Counting the Omer: Day 20

Let's Learn Together

In the time of the first and second Temple periods, the religious Hebrew calendar (which is a lunar calendar) was governed by actual observation. Each new moon had to be visually sited by at least two credible witnesses and then approved by the Sanhedrin. Because the calendar months were based on the cycles of the moon (each of which had either 29 or 30 days), the twelve month 'lunar' year always came up several days short of the 'solar' year (the year as determined by the rotation of the earth around the sun). Thus it was necessary to add a 'thirteenth' month every two or three years. Eventually, in a span of nineteen years, the 'solar' and 'lunar' years came back into perfect conjunction.

In the days when the Temple was in use and observation from Jerusalem was the key to the calendar, the Sanhedrin had to take several things into account before proclaiming the beginning of the month of Aviv* (also known as Nisan), the first month of that sacred calendar. For it was during the month of Aviv that the festivals of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread were celebrated, Because the Omer had to be waved during this period, it was crucial that the barley grain be properly ripened so that the required offering could be performed. It was for this reason that the first month was named 'Aviv,' which literally means "a green ear." Thus, Aviv is "the month of green ears.

[*Many Christian sources and some Jewish ones spell the name of this month 'Abib.' This is because the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet bet or vet, can be pronounced either as a "b" or a "v." When the dot, or dog-ash, is present in the center of the letter it is pronounced "b," when it is missing it is pronounced "v." The first month of the sacred calendar is correctly pronounced Aviv (Ah-veev) rather than Abib (Ay-bib), as many English speakers are prone to do.]

As the end of the twelfth month (Adar) approached, representatives of the Sanhedrin would examine the barley fields around Jerusalem to see if the grain would be ready for harvesting during the upcoming Days of Unleavened Bread, a little over two weeks away. If it was apparent that the grain would not be ready, they would proclaim a thirteenth month (called Adar II) and everything would be postponed one month.

However, there were earlier signs that could also indicate whether the new year would need to be postponed or not. One of these signs was the appearance of the almond blossoms. Since they would appear well ahead of the 'green ears' of barley, the blossoms were early indicators as to when the new year would begin. Another factor was the weather conditions. If the rains lasted later than usual it would be highly unlikely that the almond blossoms and the barley crop would be ready as expected. In addition, late rains would make it well nigh impossible for the pilgrims to come to Jerusalem for Passover because the roads would be impassable. However, in the end the bottom line was that ripe barley grain had to be available in order for the Omer Wave Offering (Wave Sheaf Offering) to take place. Without the ripe barley there could be no Omer Wave Offering; without the Omer Wave Offering there could be no festival of Passover; and without the festival of Passover there could be no festival of Shavu'ot since there would be no new wheat flour available to make the two loaves of leavened bread that were central to the Temple offering for that day.

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 20

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty days, which is two weeks and six days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.