The Laws of Counting the Omer / The Mitzva and its Meaning

Starting from the night of the omer harvest, there is a mitzva to count 49 days, which are seven weeks. This is known assefirat ha-omer, counting the omer.**The omer harvest took place on the sixteenth of Nisan, the night after the first day of Pesaḥ. That night, they would go out to the fields and harvest barley, bring them to the Temple courtyard, thresh them, winnow them, separate out the chaff, roast the grains, grind them well, produce a tenth of an eifa of flour, sift it through thirteen sieves, mix it with a log of oil, and place a kometz(handful) of frankincense on it. The next day, part of the mixture would be offered on the altar. First, a kohen would wave it; then he would separate a kometz from the mixture and burn it on the altar. After the kometz was burned up, everyone was permitted to eat from the newly harvested grain.

Unlike other festivals, Shavu’ot does not have a calendar date. Whereas Pesaḥ begins on the fifteenth of Nisan and Sukkot on the fifteenth of Tishrei, Shavu’ot’s date is determined by the omer count: the festival begins after the seven-week count is completed, which is why it is called Ḥag Ha-shavu’ot – the Festival of Weeks. This is the meaning of the verse: “You shall count off seven weeks; start to count seven weeks from when the sickle is first put to the standing grain, and then you shall observe the Festival of Weeks for the Lord your God” (Devarim 16:9-10). It also says: And from the day on which you bring the sheaf (omer)**of elevation offering – the day after the “Shabbat” – you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: You must count until the day after the seventh week – fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord. (Vayikra 23:15-16)

This mitzva is not incumbent upon the beit din alone; rather, every Jew is commanded to count 49 days. The mitzva is to verbalize the count. There is a general principle that applies to mitzvot that require speech-acts: “Shome’a ke-oneh” (“One who hears is as one who responds”). Thus, for example, one can fulfill the mitzva of remembering Amalek by hearing a public reading of Parashat Zakhor, and one can fulfill his obligation to recite a berakha over the counting of the omer by hearing the berakhaof the ḥazan. With regard to the actual counting, however, several poskim maintain that each person must verbalize the count, as it says, “u-sefartemlakhem” – literally,**“count for yourselves” (Levush, Ḥok Yaakov). Although others maintain that the status of sefirat ha-omeris identical to that of other mitzvotthat require speech-acts, and consequently that one may discharge his obligation by hearing someone else count (Pri Ḥadash, Birkei Yosef), nevertheless, le-khatḥila, to satisfy all opinions, each person must verbalize the count (see MB 489:5 and BHL s.v. “u-mitzva”).

This mitzva is rooted in the very beginning of our emergence as a nation. The Sages explain that Israel had sunk to the depths of the forty-ninth level of impurity during their bondage in Egypt and were therefore unworthy of receiving the Torah. God waited seven weeks for them to purge themselves of the defilement of Egypt and enter a pure state, in which they could receive the Torah (based on Zohar, Emor 97). Counting the omeralso expresses our anticipation for the giving of the Torah. A midrash relates that when Moshe announced to Israel that after leaving Egypt they would worship God at Mount Sinai and receive the Torah, they asked him, “When will this take place?” Moshe answered, “After fifty days.” Then, due to their great love for God, they counted every day, saying, “One day has passed,” “two days have passed,” and so on, every day. Because of their love and anticipation for the Torah, it seemed like a long time to them (Shibolei Ha-leket §236).

Sefirat ha-omer expresses our longing and anticipation of that great day when God gave us the Torah. By doing so, we undergo a process of purification with respect to all 49 levels of which man is constituted. The purer and cleaner one becomes, the more he will be able to absorb the Torah’s light. Thus, every year, we count the omer in preparation for receiving the Torah (see the end of section 3 below).

