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 COUNTING THE OMER
from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the wave offering -- the day after the Shabbat -- you shall count seven weeks," and that the 50th day shall be the festival of Shavuot,
Leviticus 23:15-17
From Siddur Sim Shalom, 1985 The Rabbinical Assembly
Omer (literally “sheaf”) refers to an offering from the new barley crop that was brought to the ancient Temple on the sixteenth of Nisan, the eve of the second day of Pesah. Omer has come to be the name of the period between Pesah and Shavuot. By counting the days of this period (sefirat ha-omer), we recall the events that these days connect in the Jewish calendar: the liberation from enslavement, commemorated by Pesah, and the gift of Revelation of Torah, commemorated by Shavuot. These events took place during the journey of our people to the Promised Land.
We count the days between Pesah and Shavuot with endearment to heighten our anticipation of celebrating the revelation of the Torah, an event that gave deep meaning to the liberation. On our personal journeys in life, we each have our own enslavements and liberations, revelations and promised lands. As we often count the days leading to significant events in our personal lives, so we count such days in the life of our people, times past and present, culminating in this instance with the revelation of Torah, essential for our spiritual sustenance. We also recall that our ancestors were closely connected with the soil, directly dependent upon its fertility, and we recount their gratitude for the harvest of grain through which G-d renews life each year.
Meditation before counting the Omer
I am ready to fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer, as it is ordained in the Torah: “from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the wave offering -- the day after the Shabbat -- you shall count seven weeks," and that the 50th day shall be the festival of Shavuot” (Leviticus 23:15-16).
Praised are You, Eternal our G-d, ruler of the universe whose mitzvot add holiness to our lives and who gave us the mitzvah of counting the Omer.
Specify the appropriate day
Today is the ___ day of the Omer
After the first six days, we usually add
Which is _____ week(s) and ____ days of the Omer
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