Rabbi Jaffe is the rabbi of the Maimonides Kehillah and has been the treasurer of KVH Kosher and a member of the Rabbinical Council of New England for more than a dozen years.
The Mitzvah
When the Temple stood, Jews were commanded to count 49 days from the second night of Pesach (the night after the Seder) until the holiday of Shavuot (Vayikra 23:15, Devarim 16:9).
There are differing views as to the nature of the Mitzvah when there is no Temple. According to some opinions, Sefirah is a Rabbinic Mitzvah established in order to remember the Beit Ha-Mikdash (Menachot 66a). Rambam is of the view that the Mitzvah is still Biblically in-effect even when there is no Temple (Ran to Rif Psachim 28a).
We observe a series of mourning practices during the Omer period. Rabbi Soloveitchik noted that these are a consequence of the Mitzvah being a reminder of the destroyed Temple, Other reasons are also given for the mourning, such as the tragedies of the first crusade, and the death of Rebbi Akiva’s students (Aruch HaShulchan 493:1).
This Mitzvah is ideally performed standing, just like the rest of the practices associated with Temple service (Rambam 7:22). Some offer a Kabbalistic reason for why the Omer is counted standing (AHS 489:4).
Because the count recalls the missing Temple, we pray for the rebuilding of the Temple immediately after we count the Omer (Tosafot Megilah 20b)
Nachmanides (Kiddushin 33b) obligates women in this Mitzvah like men, as it is not a time-bound Mitzvah, since it is linked to the Omer sacrifice and not to any date in the calendar (see also Magen Avraham 489:1). Most authorities believe it is a time-bound Mitzvah; however, like any time bound positive commandment, women are still encouraged to perform this Mitzvah as a way to come closer to G-d. Ashkenazic women recite a blessing upon the performance of this Mitzvah, like any time bound positive commandment (AHS 489:4).
The Mitzvah applies to each individual, and not just the court or leaders of the Jewish people. The Torah commands: “and you should all count for yourselves” and not just in the singular admonishing the court or leaders “count for yourself.” (Menachot 65b)
Wording of the Mitzvah
Before performing the Mitzvah, one recites a blessing ending in the words “Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.”
In synagogue, a Jew who is not reciting a blessing should listen to the blessing of the Chazan and recite Amen so that the Chazzan’s blessing will apply to their count. One reciting their own blessing cannot say Amen to the Chazzan’s blessing as doing so makes one’s own blessing redundant. Therefore, Rabbi Soloveitchik taught that they should recite the blessing with the Chazzan out loud or in an undertone. Others add “Baruch Hu U-baruch Shemo” during the blessing of the Chazzan as an alternative.
When the Temple stood, the Jews counted 49 days and also 7 weeks between the two holidays. Since today the Mitzvah only recalls what happened in the times of the Temple, some require only counting the days. One should ideally count both (Menachot 66a).
One counts the days saying “Ha- Yom,” today, is a certain number of days and weeks since the Omer. Some conclude the count with “La Omer” from the Omer sacrifice, and others conclude with “Ba-Omer” in the Omer time-period. La-Omer is preferred (AHS 489:9).
One should understand the language one counts in. One may count in English; if one does not understand the Hebrew words, this would be preferable over counting in Hebrew (MA 489:2).
Some recite Psalm 67, which has 49 words, after counting. Others say that this Psalm refers to the 49 Shemittah and Yovel years and therefore do not recite it after Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Some add various Kabbalstic prayers before and after the Omer counting but these prayers are not required. Some authorities believe the prayers should be said, some believe they may be said, and some take a stringent view that these prayers must be omitted (AHS 589:6)
Though this Mitzvah is an annual Mitzvah, no She-Hechyanu is recited for this Mitzvah, because it is a Mitzvah of sadness as it reminds us of the lack of the Temple (Maor to Rif Psachim 28a, AHS 589:5).
This Mitzvah must be performed with one’s physical self, and therefore one should audibly count personally, and not just hear the count from others according to many authorities (AHS 489:4).
Timing of the Mitzvah
Fundamentally, this Mitzvah can be performed all night. Like most evening Mitzvot, it should be performed before midnight (Megillah 21a).
One should wait to perform this Mitzvah until nightfall; there is a difference of opinion in general when nightfall is (489:2). Since this Mitzvah is Rabbinic, one should be careful to wait less time to count the Omer than one waits for Biblical Mitzvot like the recitation of Shema, to avoid holding a Rabbinic Mitzvah to the same standard as a Biblical Mitzvah.
The Torah uses the word “Temimot” regarding the count of the Omer, and consequently, the count of the first night must begin as early in the night as possible (Ohr Zarua 329 Levush 489). Consequently, men and women should count the Omer at Maariv on the first night. Some have the practice to wait till after the first seder to count, but this practice is erroneous (AHS 489:11). Others say any counting at night achieves Temimot (Taz 489:5).
It is better to refrain from eating a meal before counting. Thus, if one plans on attending the late Maariv Minyan, they should count before eating dinner (AHS 489:10-12). Others say one should count before dinner for a different reason, since the count should be close to nightfall to achieve “temimot.”
Since Shema is a more common Mitzvah than the Omer, one should ideally perform the Mitzvah of Shema first. However, if one will attend a late Maariv Minyan and delays Shema for a late hour, there is no reason to delay the count of the Omer until that time (AHS 489:10, MB 489:18). Others disagree and say one should wait to count until after Maariv in all circumstances (IGM 4:99:1).
Some communities daven Maariv before sunset in the summer months. In those cases, one counts the Omer after nightfall at home.
Can one ever count after sunset before nightfall? Counting as early as sunset fulfills one’s obligation after the fact (AHS 489:7). When counting in shul, one counts and recites a blessing on the count so long as it is after sunset even if it is before nightfall, and then repeats the count without a blessing later that night (AHS 489:8). A shul community may even, according to some authorities, count before sunset with a blessing, but one who finds oneself in such a synagogue should plan to count after nightfall instead (489:3).
In synagogue on Saturday Night, the Omer is counted before Havdalah in order to delay the prominent performance of Melacha, work, as long as possible (AHS 489:11).
Missing Days
If the first count is missed, the count is no longer “Temimot” and one may not be able to perform the Mitzvot on future nights according to many authorities (Ran to Rif Psachim 28a). One still counts, but without a blessing if the first day is missed.
In general, if one misses a night of counting, one counts the following day without a blessing to preserve the consecutiveness of the count, even though one has not performed the Mitzvah for that date since the count was during the day and not at night (489:7).
In general, each day is its own Mitzvah, and consequently each carries its own blessing. If one misses one night entirely, most authorities say that this has no bearing on future nights, and one counts future nights with a blessing, even having missed one night of the counting. A small number of authorities say the blessing should be omitted in future nights, and common practice is not to recite a blessing in deference to those authorities when a night is missed – unless one counted during the following day and thereby maintain consecutiveness (AHS 489:15). If one is not sure if one missed a night, one may surely continue to count with a blessing on all future nights (489:8).
If one accepted Shabbat and realized one had not yet counted the count for Friday, one can still count Friday’s Omer without a blessing until sunset (Igrot Moshe 4:99:3).
Children count the Omer with a blessing, as children who have reached the age of education are rabbinically required to perform this Mitzva, under the rubric of Chinuch. For that reason, if a child reaches bar or bat mitzvah in the middle of the Omer, they may continue to count with a blessing as their count retains its consecutiveness (AHS 489:15). The ruling is more complex in the case of a convert, whose count previous to conversion was not obligatory in any way (Minchat Chinuch 306).