The Laws of Counting the Omer / The Process of Ascension from Nationalism to Spirituality

By counting the omer, we draw a line that ascends continuously from Pesaḥ to Shavu’ot. The festival of Pesaḥ represents Israel’s national aspect: the Exodus revealed Israel’s uniqueness, in that God chose us from among all the other nations despite the fact that we were mired in 49 levels of impurity. The festival of Shavu’ot, however, represents Israel’s spiritual aspect, because that is when we reached the spiritual pinnacle of receiving the Torah. On Pesaḥ, we began the process of liberation from the yoke of Egypt, while on Shavu’ot we became completely liberated from the yoke of human perceptions and impulses by receiving the divine Torah, which makes all who engage in it truly free (m. Avot 6:2).

Let us present another dimension of this ascent. On Pesaḥ, the simple, natural faith that is hidden in the soul of every Jew, and which was preserved even during the years of Egyptian bondage, is revealed. On Shavu’ot, however, we rise to a more sophisticated form of faith, one that is clarified and expanded by the Torah. Natural faith is very powerful – indeed, it is the very foundation of life – but it cannot give direction to life or improve it. Through the Torah and the mitzvot, we are able to link all aspects of our lives – intellectual, emotional, and practical – to faith.

Thus, by counting the omer we gradually elevate ourselves in two ways: from nationalism to spirituality and from natural faith to a sophisticated faith based on Torah and mitzvot.

It is impossible to reach Shavu’ot without Pesaḥ. Only by recognizing Israel’s uniqueness can we rise to be worthy of the Torah. Only once we realize that Israel is the chosen nation, as the Exodus demonstrated, can we receive the Torah. As we say in the berakha over the Torah, “Blessed are You, Lord…Who chose us from among all the nations” and only then “gave us His Torah.” Similarly, it is impossible to grasp complex, developed, cognitive faith without first discovering simple, natural faith. Therefore, it is very important to connect the festival of Pesaḥ to the festival of Shavu’ot. Counting the omer is the link and the ladder that connects these two festivals.¹ of elevation offering” (Vayikra 23:15). The omer offering is unique in that it is made from barley, an animal food, which represents the material, national aspect of Israel. Before we received the Torah and attained knowledge of God, we were like mindless animals. When we finish counting fifty days, we receive the Torah and reach a lofty spiritual state, then, “You shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord” (ibid. 23:16). Similarly, matza is called the “bread of affliction,” and the Zohar teaches that it is bread of faith, that is, natural faith. The offering of new grain brought on Shavu’ot is made of leavened wheat; it is rich and developed, alluding to the complete revelation of divinity in every aspect of this world. On Pesaḥ, the revelation of natural faith occurs through limitation: the restriction against leavened bread. On Shavu’ot, however, it occurs through expansion (see Orot Yisrael 8:1). * *Perhaps we can say that this is the basis of the dispute about whether sefirat ha-omer nowadays is mandated by Torah law or rabbinically (below, section 4). If the purpose of counting is to rise from simple faith to sophisticated faith through Torah study, then it is mandated by Torah law even today. But if the purpose is to elevate us from a revelation of faith by way of limitation and abstinence, which expresses itself in the prohibition of ḥametzon Pesaḥ (see Peninei Halakha: Pesaḥ 1:5-6), to a level of faith that reveals itself in all areas of life – in the physical world with all its pleasures – then it requires the existence of the Temple, which connects heaven and earth. Therefore, as long as we are unable to bring the omer offering, which represents material forces and from which we can rise to the point where we may bring the “new” offering of two loaves, it is impossible for us to express faith in every aspect of life. Therefore, sefirat ha-omeris of rabbinic provenance only.

footnotes: ¹ There is an allusion to this idea in the fact that we are commanded to count “from the day on which you bring the omer

