Counting the Omer

The 50-day period between the second day of Pesach and Shavo’ut is known as Counting the Omer. An Omer is a unit of measure equaling the sheaves of a harvested crop. In ancient times, beginning with the second day of Pesach, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering. This marked the start of the harvest season, which lasted for seven weeks.

According to Torah (Leviticus 23:15~16), we are obliged to count the days between Pesach and Shavu’ot. Thus, every evening during this period a blessing is recited and the day and week of the Omer is noted. For example, one week after the counting begins, the blessing would begin: “Blessed are you, Adonai, our G~d, Master of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer. Today is seven days, which is one week of the Omer.”

In ancient times, the counting of the omer was connected with the first harvests. The holiday of Shavu’ot later became associated with the giving of Torah at Sinai, thus became a celebration of both harvest and the link between the Pesach, which commemorated the Exodus from Egypt, and Shavu’ot, which commemorated the revelation of the Torah to the people of Israel. The counting of the Omer also is a reminder of the process of moving from a slave mentality (life in Egypt) to freedom.

The Omer is a period of semi-mourning. Weddings and festive parties are not conducted during this period. The reasons for this semi-mourning period are uncertain.