Counting from the Omer

This week’s parshah covers a wide range of topics. Chapter 23 primarily speaks about the different holidays throughout the Jewish calendar, and since we find ourselves in the special weeks between the holiday of Pesach and Shavuot, it seems fitting to analyze the verses that describe this period that we find ourselves in presently.

Briefly, the Torah commands us to bring a special barley offering to God (in the Temple) the day after (the first day of) Pesach; this offering is known as the “Omer” offering. After the Omer offering is brought, we are then commanded to count 49 days, and on the 50th day we bring a special bread offering. This 50th day is known as the holiday of “Shavuot”, and it celebrates the day that we received the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Because the Beit Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) is not standing in our time, we are not able to bring the special barley and bread offerings which we were commanded. However, we still observe the practice of counting 49 days between Pesach and Shavuot. Therefore, every night in synagogue, at the conclusion of the evening services we recite the special blessing of “Sefirat HaOmer” (“The counting of the Omer”) and then count the day by announcing what day we are presently on.

Assuming we are counting 49 days until Shavuot, it would seems sensible to announce on the first day: “There are 49 days left until Shavuot”, and on the second day: “There are 48 days left until Shavuot”, and so on. This way would seem logical because we would be expressing our yearning and excitement for the day of Shavuot to come. However, this is now how we count. On the first day we say: “Today is one day of the Omer”, on the second day: “Today is two days of the Omer”, and so on. Why do we count in such a way?

Clearly, we are not counting how many days are remaining until Shavuot, rather we are counting how many days have passed since we have brought the Omer offering. This is why it is called “Sefirat HaOmer” (“The Counting of the Omer”). But why do we keep relating back to the Omer offering, rather than counting towards Shavuot, the day which we received the Torah? What does this represent?

As mentioned before, the Omer offering consisted of barley, which is an animal food, and the offering brought on the 50th day consisted of bread, which is a human food. The reason for this is because it represents the transition the Jewish nation underwent between coming out of Egypt and receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Rabbis tell us that upon leaving Egypt we were steeped in the 49th level of immorality, and all our actions stemmed from our animalistic tendencies and desires; therefore the offering at this time was that of animal food (barley). However, we experienced a purification process in the desert that lasted 49 days, and by then we had completely removed ourselves from our corrupted ways and became closer to Hashem. By the end of the 49th day we were on the level of “men” and were ready to receive the Torah; therefore the offering we gave at the end of this period was human food (bread). (*Please see footnote*)

But this makes our question even stronger! If the Omer represents our lowly state upon leaving Egypt, why should we be relating to it daily when we count!? Why should we remind ourselves everyday throughout this period of our impure and deficient condition upon leaving Egypt!? We should focus on improving ourselves throughout these days, not dwelling upon our past iniquities and mistaken ways!

I believe that the answer to this question is quite simple. When undergoing repentance, there are generally two ways one can follow. One way would be to go forward right away and forget about your past entirely. You simply want to start off on a clean slate and do not want to have to undergo the guilt and suffering of reflecting upon your past sins. This can be seen as “repentance of action”. The other form of repentance would be to spend serious time and effort to contemplate your past mistakes and only then proceed in your path of repentance. Through deep introspection and analysis of your past sins, you teach yourself what to stay away from in your new path towards self redemption and repentance. Throughout every step you take in your goal towards self-correction, you continuously remind yourself of who you used to be, which helps you develop into who you want to become. This can be seen as "repentance of thought".

This latter form of repentance is what Sefirat HaOmer is all about. Day by day we continuously work on ourselves, attaining higher and higher levels of self-improvement, by reminding ourselves of our lowly “barley” state; during these 49 days we are continuously working on how to remove ourselves farther from the Omer offering. After these 49 days we are meant to ultimately reach a refined and perfected state, and only then can we truly encounter God and receive the Torah. (**Please see second footnote**)

May we truly merit to refine ourselves during these weeks that follow the Omer offering, and ultimately celebrate Shavuot as new individuals.

Good Shabbos,

NZL


*Another interesting note about the Omer offering: What does “Omer” mean? “Omer” is merely a term of measurement used in Holy Scripture; the word “Omer” does not relate to barley in any way, it merely describes “how much” barley is brought. In this week’s parshah, we are not even told that the offering is to consist of barley, all we are told is “…you shall bring of an Omer from your first harvest…” [Leviticus: 23: 10] Imagine I were to ask you “Please bring me a pound of food”! The first question you’d ask is “What sort of food do you want?” Why does the Torah not even tell us about the barley!?
I think that this represents another symbolism of the Omer offering, relating to our state upon leaving Egypt. By leaving out “barley”, the Torah is presenting us with an undefined offering. This “undefined” offering relates to the “undefined” state of the Jews upon leaving Egypt. At the time of the Exodus we were completely empty and void of any connection to God and were on the lowest level of impurity; this is represented by the “undefined” description of the Omer offering.


**Two other reasons for reminding ourselves of the Omer offering during these 49 days: The Torah was meant to be given in a state of humility; this is why it was given through Moses, the humblest of all men, and it was given on Mount Sinai, the lowest (in height) and humblest of all mountains. The constant reminder of our lowly “Omer” state was meant to serve as a humbling experience during the 49 days leading up the giving of the Torah through Moses on Mount Sinai.
Another reason for constantly remind ourselves of our lowly “Omer” state was in order to cultivate within ourselves a sense of self-appreciation. Every day in the 49-day period was used for extreme self-growth and development. So at the end of each day, by looking back at how we were at the beginning, in our “Omer” state, we truly recognize how far we’ve come and how much we’ve accomplished.
Both of these qualities, humility and self-pride, are meant be brought together in order to maintain a healthy balance in our lives. This is not the time to expand upon this, but we have spoken about this before in our essay on the weekly portion of “Metzora”.