The Laws of Counting the Omer / The Formula for Counting the Omer

Before counting the omer, one recites the following berakha: “Barukh ata Hashem Elokeinu Melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu al sefirat ha-omer (“Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His mitzvotand commanded us concerning the counting of the omer”). Both the berakha and the count are optimally recited while standing, but if one recited them while seated, he has nonetheless fulfilled his obligation (SA 489:1).²)” (Devarim 16:9). The Rishonim explain: Do not read the word as ba-kama but as ba-koma, meaning “while standing.” Sefer Ha-eshkol (Hilkhot Pesaḥ 159:1) states that we do not recite the berakhaof She-heḥeyanu on sefirat ha-omer because we count in anticipation of Shavu’ot, and the berakhaof She-heḥeyanu recited on Shavu’ot covers sefirat ha-omer as well. Maharil suggests that it is because sefirat ha-omer is only a preliminary mitzva that culminates in Shavu’ot. Radbaz 4:256, Maharsham 1:213, and Rav Pe’alim OḤ 3:32 offer these reasons as well. Maharil adds that we are concerned that one may forget to count one day and forfeit the entire count, rendering his initial recitation of She-heḥeyanu a berakhain vain. Kol Bo §145 explains that we omit the berakha because the mitzva is only rabbinic nowadays. Rashba writes (Responsa Rashba1:126) that one only recites She-heḥeyanu if the mitzva gives one pleasure. We take the lulav to express joy; we blow the shofar as a remembrance; but sefirat ha-omer is merely a preparatory act, which provides no pleasure. Furthermore, sefirat ha-omertoday has taken on an additional role as a mournful commemoration of the Temple’s destruction. Rabbeinu Yeruḥam provides the same reason, quoting Ha-ma’or.

footnotes: ² The Rishonim find an indirect support for this law in the verse, “From when the sickle is first put to the standing grain (ba-kama

There are two components to the count: the days and the weeks, as the Torah says: And from the day on which you bring the omerof elevation offering – the day after the “Shabbat” – you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: You must count until the day after the seventh week – fifty days. (Vayikra 23:15-16)

Therefore, one must mention the tally of both days and weeks when counting the omer (Menaḥot 61a). For example, on the seventh day one says: “Ha-yom shiva yamim, she-hem shavu’a eḥad”**(“Today is day seven, making one week”). On the fourteenth day, one says: “Ha-yom arba’ah asar yom, she-hem shnei shavu’ot” (“Today is day fourteen, making two weeks”). We mention the number of days and weeks even in the middle of a week. For example, on the tenth day one says: “Ha-yom asara yamim, she-hem shavu’a eḥad ve-shlosha yamim” (“Today is day ten, making one week and three days”).³ and other Rishonim, one need count only the days and therefore say, “Today is day eight.” R. Ephraim maintains that one must count only the weeks and say, “Today is week one, day one.” According to Rif, Rambam, and Rosh, one tallies both days and weeks every day, and that is our practice, as SA 489:1 states. Be-di’avad, if one forgot to count the days on a day that completes a week, he has not fulfilled his obligation, and he must count again with a berakha. If he forgot to rectify his mistake that day, he counts each day from then on without a berakha. If one forgot to count the weeks on a day that completes a week, some maintain that he has fulfilled his obligation be-di’avad, while others maintain that he has not. In the middle of a week, however, such as on the eighth day, if one says merely, “Today is day eight,” he has fulfilled his obligation be-di’avad. If he says only, “Today is week one, day one,” some maintain that he has fulfilled his obligation. In all of these scenarios, one should count again properly without a berakha. However, if one failed to correct his error on that day, he may count the next day with a berakha (based on MB 489:7, SHT *ad loc.*9, 19, and section 8 below).

footnotes: ³ At the completion of every week, one must mention the number of days and weeks, e.g., “Today is day seven, making one week.” There is a dispute, however, regarding the middle of each week, such as on the eighth day. According to Ha-ma’or

There are several versions of the formula for sefirat ha-omer. Some say la-omer (lit. “to the omer”) while others say ba-omer (lit. “of the omer”). Some say it in the middle of the formula (“Today is day fourteen of/to the omer, making two weeks”), while some say it at the end (“Today is day fourteen, making two weeks, of/to the omer.” One fulfills his obligation no matter which version he uses. It is customary to add the Le-shem Yiḥud (“For the sake of the unification”) paragraph before counting, as well as various other prayers afterward, but one is not obligated to do so. The primary observance is the actual counting and the preceding berakha.

