Sefirat Ha'omer

When the Jewish people received the news from Moses of their imminent redemption and the forthcoming reception of the Torah from G-d at Mount Sinai, they were filled with such overwhelming excitement and anticipation that they could not help but start counting down the days in eager preparation for the glorious gift of the Holy Torah. In recognition of the Jewish people's affection and yearning for the Torah, G-d gave them a commandment called Sefirat Haomer, meaning "Counting the Omer." Like all commandments given by the Infinite G-d, we must delve deeper and try to understand the significance of this unique commandment. When the Jewish people were in Egypt, they sunk to the 49th level of impurity. They needed to dig themselves out to become a nation worthy of receiving G-d's Holy Torah. Thus, the Omer was a 49-day marathon to climb out of their state of impurity and advance higher on the spiritual ladder of life. Today, we count the Omer to follow in the ways of our ancestors and ascend on this spiritual voyage. Sefirat Ha'omer is a gift from G-d that allows us to transform ourselves in just 49 days, just like the Jews of old; as the Rebbe writes, "In the course of only seven weeks, a people which has been enslaved for 210 years to most depraved taskmasters were transformed into a "Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation," who witnessed the Divine Revelation at Sinai and received the Torah and Mitzvot from G-d Himself." The word Sefirah means to count and to shine. Through­out the 49 days of the Omer, G-d shines upon us with additional grace and energy to help elevate ourselves and prepare for receiving the Torah again this year on Sinai. Omer refers to a measurement of barely that was harvested and then offered on the altar in the temple, signifying the end of last year's grain and permission to begin eating this year's grain. This was done on the second night of Passover, the day we started counting the Sefirah, hence the name Sefirat Ha'omer.