Daily Living - Class #38
The Omer, Shavuot and modern Israeli holidays
By Rabbi Shraga Simmons
This class contains multi-media segments
that are available online.
© 2007 JewishPathways.com
1
Sefirat Ha'Omer
What is the Omer?
In the days of the Holy Temple, the Jewish people would bring a barley
offering on the second day of Passover (Leviticus 23:10). This was
called the "Omer" (literally, "sheaf") and in practical terms would
permit the consumption of recently-harvested grains.1
Starting on the second day of Passover, the Torah (Leviticus 23:15)
says it is a mitzvah every day to "count the Omer" – the 50 days
leading up to Shavuot.2 We were freed from Egypt only in order to
receive the Torah and to fulfill it; thus we count from the second day
of Pesach until the day that the Torah was given – to show how greatly
we desire the Torah.3
This is also an important period of growth and introspection, in
preparation for the holiday of Shavuot. Many people study one of the
"48 Ways to Wisdom" (Avot 6:6) each day as a means to personal and
spiritual growth. An excellent tape/essay collection is available by the
founder of Aish HaTorah, Rabbi Noah Weinberg.
Counting the Omer
The Omer is counted every evening after nightfall (approx. 30 minutes
after sunset), which is the start of the Jewish 'day.' (In the synagogue
it is counted toward the end of the Ma’ariv service.)
4
To properly 'count the Omer,' you must say both the number of days
and the weeks. For example, on day 33, "Today is 33 days, which is 4
weeks and 5 days of the Omer."5
1
2
3
4
Leviticus 23:14; Orach Chaim 489:10
Leviticus 23:15, with Rashi; Talmud - Menachot 65b
Sefer HaChinuch 306
Orach Chaim 489:1
2
The Omer may be counted with a blessing only if both of the following
conditions have been met:
1) you count the Omer during the evening,6 and
2) you have not missed counting any of the days so far7
If a person neglected to count the Omer one evening, he should count
the following daytime, but without a blessing.8 If one neglected to
count for an entire day and did not recall until the following evening,
he should continue counting on subsequent days – but without a
blessing.9
Restrictions During this Period
The Talmud tells us that Rabbi Akiva had 24,000 students who
tragically died during the Omer period, because they did not treat each
5
ibid
Orach Chaim 489:3
7
Orach Chaim 489:8
6
8
9
Orach Chaim 489:7
Orach Chaim 489:8
3
other with sufficient respect.10 Therefore, for the 33 days from
Passover until Lag B'Omer, we observe these signs of mourning:
1) no weddings11
2) not listening to instrumental music, either live or recorded
(vocal music is permitted)12
3) no haircuts or shaving, unless for business purposes
According to some customs, the 33-day mourning period begins a few
weeks later – on the first of Iyar, and ends on the third of Sivan.
13
Lag B'Omer
Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer ('Lag' has a numerical value of
33), marks the yahrtzeit of one of the greatest Talmudic sages, Rabbi
Shimon Bar Yochai. This is a day of great celebration, because
tradition says that on his death bed Rabbi Shimon revealed the secrets
of the Zohar, the primary book of Jewish mysticism (kabbalah).
For centuries, Lag B'Omer has been a day of pilgrimage to the tomb of
Rabbi Shimon in the Galilee town of Meiron. In one day, an estimated
250,000 Jews visit Meiron – dancing, praying, and celebrating the
wonderful spiritual gifts that Rabbi Shimon bequeathed to us. Jews
from around Israel light bonfires, to commemorate the great mystical
illuminations that Rabbi Shimon revealed.
10
11
12
13
Talmud - Yevamot 62b
Orach Chaim 493:1
Orach Chaim 493:2; Shu”t Igros Moshe (Orach Chaim 1:166); Kovetz Bet Aharon [Karlin] 65, pg. 108).
Orach Chaim 493:3
4
Modern Israeli Holidays
With the founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948, additional
days of commemoration fall out during the period of the Omer.
