The counting of the omer
Sefiras Haomer, the counting of the omer, is where we count seven weeks of forty-nine days. These start on the second day of Pesach and finish just before Shavuous. On closer analysis, we can split up Sefiras Haomer itself into three parts: the days before Lag Biomer, the day of Lag Biomer which changes the mood from sad to happy, the days after Lag Biomer. The start day of Sefiras Haomer is when the Korban Omer was brought. It consisted of barley that is animal food. The end day is followed by Shavuous when a korban consisting of wheat, human food, was brought. We learn from here that the pathway of Sefiras Haomer is taking our animal nature and control it to behave like a real human. The guidelines of how this is done is seen on the day of Shavuous when we were given the Torah that tells us how to change from animal to human to angel.
What lies behind the number of 49 days?
R’ Chaim Vital (in Sharei Kedusha) asks why we do not find in the Torah the requirement for good middos? He answers that the Torah only mentions doing actions, the mitzvos. Middos comes before this stage and therefore is not mentioned. This can be understood in how chazal says Derech Eretz Kodma LaTorah, that good middos precede Torah. Since the period of Sefiras Haomer is a preparation that comes before Shavuous and the receiving of the Torah, it follows that the focus of middos must come during Sefiras Haomer. This is the first day. The next 48 days is when we must get the 48 kinyonim of the Torah and only then on day 50 do we get the actual Torah on Shavuous.
Questions on Sefiras Haomer
- If these days are preparations for Shavuous, why then do we link it to counting from Pesach?
- Usually we have the principle that thirty days before a Yom Tuv we prepare for it. Why then do we have 49 days of preparation before Shavuous?
- The Torah on the one hand tells us to count seven weeks, 49 days. Yet, when it tells us to count the days it says to count 50 days. Is it 49 or 50?
- What is the idea of counting?
Answers on Sefiras Haomer
- Sefiras Haomer has in it two types of days. Days that are linked to Pesach and days that are linked to Shavuous. The day when this changeover takes place is Lag Biomer. This is seen in the siman of לב טוב that is gematria of 32+17=49. The first 32 days are linked to Pesach when we are trying to rid ourselves of the tuma and negative influences of Mitzrayim. This is tied to it also being a mournful time with the death of the talmidim of R’ Akiva. The switch and transition is seen on Lag Bimoer that starts the last 17 days as seen in the word toiv, meaning good. These are days that are positive with the focus on happily preparing for Shavuous.
- There is counting up and counting down. Counting down is when we want to reach a certain time and really want the days in between to just disappear as they act like a barrier to the end goal. However, counting up is not only with the intention of reaching the end but the time in between acts as a pathway of building to reach there. Sefiras Haomer is when we count up, as each day comes to build us more as we change ourselves to be readier to receive the Torah. The more we make ourselves spiritual the more of a receptacle we can be when the time for giving of the Torah arrives.
Minhogim of what to learn during Sefiras Haomer:
- Some have the minhag of learning Meseches Shvuous. The mathematics is simple. There are 49 dafim for 49 days. However, this mesechta is deeply connected with Sefiras Haomer when we prepare ourselves for Matan Torah. This is because the word Shavuous is related to two meanings: “weeks” and “oaths”. The two oaths that took place by Matan Torah were Hashem promised to never take another chosen nation and the Jews promised to never take another G-d. Thus, it is appropriate to learn this Gemora in advance of Matan Torah.
- There are six weeks with a non Yom Tuv Shabbos between Pesach and Shavuous. During these six weeks there is the minhag to read one of the six chapters of Pirkei Avos in preparation for Shavuous. This is because these Mishnayous deal with Middos that are a prerequisite before being able to learn Torah properly (R’ Chaim Vital in Sharei Kedusha).