Counting the Omer: Day 23

Let's Learn Together

Although the day of the 'Wave Sheaf Offering' is not a commanded assembly, and the day is not designated as a Holyday, it nevertheless was an extremely important event in ancient Israel. Since no harvesting of any spring grain could take place until this ceremony had been successfully completed, and since the Scripture also commands that one count' the days starting with this day, it truly is an important and pivotal day on the spring calendar.

The fact that we are commanded to specifically 'count' the fifty days of Sifret
HaOmer, leads us to the conclusion that each one of these days could have special significance. In Jewish thought, Sifret
HaOmer is not a countdown,' but rather a 'countup' to the next moed (appointed time or festival), The Feast of Pentecost or Shavu'ot.

In other words, it is leading us from one very important festival up to another. This same connection is made with Succoth (The Feast of Tabernacles) and Shemini
Atzeret (The Eighth Day) in the fall. Here the 'Eighth Day' is tacked on immediately following the conclusion of Succoth. It is said that HaShem (the Lord) intended Shemini
Atzeret to also fall some fifty days later, but in His mercy decided not to require the children of Israel to have to make a pilgrimage during the cold and rainy winter season.

Why do we need to count the days? What could possibly be the significance of such an exercise? Our Father has His reasons. It is our duty to try and determine what those reasons might be and what spiritual lessons we might learn from the exercise given to us.

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 23

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-three days, which is three weeks and two 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.