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The first day of the Omer-who’s counting?

Do you count the Omer? Today is the first day we count towards the 50th day which will be the Shavuot holiday.

Each day for the next seven weeks we will say a special prayer and mark off another day gone by on our calendar as we anticipate the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai.  We are waiting. We are hoping that just as we re-enacted the Exodus with our Seder meal-that we with great anticipation will receive the Ten Commandments once again.

What is an omer you ask?  It is a measure of barley. The barley harvest is timed to arrive at the Shavuot festival.

So each day is a day for spirit to rise and to bring us a measure of empowerment.  The counting is to keep us mindful of the Holy Divine One and the gift of the covenant.  Thus every passing day is one of anticipation and one of hopefulness that we will once again be worthy enough to receive them-the symbolic nature of the Ten Commandments.

So who’s counting? Are you?  And I guess the more important question is: Do you count?  Do you stand up for yourself during this season of liberation and exodus and say I am here! Hinneni!  That is one of the challenges for this season.  Thus the counting of the omer -is an opporutnity for you to say: I am here! I matter!  And my matter in the universe makes a difference!

So count away–for the next seven weeks.  Stand up and be counted.  Make every day count. Make every relationship stand out.  Make this your opportunity for growth.

Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech Haolam asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al siferat ha omer.

Hayom yom Achat b’omer. Today is one day of the counting of the omer. And the first day of making sure that you count!