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COUNTING OF THE OMER
We have been hearing about the counting of the Omer in relation to the Biblical moed (feast day) Shavuot, or Pentecost. I guess we want to know what it is and how it is related to this feast.
The first mention of an omer is found in Exodus 16:16. It was used in this context as a unit of measurement for the amount of “bread”, in the form of manna, that each person would need. The gathering of the manna was to be restricted to an omer per person, according to the number of people in each household. Those who followed this guideline found that they didn’t have too much or too little manna, whereas those who collected more than the recommended quantity and stored the excess for the following morning had to throw it out, as it was infested with worms and smelled obnoxious. We are told at the end of the chapter (Exodus 16:36) that an omer, as a dry measure, is a tenth part of an ephah, which is approximately 2 litres or 43 oz.
The term “omer” also refers to a sheaf, such as to gather and bind sheaves of barley or wheat – apparently to heap them up.
In Leviticus 23:15-16, God uses this term with Moses, telling him, “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.”
From the second night of Passover until the day before the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah, Jews and other like-minded people engage in a unique mitzvah (a divine commandment) called Sefirat HaOmer, or “counting of the Omer.” The Torah commands us that during this time each year, we count seven complete weeks, for a total of 49 days. At the end of the seven-week period, we celebrate Shavuot, which means “weeks.”
The count, which takes place each night, is preceded by a blessing. However, the blessing may be recited only if a single day’s counting has not been missed. If the counting has been missed (and was not made up for during the following day), one may no longer recite the blessing (but instead must listen as a friend says it). However, the counting can continue.
This is an example of counting of the Omer, and would be applicable to Tuesday, May 27, 2025 or Iyar 29, 5785. Only the items in bold would change according to the day; everything else is recited daily.
BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
After the blessing above, you recite the appropriate day of the count. For example, on May 27, you would’ve said:
Today is day forty-four, which is six weeks and two days of the Omer.
May the Merciful One restore unto us the service of the Bet Hamikdash to its place, speedily in our days; Amen, Selah.
For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He make His countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.
We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses, Your servant, to count Sefirat Ha-Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, “You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days,” so that the souls of Your people Israel may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that in the merit of the Sefirat Ha-Omer which I counted today, the blemish that I have caused in the sefirah Gevurah ShebeMalchus be rectified and I may be purified and sanctified with supernal holiness. May abundant bounty thereby be bestowed upon all the worlds. May it rectify our nefesh, ruach, and neshamah from every baseness and defect, and may it purify and sanctify us with Your supernal holiness. Amen, selah.
