Counting the Omer: Day 30

Let's Learn Together

   Of course the story of the manna does not end where we left off yesterday. On the sixth day of the week the people were commanded to gather two omers of manna so they would not need to go out to gather on the Sabbath.

      "And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
      "Then he said to them, 'This is what the LORD has said; "Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning,"'
      "So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.
      "Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none.
      "Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the LORD said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.'
      "So the people rested on the seventh day."
(Ex. 16:22-30)

• Lesson number three: Trust and obey the instructions of HaShem (YHVH). Living according to HaShem's instruction book (the Torah) requires faith. "But without faith it
  is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
  that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6) Without faith we could become frightened by the consequences of certain prescribed practices. Some of His instructions do seem a little peculiar to those of us who have been raised in the modern world. For this reason many of us try to rationalize our way out of observing them, because they might make us look or seem strange to our relatives and neighbors. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special (KJV = peculiar) people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
  (I Pet. 2:9-10)
  

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 28

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-eight days, which is four 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.