בס''ד
What is Sefiras HaOmer?
In the Torah it says: "And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbos, from the day that you bring the omer [offering] that is raised, seven complete weeks there shall be until the morrow of the seventh week you shall count fifty days (Vayikra 23:15-16).
These Pasukim command us to count seven weeks from the time that the omer, the new barley offering, was brought in the Mishkan, from the 16th of Nissan. We begin our count on the second night of Pesach (the night of the second Seder) and continue until Shavuos, which is the fiftieth day after the offering.
We actually count forty-nine days, because the Rabbis had a tradition that the Torah's use of the word fifty meant until the fiftieth day.
It is a mitzvah for each individual to count the days of the omer by him or herself, for the Torah states: And you shall count for yourselves. This mitzvah is applicable today even though the Beis Hamikdash no longer stands and we no longer bring the omer offering.
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Although counting Sefiras HaOmer is technically a time bound mitzvah, and therefore women are not required to count, it is a special thing to count the omer. Who doesn't want something to look forward to! Maybe some cheese cake?
How to count?
The correct time for counting the Omer is at the beginning of the night, for the verse states that we are to count seven complete weeks and the count can be complete only if we commence when the sixteenth of Nissan begins.
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Since we commence counting the Omer at night, we continue to count at night throughout the entire forty-nine days.
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We first recite the evening prayers, for the mitzvah of Ma'ariv and of saying the Shema is obligatory every day and a mitzvah that is frequently obligatory takes precedence over a mitzvah that is performed less often.
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Immediately after the Amidah, we count the omer. If one forgot to count then, he may count throughout the night; and if he forgot to count at night, he may count during the day, but without the blessing.
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The best time to count Sefiras HaOmer is after Tzais HaKochavim, nightfall. You can check on Chabad.org/zmanim to find out what time you can count the Omer. Click here for today's count.
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If you forgot to count at night, you still can count all day, just omit the Bracha when counting by day.
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Preparation for Shavuos
As preparation for receiving the Torah we count Sefiras HaOmer.
But how is counting the days for seven complete weeks going to help us prepare for the receiving of the Torah?
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Our life is all about finding ways to work hard and to grow. We want to work and grow in our service of Hashem and become a better person each day.
Each day of the Sefiras HaOmer we work on one Midda to better ourselves. But what are these Middos and how?
Each of the seven weeks of the Omer connects one of the seven Middos - character traits known as a Sefiros. They are Chessed, Gevurah, Teferes, Netzach, Hod, Yessod, and Malchus. Each of days of the Sefiras HaOmer helps us perfect these character traits.
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In addition to saying Sefiras HaOmer daily, we are having our first ever Sefiras HaOmer Challenge. For more information and to see the prizes - click the challenge tab at the top of the site.