Counting the Omer

On the second day of Pesach (Passover) the Torah commands us to bring a special offering of barley grain to the Beis HaMikdash (the Holy Temple). This offering is called the Omer. Since the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed we are not presently able to fulfill this mitzva.

From the day of the Omer offering we are required to count forty-nine days. The day after this counting is complete, the fiftieth day, is the holiday of Shavuot, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah to the Jews. The counting is done out loud at night with a blessing. If one forgot to count by night but remembered by day he should count immediately but he should not make the blessing. If a person missed an entire day he must still count the remaining days but he may not make a blessing.

Because the twenty-four thousand students of Rabbi Akiva (a Sage of the Talmud) died in a thirty-three day period during the time of the counting of the Omer we are required to follow certain practices of mourning for a thirty-three day period during this time. Thus we may not cut our hair, perform weddings, or listen to music during this period. This period of mourning ends on Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12 Yom HaShoa	13	14
15	16	17	18 Yom HaZikaron	19 Yom HaAtzmaut	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31	32	33 Lag BaOmer	34	35
36	37	38	39	40	41	42
43 Yom Yerushalaim	44	45	46	47	48	49
50 Shavuot

Click here to go back to the Jewish Festivals page.