And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering seven weeks; they shall be complete.      

- Parashat Emor                                          

An omer is a measurement of grain that the ancient Israelites were supposed to bring to the Temple on the second day of Pesah.  They were to bring this offering of grain for seven weeks - until the night before Shavuot.  On Shavuot, we celebrate the moment our ancestors received the Torah at Mount Sinai. While this counting ritual has its roots in ancient agricultural practices, it links Pesah with Shavuot, reminding us that our freedom from Egypt was not complete until we received the Torah. begining

Today, most of us know little to nothing about the ritual of counting the Omer (Sefirat Ha'Omer).  Traditionally, every night, beginning on the second night of Pesah, we are to recite the following blessing: Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.  Today is the nineteenth day of the Omer (number changes, obviously, every day), which is two weeks and five days of the Omer. If you were to look at a Jewish calendar, it tells you what day of the Omer it is and the appropriate blessing can be found in our siddur.

The idea of adhering to an ancient agricultural ritual of counting the days between Pesah and Shavuot might seem like a waste of time and energy.  But, if you actually allow yourself to try it - you'll realize the power of this biblically ordained practice.  Just like our ancestors who counted the Omer learned that freedom from Egypt meant nothing until Torah entered their lives, by counting the Omer, we learn that life means nothing until we start appreciating each day.  If you actually give yourself the time to count each and every one of the 49 days of the Omer period, you begin to realize the significance of each and every day.

Why not try it? 

Tonight, we count the 20th day of the Omer, which is two weeks and six days of the Omer.  But don't just count the day.  Answer these questions as you count - What is it that will make this 20th day so special?  What made today - the 19th day unique?  What have you done to make the world just a bit better today?  What is one thing you are thankful for as you live this day?  The Omer teaches us to look at each of our days individually - to appreciate each of them on their own.  The Omer teaches us that every day is special.  If we can't determine what made today special - we have not truly lived today.  We have wasted time.  Counting the Omer reminds us that time is too sacred to waste.Count your days.  Bless them.  Make them mean something.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Andrew Jacobs