Counting the Omer: Day 21

Let's Learn Together

Passover (and the Days of Unleavened Bread), and Shavu'ot are tied together by a common thread known as Sifret HaOmer (See-fret Hah Ohmer = Counting the Omer). It is for this very reason that Jewish tradition teaches that Shavu'ot is the conclusion or culmination of the Passover season and not a 'stand alone' festival. The reason for this is apparent.

• Passover is the celebration of redemption, freedom, liberty, and the release from slavery, fully accomplished at the Reed Sea.
  
• Shavu'ot, on the other hand, is the celebration of revelation, when the children of Israel became a nation with its own set of laws, because that is the day on which the Lord revealed the Ten Words or Commandments to them.
  
• Sifret
  HaOmer is the time period during which the children of Israel journeyed from the Reed Sea to Mount Sinai.
  

It is taught that Shavu'ot is part of the Passover experience and cannot be separated from it, because the children of Israel needed to have instruction (Torah) in order to function as a viable free nation under the authority of HaShem (the Lord). In other words, they could only experience true liberty if it were under the rule of law (Torah).

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 21

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-one days, which is three weeks 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.