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> Counting the Omer > Making the Omer Count
Making the Omer Count
How was the omer ceremony
initiated? Is it a Torah law nowadays?
Ran, R. Zerachya Halevi, Kol bo- d'rabanan (Amemar counted only days for
it is only a remembrance of the Mikdash. The Rabbis counted both....)
RAMBAM- Ran infers- d'Oraita. It is a mitzva to count 7 weeks from the
day of the bringing of the Omer... any time and place....
We follow Amemar...
How does that affect Shavuos?
Midrash- count by yourself, from there the Rabbis ordained to count
nowadays...
Why count to get to Shavuos and not affix a date for it?
Rokeach- people are in the field and won't know...
Why is there no Shehechiyanu?
R. Zerachya Halevi- one has to have some benefit...it is only for
agonizing over the destruction of the Temple
R. Yitchak Aizik Tirna- depend on the blessing of Yom Tov...
R. Yerucham- for it is not complete until the end
Why is there no double count outside of Israel?
Dvar Avraham- counting must be certain.
R. Zerachya Halevi- don't be strict with counting. It is just a
remembrance. Also, it would lead to a devaluation of Shavuos to count on
it...
What time of night does one count?
When the stars come out.
Tosaphot- R"I- at the beginning of the night is better because of
"temimos". No- (says the other author of the Tosaphot..)
R. Isaac Aizik Tirna- Minhagim- since it is Rabbinic, can count before
it is definitely night.
What happens if you miss one?
Behag- miss all, it is not "temimos".
Tosaphot (R"I), R. Hai- impossible. keep counting
Mar Yehudai- (in Ran), R. Amram (in Kol Bo) if one forgets first night,
one loses all.
Kol Bo- since it is Rabbinic, if you miss you needn't be so careful..
Teshuvat Hageonim in Shibolei Haleket- miss one, still count with
beracha and say, yesterday was one and today is two... it is still
complete since he counts weeks...
Raavya- would count with beracha but was afraid to disagree...
Can one count during the day?
Rambam, Behag- yes. If it is cut in the day it is kosher...
Tosaphot, R. Hananel, Manhig- no. Mishna- the whole night is kosher for
the cutting of the omer... It pushes off Shabbos at night...
What does it mean to count weeks?
Ran and R. Zerachya Halevi- at the end of the week, not in the middle-
that's just a custom (so is Sephardic custom like Ran.)
Those who do, it's just a custom...
Kol bo, R. Yerucham- yes.
Raavya mentions both and recommends as above..
Why doesn't a niddah count with a beracha?
Raavya- either we don't know the re-iyot too well or it says "count
to
herself"... or it is a communal counting...
What do the practices of the omer entail?
Shibolei Haleket- women don't do work after counting, same count of omer
as Sotah, testimony to women's fidelity.. to remember the righteous women
of then...,,, not to take hair cuts between Pesach and Atzeret or after
Rosh Hodesh..
R. Yerucham (R. Hai)- custom not to work at evening for students died
then and couldn't do work and it says "shabbosos"...
What does "temimos"- complete weeks mean?
Gemara Menachot- only if one starts at night is it complete, not if one
starts during the day.
Mar Yehudai- (in Ran), R. Amram (in Kol Bo) if one forgets first night,
one loses all.
Behag- if one forgets any night, one loses all. (Tosaphot- no)
Rambam (TU"M 7, 22)- we start to count at the beginning of the day,
therefore we count at night from the 16th of Nissan.
What does it represent?
Counting from the sacrifice or counting to Sinai. Getting out of the 49
levels of impurity or going toward Sinai. Sur mera va-aseh tov... 50
gates of binah... (Rokeach) |
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