Holocaust Remembrance Day (Nissan 27)
This day honors the memory of the 6 million murdered in the
Holocaust. Jewish communities around the world hold memorial
ceremonies. We honor their memory by recalling their heroism in the
face of inhumanity, and by strengthening our own Judaism by
exploring the roots of anti-Semitism.
Israel Memorial Day (Iyar 4)
This day honors the memory of the Israeli soldiers who gave their lives
in defense of the Jewish people – a mitzvah of the highest order. In
Israel, memorial ceremonies are held at
the
various
military
cemeteries
throughout the country.
Israel Independence Day (Iyar 5)
This day commemorates the restoration
of a Jewish sovereign government in the
Land of Israel, after 2,000 years of exile.
We give thanks for the safe haven that
Israel provides, and the opportunity for
Jewish life to once again flourish in the
Holy land.
Yom Yerushalayim (Iyar 28)
This day commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six
Day War. We celebrate by remembering the significance of our Holy
City, which has stood as the capital of the Jewish nation for 3,000
years.
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Shavuot (Sivan 6)
It is ironic that Shavuot is such a little-known holiday. Because not
only is Shavuot one of the three major pilgrimage festivals, but it
commemorates the single most important event in Jewish history – the
giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. This Divine revelation indelibly
stamped the Jewish nation with a unique character, faith and destiny.
Indeed, the Torah ideals of monotheism and justice have become the
moral basis for Western civilization.
Shavuot is the culmination of the seven-week-long "counting of the
Omer" that occurs following Passover. The very name "Shavuot"
means "weeks," in recognition of the weeks of anticipation leading up
to the Sinai experience. (Since Shavuot occurs 50 days after the first
day of Passover, it is sometimes known as "Pentecost," a Greek word
meaning "the holiday of 50 days.")14
How to Celebrate
Perhaps the reason for the relative obscurity of Shavuot is because the
holiday has no obvious "symbols" of the day – i.e. no Shofar, no
Sukkah, no Chanukah Menorah.
So how do we commemorate Shavuot? It is a widespread custom to
stay up the entire night learning Torah. 15 Some people study a specific
text called Tikkun Leil Shavuot – "self-perfection on the night of
Shavuot."
At services on Shavuot morning, we read the Biblical book of Ruth.16
Ruth was a non-Jew whose love for God and Torah led her to convert
to Judaism. The Torah intimates that the souls of eventual converts
were also present at Sinai, as it says: "I am making [the covenant]
both with those here today before the Lord our God, and also with
those not here today." (Deut. 29:13)
14
Talmud - Shabbat 86-9; Sefer HaChinuch 306
15
Mishnah Berurah 494:1
Orach Chaim 490:9
16
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Ruth has a further connection to Shavuot, in that she became the
ancestor of King David, who was born on Shavuot, and died on
Shavuot.
On Shavuot, it is customary to decorate the synagogue with branches
and flowers.17 This is because Mount Sinai blossomed with flowers on
the day the Torah was given. Also, the Bible also associates Shavuot
with the harvest of wheat and fruits, and marks the bringing of the
first fruits to the Holy Temple as an expression of thanksgiving.18
There is a universal tradition of eating dairy foods on Shavuot. Many
sources for this have been suggested, such as the verse in Song of
Songs (4:11) which refers to Torah as: "It drips from your lips, like
honey and milk under your tongue." Others say that upon receiving
the Torah at Mount Sinai, the Jews became obligated in the laws of
shechita – slaughter of animals. Since they did not have time to
prepare kosher meat, they ate dairy instead.19
Tisha B’Av and the Three Weeks
During the heat of the summer, Jews commemorate a variety of
tragedies that befell our nation. This period, known as the Three
Weeks, begins with the Seventeenth of Tammuz, and continues until
Tisha B’Av.
20
The period includes two fast days, and a number of other restrictions.
All these laws are detailed in “Daily Living - Tisha B’Av and the Three
Weeks.”
17
18
19
20
Orach Chaim 494:3
see Exodus 23:16, 34:22, Numbers 28:26
Mishnah Berurah 494:12
Orach Chaim 551:2
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