HaShem tells us in Va'Yikra (Leviticus) 23:15-16

"You shall count for yourselves -- from the morrow of the rest day (after Passover), from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving -- seven weeks, they shall be complete. Until the morrow of the seventh week you shall count, fifty days, and you shall offer a new meal offering to HaShem."

This is what we call the Counting of the Omer, and according to the Torah, all we actually have to do is count the days...Day 1, Day 2, Day 35 and so on. This Counting of Days reminds us of the journey the Children of Israel took from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, a journey that started in slavery and ended with the giving of the Torah. A journey in which the Children of Israel were faced with hardships and rewarded with spiritual growth, a journey that, in some small way, we experience in our lives as well. The commandment is to count, a simple task, but it is so much more -- it is a spiritual awakening and a period of clensing. Knowing this, most congregations will encourage reflection on the seven (7) basic characteristics that make us who we are.

                      Lovingkindness, benevolence
                      Justice, discipline, restraint, awe
                      Beauty and harmony, compassion
                      Endurance, fortitude, ambition
                      Humility, splendor
                      Bonding, foundation
                      Nobility, sovereignty, leadership

Each day we examine a different combination of these qualities in our lives and reflect on where we are, where we would like to be, and where HaShem wants us to be. We take time to reflect on how to make our lives better bit by bit over a period of 49 days, knowing that on the 50th day we will stand before G-d and receive one of His most wonderful gifts -- the Torah.

Why We Count the Way We Do...

There are two schools of thought as to when to begin counting the Omer. Both are based on the wording of VaYikra (Leviticus) 23:15, and both can be correct. The Pharisaic belief is that the count is started on the day after Passover, as Passover can be reckoned as a rest day or Shabbaton. The Sadduceeic method is based on the belief that the rest day, unless otherwise noted specifically, always refers to the Sabbath. We at Messianic Family, in this case, side with the Sadducees and always begin our count with the end of the Sabbath directly after Passover.

In the next few days we will provide additional resources including a handy chart for tracking your count.