The number seven indicates the complete manifestation of something, as the world was created in seven days. Indeed, every physical entity has six sides – four lateral sides, a top, and a bottom – as well as a seventh aspect: its essence. Man has seven facets as well, which is why it takes seven days to go from a state of defilement to a state of purity. For seven days, one prepares every facet of selfhood to rise from the defilement to purity.

The same is true of purification for sacred endeavors in this world, like eating teruma and sacrificial foods and a woman’s purification for her husband. However, receiving the divine Torah, whose lofty status belongs to the supernal worlds, requires a much deeper count: seven weeks instead of seven days. In this count, each of the seven numbers is manifested through all seven of its facets. Thus, our purification to receive the Torah is complete. Every aspect of our character undergoes refinement and expresses its yearning and anticipation for receiving the Torah.

The Laws of Counting the Omer / The Mitzva’s Status after the Temple’s Destruction

A fundamental question about sefirat ha-omer is whether the mitzva is mandated by Torah law or rabbinical enactment while the Temple no longer stands. The Torah says, “And from the day on which you bring the omerof elevation offering – the day after the “Shabbat” – you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete”**(Vayikra 23:15).

According to Rosh, Ran, and many other Rishonim, the Torah commandment to count the omer applies only when the omer offering is brought on the sixteenth of Nisan in the Temple. Today, however, when we do not bring this offering, the mitzva is only mandated rabbinically. The Sages enacted that we continue performing this mitzva in commemoration of the sefirat ha-omerthat was practiced in the time of the Temple. For this reason, right after counting, we customarily recite a short prayer for the rebuilding of the Temple. After all, when the Temple is rebuilt, we will once again be fulfilling a Torah commandment by performing this mitzva, not merely a rabbinic decree.

However, Rambam and Raavya maintain that the omer offering is mentioned in the verse only to teach us the date on which we begin to count the omer. It is not a necessary condition for the fulfillment of the mitzva. Therefore, the Torah commandment of sefirat ha-omerapplies even today, when the Temple is in ruins and we are unable to bring the omer offering.

The practical ramifications of this dispute concerns situations of uncertainty. For example, if one counts during bein ha-shmashot(twilight, between shki’a and tzeit) it is questionable whether he fulfills the mitzva of sefirat ha-omer. If we consider bein ha-shmashot day, he does not fulfill his obligation, because the time for the next day’s count did not yet arrive. If we consider it night, however, he fulfills his obligation. Shulḥan Arukh (489:2) and the majority of poskim maintain that one who counts during bein ha-shmashot fulfills his obligation, because, in their opinion, sefirat ha-omer is a rabbinic mitzva nowadays, and we rule leniently in cases of uncertainty about a rabbinic law. However, many Aḥaronim write that it is proper to act strictly and count again, without a berakha, after tzeit, in order to fulfill the mitzva even according to those who maintain that sefirat ha-omer is a Torah commandment nowadays, and thus one must act strictly in cases of uncertainty (Eliya Rabba; MB 489:15; BHL 489:1, s.v. “lispor ha-omer”).

The Laws of Counting the Omer / When to Count

We begin to count the omer on the night of the sixteenth of Nisan, as it says, “You shall count off seven weeks; start to count seven weeks from when the sickle is first put to the standing grain” (Devarim 16:9-10). “From when the sickle is first put to the standing grain” refers to the omerharvest, so called because the first harvest of the yearly produce is designated for the omer offering. The omer harvest took place on the night after the first day of Pesaḥ, which is the sixteenth of Nisan. As a result, that is when we begin to count the omer.

One must count at night, because the Torah says regarding sefirat ha-omer, “seven weeks; they must be complete” (Vayikra 23:15), meaning that the weeks must be whole. On the Hebrew calendar, a full day consists of night followed by day, so in order to include all the nights and days of seven complete weeks, we must start counting on the night of the sixteenth of Nisan (Menaḥot 66a). So that the count covers all the hours of the day, it is a mitzva to count early, at the beginning of the night. We are especially meticulous on the first night, so that the count will cover every hour of the seven weeks. Nonetheless, we enhance the mitzva by counting at the beginning of the night on every night, so that each day’s count will be whole, covering an entire 24-hour day.

