Counting the Omer

Counting the Omer

Dear Friends,

One of the beautiful traditions of Passover begins on the second night of the festival, Sunday April 13^th. Omer Counting, is an ancient spiritual refinement practice where we count a period of seven weeks, or forty-nine days, from the second Passover Seder to the summer holiday of Shavuot.

There are four primary reasons for counting the Omer: Agricultural, Biblical, Practical, and Metaphysical. 

Agricultural Counting: This time marks a transitional moment from spring to summer.  Long ago when our Temple stood in Jerusalem, this was when we would bring our new barley crops as an offering. The word Omer means “sheaf,” as in a sheaf of grain.

Biblical Counting: The Omer period connects the physical leaving from Egypt, Passover, with the festival that celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, Shavuot.  Midrash teaches that the enslaved Israelites were comforted by the promise of receiving the Torah 50 days after fleeing Egypt.  Counting the Omer symbolizes the joy with which the Torah was received.

Practical Relationship Counting: Jewish wisdom teaches that the season shift from spring to summer is an opportunity to peer into our relationships.  It is a custom to study from Pirke Avot, https://www.sefaria.org/Sheet.29963 the Sayings of the Ancestors during this time. They are short, often fortune cookie sized teachings, packed with meaning.

Metaphysical Counting:   It is said the Omer period is a special time to connect with God through many different mystical channels such as the Sephirot, the Kabbalistic chart depicting aspects of the Divine. Each week has a spiritual theme. Each of the seven weeks is linked to one of the lower Seven of the Sephirot. 

There are a variety of Omer Counting frameworks.  You might want to check out these links to see which interpretations are most helpful.

Wishing everyone a meaningful and liberating Passover and a mindful Omer counting!

Rabbi Nancy Wechsler

Omer Sites

Hillel Smith: animated gifs of original art

https://hillelsmith.tumblr.com/tagged/omer

Homer Omer: exactly what it says-Homer Simpson counting the omer.

https://homercalendar.net/Welcome.html

Chabad Omer: daily Omer counting with text in Hebrew and English

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/sefirah/omer-count_cdo/jewish/Count-the-Omer.htm

Omer Counting App: count the Omer on your phone or tablet with daily readings and thoughts.

For Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.chabad.OmerCounter&hl=en_US

For Apple:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/omer-counter-assistant/id977793369

Daily Omer Meditations

https://aish.com/daily-omer-meditation/

A Kindness a Day Omer Counting Workbook for the whole family.

https://images.shulcloud.com/5061/uploads/Holidays/CountingOmer/SariKcountingupprintable.pdf

Ritual Well: https://ritualwell.org/topic/counting-omer/