בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוק בְּדִבְרֵי תורָה:
Blessing for Torah Study
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha'Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu La'asok Bedivrei Torah
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, Sovereign of Eternity, who has made us holy through Your sacred obligations and obligated us to immerse ourselves in the words of Torah.
(15) And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: (16) you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to Hashem. (17) You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation offering; each shall be made of two-tenths of a measure of choice flour, baked after leavening, as first fruits to Hashem. (18) With the bread you shall present, as burnt offerings to Hashem, seven yearling lambs without blemish, one bull of the herd, and two rams, with their meal offerings and libations, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to Hashem. (19) You shall also offer one he-goat as a sin offering and two yearling lambs as a sacrifice of well-being. (20) The priest shall elevate these—the two lambs—together with the bread of first fruits as an elevation offering before Hashem; they shall be holy to Hashem, for the priest. (21) On that same day you shall hold a celebration; it shall be a sacred occasion for you; you shall not work at your occupations. This is a law for all time in all your settlements, throughout the ages. (22) And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I Hashem am your God.
וספרתם לכם. ...וכן כאן וספרתם לכם, ירמוז במלת הכנוי לתועלת נפש האדם ולטובתו להתקדש ולהתטהר ביותר בהמשך זמן שבעת השבועות האלה מכל תאות הטבעיות ומחשבות הפחותות, כי גם במלת תספור אין המכוון בו לבד לדעת כמות הימים והשבועות, אבל ענינו כאן גם העיון וההשגחה כענין (איוב י״ד:ט״ז) צעדי תספור, וכן שם (ל"א) וכל צעדי יספור, שאין ענינם שם לדעת כמות מצעדי רגליו, אבל עיקר המכוון בו ענין ההשגחה והעיון על איכות צעדיו והנהגותיו, וכמו וספר לו שבעת ימים בזב (מצורע ט"ו), וספרה לה שבעת ימים בזבה (שם), שאין המכוון בהם ספירת הכמות לבד כ"א גם ספירת האיכות שיהיה שבעת ימים נקיים מזוב, וכן כאן טעם וספרתם לכם תפקחו על עצמכם, ותתבונן על נפשך מה הוא הטוב האמתי שתבחר בו, והרע האמתי שתברח ממנו, ולא תעשה שום מעשה בלי לשקול תחלה במאזני משקל הדעת לראות הטובה היא או רעה, וכמו שיתנהג האדם בקבלו מחברו סך מה מן הדמים, שהוא מקפיד על כמות המספר ועל איכות כל פרטי הנספרים בל תבא לידו גם מטבע אחת החסרה הגרועה והפסולה, ככה תתנהג בספירת שבעת השבועות האלה, שלא תקפידו על כמות מספרם בלבד אבל תדקדקו ביותר על איכות כל פרט ופרט מהמשך זמן זה, שלא יאבד אחד מהם בחסרון שלמות הנפשי המגרע והפוסל מעלת נפש האדם ויתרונה, ובכולם ישמור אל נפשו מאד להיותם בם תמים עם ה'; ויתכן עוד שכללה התורה במלת וספרתם ענין הטהרה והזכוך מלשון אבן ספיר דיחזקאל, ולבנת הספיר (במשפטים) ומצינו הפעל ממנו (איוב כ״ח:כ״ז), אז ראה ויספרה כלומר הפליג זהרה ויקרתה, (ושם ל"ח) מי יספר שחקים כלו, מי עשה את השמים בחומר זך ובהיר (ע"ש רש"י), ויהיה טעם. וספרתם לכם, שבזמן הנבחר הזה תשגיחו ביותר על נפשכם להיות ספירי מטוהר ומזוכך מכל חלאת הבלי הזמן ומזוהמת הגשמית. וכעין זה מצאתי בשם בעל המ"ק. ולכוונה זו אמר אח"ז תמימות תהיינה, שהמכוון בו על תמימות ושלמות הנפשי, וזה שאמר במכדרשב"י וספרתם לכם, לכם דייקא לכם לעצמיכם ולמה בגין לאתדכאה ולקבלא אורייתא. ובפרשה תצוה קפ"ב ב' בעי לכפרה על ביתיה ולקדשא לון ובמה מקדש לון בחושבנא דעומר:
Making each day count is a valuable lesson which adopting the practice of counting the Omer reinforces. Counting each of the days of the Omer reminds us that all of our days are numbered, and it is our responsibility to make each day count. The deliberate way in which the Torah numbers the days of Sarah’s life, "one hundred years and twenty years and seven years” signifies both the fullness of her days and the significance of each and every day. We count the Omer in a similarly careful and focused manner in order to help us recognize the completeness of these days and of each day.