Even though it is a mitzva to count at the beginning of the night, one is not obligated to do so. Therefore, one who is about to pray Ma’ariv must do so before sefirat ha-omer, due to the principle that more frequent mitzvot take precedence over less frequent ones. The mitzvot of reciting the Shema and praying Ma’ariv apply all year round, making them more frequent than sefirat ha-omer (Ḥok Ya’akov; see BHL 489:1, s.v. “aḥar”).⁴, “The zealous perform mitzvot promptly.” According to Tosafot and Rosh, it is better to count at the beginning of the night, because then the count is more complete. SA 489:1 rules that one should count at the beginning of the night. MB 489:2 and Kaf Ha-ḥayim 489:12 agree. Nevertheless, we pray Ma’ariv first, because the mitzvot of reciting the Shema and the Amida are more frequent (Ḥok Ya’akov). However, Mor U-ketzi’a maintains that one should count first, because the proper time for counting is the very beginning of the night, whereas Shema and the Amida can be delayed, le-khatḥila, for a half-hour. In practice, we count after Ma’ariv (BHL 489:1), because counting at the beginning of the night is not obligatory, merely a way of going above and beyond; as long as one counts at night, he fulfills the obligation of “temimot” (they must be complete). Therefore, we give precedence to Shema and the Amida, which are more frequent. In order to avoid delaying the count, many poskim suggest that one count immediately after Kaddish Titkabel following the Amida, and before Aleinu, which is an additional prayer. This is found in MB 489:2 and Nehar Mitzrayim, and most follow this custom, including all Ashkenazim and those of North African descent. Nonetheless, many who follow Sephardi custom count after Aleinu, in order to first finish everything that is usually said in the Ma’ariv service.

footnotes: ⁴ It seems that according to Rambam and Ran, it makes no difference when in the night one counts. However, the Sages say regarding all mitzvot

The Laws of Counting the Omer / Until When May One Count?

If one regularly prays Ma’ariv at a late hour all year round, it is best that he count after praying at his regular time. If he counts by himself at the beginning of the night, he is liable to make a mistake or forget altogether. Moreover, there is an advantage to performing the mitzva together with the congregation.

However, if one is preoccupied and cannot pray Ma’ariv with a minyan after tzeit, and he intends instead to pray by himself later on, he should preferably count the omer right after tzeit, in order to fulfill the mitzva as soon as possible. Furthermore, there is reason to suspect that he might forget to count after he prays Ma’ariv by himself.⁵, there is reason to suspect that he might forget to count on his own at the beginning of the night. Then, when the congregation counts, he will think that he has already counted and will thus miss a day. There is also concern that he will forget that he already counted and will thus count again, reciting a berakha le-vatala. Furthermore, there is merit in counting with a minyan, as Shlah states. There is no reason to elaborate on the issue of eating before sefirat ha-omer, because one may not eat before Ma’arivin any case. Therefore, if it is permissible to eat before prayers – when there is something to remind him to pray, as I explain in Peninei Halakha: Prayer 25:9 – it is also permissible to eat before sefirat ha-omer.

footnotes: ⁵ If one is accustomed to praying later with a minyan

There is a dispute among the Rishonim whether one who forgets to count at night can rectify his error by counting during the day. The Torah teaches us that the time for sefirat ha-omer depends on the time of the omer harvest, as it says, “start to count seven weeks from when the sickle is first put to the standing grain” (Devarim 16:9-10). According to Behag, the halakha follows the opinion cited in Menaḥot 71a that if the harvester fails to reap the omer at night, he may, be-di’avad, reap the next day. Likewise, the same is true of sefirat ha-omer: if one forgets to count at night, he may, be-di’avad, count the next day. Rabbeinu Tam, however, maintains that the halakha follows the opinion stated in Megilla (20b, 21a) that the mitzva of harvesting the omer applies only at night. Therefore, one who forgets to count at night cannot fulfill his missed obligation by counting the next day. In practice, the accepted halakha is that one who forgets to count at night should count during the day without a berakha. On one hand, we give credence to the opinion that one may count during the day. However, we omit the berakha in order to avoid reciting a possible berakha le-vatala (SA 489:7). Each subsequent night, he may count with a berakha (Terumat Ha-deshen, MB 489:34).

