“15 ‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 ‘Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to Avinu. 17 ‘You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to Avinu. 18 ‘And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to Avinu, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to Avinu. 19 ‘Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. 20 ‘The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before Avinu, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to Avinu for the priest. 21 ‘And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.” (Le 23:15-21)
** When you count fifty days from the Wave Sheaf Offering, you come to another Holyday. The Hebrew name of this late spring feast is Shavuot. Shavuot can mean ‘weeks’ or ‘sevens’. In the Greek, it is known as Pentecost. Pentecost actually means “count fifty”.
As Believers, we are always counting. We count seven days from one Shabbat to another. We count days to determine when we should circumsize our male children. We count days to determine the new and full moon.
Here is another perspective. What is the counting of the omer teaching us? Here are a couple of thoughts:
In 1893, someone said to my father, “The Alter Rebbe’s chassidim were always keeping count.” My father took a great liking to the saying, and he commented: “That idea characterizes man’s avoda (worship). The hours must be ‘counted hours,’ then the days will be ‘counted days.’ When a day passes one should know what he has accomplished and what remains yet to be done… In general, one should always see to it that tomorrow should be much better than today.” (Chabad.org)
The thought that our counting days characterizes our avoda (form of worship) might be referring to the fact that the form of worship taught in the Scriptures always involves counting. It could also refer to the order of the morning and evening sacrifices which were always performed at the same time of the day.
In life, there is always the striking of balance in our daily activities. The application of gevurah (discipline) brings an order to the many situations that life presents to us. It encourages us to prioritize our allotted time and develop patterns that are mutually beneficial to ourselves and to those that we come into contact with.
In a Believer’s life, many of these activities constitute the avoda (worship) of Avinu. There is a reason why we are taught,
“1 Avinu, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you areElohim. 3 You turn man to destruction; and say, Return, you children of men. 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 5 You carry them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which grows up. 6 In the morning it flourishes, and grows up; in the evening it is cut down, and wither. 7 For we are consumed by your anger, and by your wrath are we troubled. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. 9 For all our days are passed away in your wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10 The days of our years are three score years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knows the power of your anger? even according to your fear, so is your wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent you concerning your servants. 14 O satisfy us early with your mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad according to the days wherein you have afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. 16 Let your work appear to your servants, and your glory to their children. 17 And let the beauty of Avinu Eloheinu be on us: and establish you the work of our hands on us; yes, the work of our hands establish you it.” (Ps 90:1-17)
I have been counting the Omer for the past seven years. Counting days makes us aware of time. We count to the fiftieth day fully expecting Avinu to bless us in a special way. Counting helps us to anticipate the things that we are expecting. A time of counting is a time of preparation. Our prayers, fasting and Torah study should intensify as the end of counting draws near.
If you are counting fifty days and we have one hundred and fifty psalms, it should be easy to figure out how we can maximize those fifty days.
Don’t waste your time. Try counting and see what Avinu wants to do for you!
Here is what happened when the early Believers counted the Omer.
“1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Ac 2:1-4)
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