We also learn from the years of wandering in the desert and from the individual struggles represented in the stories of our heroes and heroines that waiting itself can be a sacred activity, an opportunity for reflection and trust. Although the goal of the count may be the encounter with God at Sinai, we take meaning from the journey each step of the way.
The reason that the Torah added the word לה', “for the Lord,” [after all, all offerings are exclusively for the Lord, so why single out this one by name? Ed.] is that after first presenting this offering to G’d, the whole people may now enjoy the new wheat harvest. The verse from Jeremiah 5,24 which we quoted earlier, referred to the סכנה, period of “danger” which this crop was exposed to while growing during which period so many things could have happened which would have ruined the eventual crop. Thanksgiving prayers are therefore called for, expressing our gratitude that nothing of what we worried about during those many weeks actually happened. [the word חקות in that verse may mean that the laws of nature according to which the crop would ripen was not upset by bad weather, and other climatic phenomena which would have ruined all of the farmer’s efforts during the season of ploughing and seeding. Ed.] The Torah, appropriately, legislated that in addition to the two loaves baked from the new wheat, which did not get on the altar, of course, also 2 sheep, etc., were offered as explained in connection with שלמי תודה, thanksgiving offerings in Leviticus 7,13.
In contrast to the liturgical and historical framing of Shavuot as the anniversary of encountering the Divine revelation on Mount Sinai, the biblical harvest narrative emphasizes a holiday of giving back to God in thanks for what God has already given us. The focus is not primarily on what we have received, but on what we will give in return. The central element of the holiday here is an offering of two loaves of bread. It is this double bread offering that we have been counting up to, eagerly hoping for (Leviticus 23:16-17).
The Seforno comments on this passage, emphasizing the emotional component of bringing bikkurim. He points to the fear inherent in the growing season, and how that fear can be transformed into gratitude (see comments on Leviticus 23:17). After weeks of worrying and deliberate counting, we celebrate the harvest by baking two loaves of bread for God. The multiple loaves brought on the holiday emphasize the abundance that accompanies it.
Through the incremental change of the Omer, the bread of affliction we ate on Passover has transformed into two full, risen loaves of hametz. The agricultural Shavuot reminds us that there will come a time when worry and uncertainty is behind us. On Shavuot we remember that security is possible, fullness and plenty can be restored, our cup can run over. In the rhythm of the Jewish calendar, we are invited into the safest moment of the year. We are invited to feel full, satiated, warm, and secure.