The Laws of Counting the Omer / One Who Forgets to Count an Entire Day

The Rishonim debate the nature of the mitzva to count the omer. According to Behag, it is one long mitzva that extends from Pesaḥ to Shavu’ot, as it says, “Seven weeks; they must be complete” (Vayikra 23:15). Therefore, one who forgets to count one day forfeits the mitzva and may not continue counting thereafter. However, most poskim maintain that each night’s count is a separate mitzva. Hence, one who forgets to count one day forfeits only that day’s mitzva, and he must continue counting the next day, with a berakha (Tosafot, Rosh, Ritva, and others).

In practice, the poskim determined that even if one forgets to count an entire day, he must continue counting thereafter, in accordance with the majority opinion that each day’s mitzva stands alone. However, he must count without a berakha, in deference to the opinion that the entire count is one mitzva, and by missing a day he forfeits the whole mitzva. Thus, in order to avoid reciting a possible berakha le-vatala, he counts each subsequent day without a berakha (SA 489:8).

In order to avoid forfeiting the berakhaentirely, one who misses a day must have in mind to fulfill his obligation by hearing the ḥazan’s berakha.⁶, one who forgets to count one day forfeits the mitzva, because his count is not “complete.” R. Saadia Gaon maintains that only one who forgets to count the first day forfeits the mitzva, while one who skips any other day may continue counting with a berakha. Tosafot (Menaḥot 66a) state that Behag’s opinion is puzzling, claiming instead that every day is a separate mitzva. This is also the opinion of Ri, Rosh, Ritva, and others. According to Tur, R. Hai Gaon also agrees. In addition, Ritz Gi’at writes in the name of R. Hai Gaon that one who misses a day should count the appropriate number the next day and then make up for the missed count by adding, “And yesterday was such-and-such.” In practice, we take Behag’s opinion into account, and thus one who forgets to count one day continues counting without a berakha (SA 489:8). However, some Aḥaronim ruled like the majority of Ge’onim and Rishonim that one who forgets can continue counting with a berakha. This opinion is found in She’arim Metzuyanim Ba-halakha 120:7. Still, as mentioned above, most Aḥaronim maintain that one should continue counting without a berakha. One might ask: According to Behag, why do we recite a berakha every day? We are forced to answer that even Behagwould admit that each day constitutes a separate mitzva. It is merely that skipping a day mars the “completeness” of what he counts, making it impossible to continue counting. Ḥida writes (Avodat Ha-kodesh 7:217) that if one knows in advance that he will miss a day – due to some uncontrollable circumstance – he should omit the berakha from the start, because, according to Behag, all of his berakhot will be in vain. Most poskim, however, rule that even in such a situation, one should count with a berakha until that day, because even Behag (with whom the vast majority of Rishonim disagree) maintains that the berakhot made prior to the omission were not recited in vain (Kin’at Sofrim, Rav Pe’alim OḤ 3:32). This cannot be compared to the seven-day count of a zava (a woman who is ritually impure due to bodily emissions) who, as Tosafot explain, does not recite a berakha because if she sees new blood then her count is nullified, thus invalidating the entire count. The difference is that even if one forgets to count one day, the count continues and Shavu’ot still arrives on the fiftieth day. Therefore, all the days that he counted without interruption were counted properly, and the berakhot that he recited were warranted. Only after missing a day, when the person himself will no longer be able to count successively, does Behag maintain that the berakha should be omitted because the count is no longer “complete.” One who forgot to count a day and needs to serve as ḥazan (because he is observing a yahrtzeit, for example) should ask someone else to recite the berakha and count out loud, even though this will cause him discomfort, as everyone will realize that he missed a day. Others claim that in order to avoid embarrassment, one may rely on the majority of poskim who maintain that even one who forgets a day must count and may even recite the berakha on behalf of others.

footnotes: ⁶ According to Behag

This halakha demonstrates the tension that accompanies sefirat ha-omer. After all, one who skips a day breaks, in some respects, the chain connecting Pesaḥ to Shavu’ot and forfeits the berakha. It is very important to connect Pesaḥ, which represents holy Jewish nationalism, with Shavu’ot, when we received the Torah, because Torah cannot exist without the Jewish people, and the Jewish people cannot exist without Torah.

