Counting the Omer
The days are counted from the eve of the second day of Pesah through the evening before Shavuot. (Leviticus 23:15-17). Starting from the second night of Passover to the day before Shavuot, which is seven full weeks, we enter a period known as the Counting of the Omer. An omer is a unit of measure. In the days of the Temple, on the second day of Passover, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering. During this period. we recite a blessing and state the count of the omer in both weeks and days. So on the 16th day, you would say, "Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the omer."
The counting is intended to remind us of the link between Passover, which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. It reminds us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah. This period is a time of partial mourning, during which weddings, parties, and dinners with dancing are not conducted, in memory of a plague during the lifetime of Rabbi Akiba. Haircuts during this time are also forbidden.
The 33rd day of the omer (the eighteenth of Iyar), called Lag B'Omer, is a minor holiday commemorating a break in the plague. The word "Lag" is not really a word; it is the number "33" in Hebrew, as if you were to call the Fourth of July "IV July" ("IV" being "4" in Roman numerals). The mourning practices of the omer period are lifted on that date. This year, Lag B'Omer occurs on May 23, 2011 (Jewish Year 5771). Many Jews celebrate following Lag B'Omer in whatever favorite ways they wish to express their joy in leaving a period of mourning. Since it is still Spring and the spirit of renewal is still with us, it is appropriate during this time to reassess and evaluate our homes and family practices.
It is said, Only one who engages in the study of Torah is truly free. - Pirke Avot 6:2
The blessing before counting the Omer:
Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha'olam asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al sefirat ha'omer.
Blessed are you, Eternal, our God, the sovereign of all worlds, who has made us holy with your mitzvot, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
(sources: Kol Haneshemah, Shabbat Vehagim, The Reconstructionist Press and Judaism 101: The Counting of the Omer, http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayb.htm)
The days are counted from the eve of the second day of Pesah through the evening before Shavuot. (Leviticus 23:15-17). Starting from the second night of Passover to the day before Shavuot, which is seven full weeks, we enter a period known as the Counting of the Omer. An omer is a unit of measure. In the days of the Temple, on the second day of Passover, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering. During this period. we recite a blessing and state the count of the omer in both weeks and days. So on the 16th day, you would say, "Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the omer."
The counting is intended to remind us of the link between Passover, which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. It reminds us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah. This period is a time of partial mourning, during which weddings, parties, and dinners with dancing are not conducted, in memory of a plague during the lifetime of Rabbi Akiba. Haircuts during this time are also forbidden.
The 33rd day of the omer (the eighteenth of Iyar), called Lag B'Omer, is a minor holiday commemorating a break in the plague. The word "Lag" is not really a word; it is the number "33" in Hebrew, as if you were to call the Fourth of July "IV July" ("IV" being "4" in Roman numerals). The mourning practices of the omer period are lifted on that date. This year, Lag B'Omer occurs on May 23, 2011 (Jewish Year 5771). Many Jews celebrate following Lag B'Omer in whatever favorite ways they wish to express their joy in leaving a period of mourning. Since it is still Spring and the spirit of renewal is still with us, it is appropriate during this time to reassess and evaluate our homes and family practices.
It is said, Only one who engages in the study of Torah is truly free. - Pirke Avot 6:2
The blessing before counting the Omer:
Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha'olam asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al sefirat ha'omer.
Blessed are you, Eternal, our God, the sovereign of all worlds, who has made us holy with your mitzvot, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
(sources: Kol Haneshemah, Shabbat Vehagim, The Reconstructionist Press and Judaism 101: The Counting of the Omer, http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayb.htm)
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This is the first day of the Omer.
This is the second day of the Omer. This is the third day of the Omer. This is the fourth day of the Omer. This is the fifth day of the Omer. This is the sixth day of the Omer. This is the seventh day of the Omer. making the first week of the Omer. This is the eighth day of the Omer, making one week and one day of the Omer. This is the ninth day of the Omer, making one week and two days of the Omer. This is the tenth day of the Omer, making one week and three days of the Omer. This is the eleventh day of the Omer, making one week and four days of the Omer. This is the twelfth day of the Omer, making one week and five days of the Omer. This is the thirteenth day of the Omer, making one week and six days of the Omer. This is the fourteenth day of the Omer, making two weeks of the Omer. This is the fifteenth day of the Omer, making two weeks and one day of the Omer. This is the sixteenth day of the Omer, making two weeks and two days of the Omer. This is the seventeenth day of the Omer, making two weeks and three days of the Omer. This is the eighteenth day of the Omer, making two weeks and four days of the Omer. This is the nineteenth day of the Omer, making two weeks and five days of the Omer. This is the twentieth day of the Omer, making two weeks and six days of the Omer. This is the twenty-first day of the Omer, making three weeks of the Omer. This is the twenty-second day of the Omer, making three weeks and one day of the Omer. This is the twenty-third day of the Omer, making three weeks and two days of the Omer. This is the twenty-fourth day of the Omer, making three weeks and three days of the Omer. This is the twenty-fifth day of the Omer, making three weeks and four days of the Omer. This is the twenty-sixth day of the Omer, making three weeks and five days of the Omer. This is the twenty-seventh day of the Omer, making three weeks and six days of the Omer. This is the twenty-eighth day of the Omer, making four weeks of the Omer. This is the twenty-ninth day of the Omer, making four weeks and one day of the Omer. This is the thirtieth day of the Omer, making four weeks and two days of the Omer. This is the thirty-first day of the Omer, making four weeks and three days of the Omer. This is the thirty-second day of the Omer, making four weeks and four days of the Omer. This is the thirty-third day of the Omer, making four weeks and five days of the Omer.* This is the thirty-fourth day of the Omer, making four weeks and six days of the Omer. This is the thirty-fifth day of the Omer, making five weeks of the Omer. This is the thirty-sixth day of the Omer, making five weeks and one day of the Omer. This is the thirty-seventh day of the Omer, making five weeks and two days of the Omer. This is the thirty-eighth day of the Omer, making five weeks and three days of the Omer. This is the thirty-ninth day of the Omer, making five weeks and four days of the Omer. This is the fortieth day of the Omer, making five weeks and five days of the Omer. This is the forty-first day of the Omer, making five weeks and six days of the Omer. This is the forty-second day of the Omer, making six weeks of the Omer. This is the forty-third day of the Omer, making six weeks and one day of the Omer. This is the forty-fourth day of the Omer, making six weeks and two days of the Omer. This is the forty-fifth day of the Omer, making six weeks and three days of the Omer. This is the forty-sixth day of the Omer, making six weeks and four days of the Omer. This is the forty-seventh day of the Omer, making six weeks and five days of the Omer. This is the forty-eighth day of the Omer, making six weeks and six days of the Omer. This is the forty-ninth day of the Omer, making seven weeks of the Omer.** *Lag B'omer **Shavuot |