(א) דינים הנוהגים בימי העומר. ובו ד' סעיפים:
נוהגים שלא לישא אשה בין פסח לעצרת עד ל"ג בעומר מפני שבאותו זמן מתו תלמידי ר' עקיבא אבל לארס ולקדש שפיר דמי ונשואין נמי מי שקפץ וכנס אין עונשין אותו: הגה מיהו מל"ג בעומר ואילך הכל שרי (אבודרהם וב"י ומנהגים):
(ב) נוהגים שלא להסתפר עד ל"ג לעומר שאומרים שאז פסקו מלמות ואין להסתפר עד יום ל"ד בבוקר אלא אם כן חל יום ל"ג ערב שבת שאז מסתפרים בו מפני כבוד השבת: הגה ובמדינות אלו אין נוהגין כדבריו אלא מסתפרין ביום ל"ג ומרבים בו קצת שמחה ואין אומרים בו תחנון (מהרי"ל ומנהגים) ואין להסתפר עד ל"ג בעצמו ולא מבערב (מהרי"ל) מיהו אם חל ביום א' נוהגין להסתפר ביום ו' לכבוד שבת (מהרי"ל) מי שהוא בעל) ברית או מל בנו מותר להסתפר בספירה לכבוד המילה (הגהות מנהגים):
(ג) יש נוהגים להסתפר בראש חדש אייר וטעות הוא בידם: הגה מיהו בהרבה מקומות נוהגין להסתפר עד ר"ח אייר ואותן לא יסתפרו מל"ג בעומר ואילך אף ע"פ שמותר להסתפר בל"ג בעומר בעצמו ואותן מקומות שנוהגים להסתפר מל"ג בעומר ואילך לא יסתפרו כלל אחר פסח עד ל"ג בעומר ולא ינהגו בעיר אחת מקצת מנהג זה ומקצת מנהג זה משום לא תתגודדו וכ"ש שאין לנהוג היתר בשתיהן (ד"ע):
(ד) נהגו הנשים שלא לעשות מלאכה מפסח ועד עצרת משקיעת החמה ואילך:
(1) It is customary not to get married between Pesach and Shavuot (the time of the Omer), until Lag BaOmer (the 33rd day), because during that time, the students of Rabbi Akiva died. However, to get engaged is OK. And if someone got married, fine. Rema: however, from Lag Ba'Omer onwards, all this is permitted.
(2) It is customary not to cut one's hair until Lag BaOmer, since it is said that that is when they stopped dying. One should not cut one's hair until the 34th day, in the morning, unless the 33rd day falls on Friday, in which case one may cut one's hair then, in honor of the Sabbath . Rema: But in these countries, we do not follow the custom he advocates; rather, we cut our hair on the 33rd day, and we rejoice a bit, and we do not say Tachanun. And one should only cut one's hair on the 33rd day itself, but not on its evening. A brit milah is different (some cut their hair).
(3) Some have the custom to cut their hair on Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, but this is a mistake. Rema: However, in many places, the custom is to cut their hair until Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, and they do not cut their hair from Lag BaOmer forward, even though it is permitted to cut one's hair on Lag BaOmer itself. But those places who have the custom to cut their hair from Lag BaOmer onwards, do not cut at all after Pesach until Lag BaOmer. All the more so, one may not follow both leniencies.
(4) Women have the custom not to do work from Pesach until Shavu'ot, from sunset onwards.
Shavuot is the time of the Giving of the Torah. In order to honor and elevate this day we count the days from the previous festival until it [arrives], like someone who is waiting for a loved one to arrive, who counts the days by the hours. This is the reason for counting the Omer from the day that we left Egypt until the day of the Giving of the Torah, as this was the ultimate purpose of leaving Egypt: “And I will bring them to Me” (Shemot 19:4).
...it is known that when Israel was in Egypt, they were sunken in 49 levels of impurity and The Blessed Holy One, in God's Great mercy and kindness, redeemed them from Egypt in order to bring them close, under the wings of The Holy Presence. Because of this, they were required to count 7 cleanings. Without counting the 7 cleanings, it would not be feasible to bring them close under the wings of The Holy Presence, as is known. And the explanation of the verse "You shall serve God", is that you will perform the 50 [countings] verbally. We find that there is a constant desire for the counting to be complete and for the closeness to be achieved. There is a constant desire to complete the days of counting. If it was feasible to complete the days of counting in one moment and immediately begin the closeness [with The Holy Presence], how good and pleasant it would be. We therefore find that it is not appropriate to say the blessing of Shehechiyanu on this [counting due to the desire for the counting to be over with so that we can be close with The Holy Presence].
Everything passes. Moments pass. Moments of crisis and moments of calm all pass.
Life is a force, it flows with breath and energy, desire and need, hunger and pain, peace and belonging, knowing and doubt. Like the wind, like the scorching summer, like the bitterness of coffee, like the orange of a late-day moon, like the radiance of trees in the spring, like the high-pitched cry of your firstborn baby, like the beauty of your youth like the whispers of midnight.
Everything passes.
And yet, the strength of your character, the nature of your relationships, and the depth of love in your life all linger in the air; like the transcendent energy that is neither created or destroyed.