The Laws of Counting the Omer / Counting with a Berakha in Cases of Uncertainty

One who is uncertain whether he neglected to count one day may continue counting with a berakha, because we only defer to the opinion that one cannot continue counting with a berakha when one is certain that he missed a day.

Similarly, one who forgets to count at night but remembers and counts during the course of the day must count with a berakha on all subsequent nights. Even though some maintain that one does not discharge one’s obligation by counting during the day, we follow those who maintain that, be-di’avad, one who counts during the day fulfills the mitzva.⁷ 1:37 states that even though we customarily follow Behag’s opinion, that is true only when one is certain that he forgot to count. In a case of uncertainty, however, we follow the viewpoint of the majority of poskim. The reasoning is that some authorities maintain that sefirat ha-omer is a Torah obligation. Therefore, when an uncertainty arises, one must be stringent; he must continue to count, and do so with a berakha. (Terumat Ha-deshen adds another rationale: Reciting a berakha le-vatala is only a rabbinic prohibition. However, even SA, who in 215:4 leans toward the opinion that reciting a berakha le-vatala is forbidden by Torah law, rules here in 489:8 in accordance with Terumat Ha-deshen’s opinion.) According to most poskim, even if one remembers to count only during bein ha-shmashot, he may count the remaining nights with a berakha, even though it is doubly uncertain that he has fulfilled his obligation in such a case: First, some authorities maintain that counting during the day is invalid. Second, even if we maintain that one indeed discharges his obligation by counting during the day, it is uncertain whether bein ha-shmashot is part of the day or the beginning of the following night. Nevertheless, since it is not certain that one missed a day in such a case, he can rely on the majority of poskim who maintain that each day is a separate mitzva and continue counting with a berakha. Furthermore, according to Rabbeinu Tam, we define bein ha-shmashot unquestionably as daytime, and SA 261:2 rules this way as well. Though we do not follow this ruling in practice, we may invoke it in a case of uncertainty in order to rule leniently. Some rule stringently, such as Kaf Ha-ḥayim 489:83, but as we stated above, most poskim maintain that one who counts during bein ha-shmashot may continue counting with a berakha. This is also the position of Sho’el U-meishiv, Yabi’a Omer, OḤ 4:43, and Hilkhot Ḥag Be-ḥag 6:7.

footnotes: ⁷ Terumat Ha-deshen

The status of a young boy who becomes a bar mitzva during the omer period is uncertain. Some poskim maintain that even if the boy takes care to count every day, he cannot continue counting with a berakha, because the days he counted before becoming a bar mitzva are not considered one continuum with the days he counts after reaching adulthood. According to most poskim, however, if the boy takes care to count every day before becoming a bar mitzva, his counting is considered complete, and he may continue counting with a berakha. This is the prevalent custom.⁸, Ḥidushei Ha-Rim, Yabi’a Omer 3:28, and others state that the boy may not continue counting with a berakha after he becomes a bar mitzva. However, most poskim – including Ktav Sofer §99, AHS 489:15, Kaf Ha-ḥayim §94, Har Zvi 2:76, and Or Le-Tziyon 1:95 – maintain that he may continue counting with a berakha, and this is the prevalent custom. They provide several reasons for this. Since even a young boy must count the omerdue to the mitzva of ḥinukh (educating one’s children in Torah and mitzvot), his previous counting is significant and can be viewed on the same continuum as his post-bar mitzva counting. Moreover, even after he becomes a bar mitzva, he will still be obligated to count, at the very least, to fulfill the mitzva of ḥinukh. Furthermore, since he has passed the age of twelve, he is considered mufla samukh le-ish (a youth close to adulthood), whose oaths are binding by Torah law. Since he regularly counted the omer, it is as if he took an oath to count, and he is thereby obligated to do so by Torah law. Regarding the “completeness” of the count, since he actually counted, it should certainly be considered complete, even though he wasn’t originally obligated to the same degree that he is now. Even if it is uncertain whether his counting as a minor is significant enough, we already learned that whenever there is an uncertainty, one may continue counting with a berakha.

footnotes: ⁸ Birkei Yosef

One who converts to Judaism during the omerperiod counts without a berakha, because he did not count at all before his conversion.

The Laws of Counting the Omer / Women and Sefirat ha-Omer

Based on the well-known rule that women are exempt from positive time-bound mitzvot, women are exempt from the mitzva of sefirat ha-omer, as it is dependent on time (see Peninei Halakha:Women’s Prayer, ch. 3, for the reason for this rule).

However, a woman who wants to perform this mitzva may do so, and she is credited for doing the mitzva. We likewise find that women customarily hear the shofar on Rosh Ha-shana and shake a lulav and sit in the sukka on Sukkot.

However, the poskim debate the issue of the berakha. According to Shulḥan Arukh (589:6), women do not recite berakhot over such mitzvot, and this is the prevalent custom among most Sephardic women. The Ashkenazic custom follows Rema, who maintains that women who perform time-bound mitzvot may recite the berakha (see Peninei Halakha:Women’s Prayer2:8). However, some Ashkenazic poskim rule that women should not recite a berakha when they count the omer because they do not pray Ma’ariv in the synagogue and are therefore more likely to miss a day. As we learned above, one who forgets to count a day may not continue counting with a berakha, and perhaps a particular woman will not realize that she forgot to count and will continue counting with a berakha (MB 489:3). Others say that women should not count the omer for kabbalistic reasons (Rav Pe’alim vol. 1, Sod Yesharim§12). On the other hand, still others claim that the Ashkenazic custom is for women to count (MA 489:1).

Therefore, a woman who knows that she can successfully complete the entire count, and knows to continue counting without a berakhaeven if she misses a day, may count with a berakha according to Ashkenazic practice. This is especially true for a woman who prays Ma’ariv every evening or whose family members are in the habit of reminding her to count. According to Ashkenazic custom, she may count with a berakha if she desires, because the chances that she will forget to count are relatively slim.

The Laws of Counting the Omer / Specific Laws Regarding the Mitzva of Sefirat ha-Omer

If, at a time when it is permissible to count, one’s friend asks him, “What is today’s omer count?” one should not answer, “Today is day such-and-such of the omer,” unless he has already counted with a berakha. If he says this, he will fulfill his obligation to count and will no longer be permitted to recite a berakha over that day’s count. Instead, one should answer, “Yesterday was such-and-such of the omer” (SA 489:4).

If one tells his friend which day of the omer it is while maintaining the specific intent not to fulfill his obligation, he may count later on with a berakha. If the day’s count is made up of both days and weeks (i.e., after the sixth day) and one tells his friend the number of days without mentioning the weeks, he may count later on, be-di’avad, with a berakha. Since he did not count in the normal fashion, mentioning both the days and the weeks, he has made it clear that he did not intend to discharge his obligation to fulfill the mitzva with this response (MB 489:22).

Before reciting the berakha, one should remind himself mentally what day of the omer it is (see SA 489:6, SHT *ad loc.*37). If, for example, one in uncertain whether it is the ninth day or the tenth day, and there is no one available to ask, he should say both numbers, thus fulfilling his obligation either way. However, the poskim debate whether one should recite the berakha in such a case. Some say that one may recite a berakha only over a clear and definite count. Others maintain that one may recite a berakha over a questionable count, because it is certain that one of the numbers is correct (see Piskei Teshuvot 489:17). In practice, one should not recite the berakha in such a case, since there is an uncertainty regarding the matter.