The Laws of the Omer - Hilchos Sefiras Ha’Omer

The Laws of the Omer - Hilchos Sefiras Ha’Omer

The Mitzvah of Counting
1. The Torah (Lev. 23:15-16) required all Jews to bring an Omer offering (consisting of an ‘omer’s’ measure of barley flour beginning on the 2^nd day of Passover, for seven full weeks, until the holiday of Shavuos, and to count these 49 days.
2. Today, even though we can’t bring the Omer offering, we are still required to keep count of these 49 days (the procedure and blessing can be found in the Artscroll siddur, pg. 284 or in the table of contents in any average Siddur)
3. While standing, the blessing should be said first, followed by the actual counting (some have the custom to recite certain sentences or psalms after the counting of the Omer)
4. Each person should count the Omer for him/herself; however, if necessary, one can fulfill their obligation by hearing the counting from someone else (this is especially helpful where the person is in doubt if he should say the blessing)
5. One may count in any language that they understand

When to Count
1. The counting of the Omer begins on the 2^nd night of Passover, and continues each night until the holiday of Shavuos.
2. Ideally, the Omer should be counted as soon after nightfall as possible. However, if one is unable to count the Omer at the beginning of the night, he/she may count the Omer at any point throughout the night.
3. The earliest possible time for counting the Omer is sunset. However, if at all possible, one should wait until nightfall before counting the Omer.
From sunset one should be careful not to tell someone that “Today’s is day such-and-such day of the Omer, since this would qualify as a valid counting of the Omer, and one could not recite it with the proper blessing later on.

Whoops! Made a Mistake?
1. If one forgot to count the Omer for the entire night, one should count the Omer during the following day, but without saying the blessing over the counting. For all following nights, the Omer should continue to be counted with a blessing.
2. If one went an entire day without counting the Omer (or counted one day incorrectly), the rest of the days of the Omer should be counted in their proper time, but without reciting a blessing (one should hear the blessing from someone else)
3. If one is genuinely unsure as to whether he/she counted the Omer for the previous day, the Omer should be counted on all subsequent nights with a blessing.
4. If one counted only the days and not the weeks, he should recount properly without a blessing (if one forgot to recount, they can still count the remaining days with a blessing

The Laws of the Mourning of the Omer
1. The Talmud (Yevamos 62b) records that for a period of 33 days during the Omer, Twenty-Four thousand students of the great Rabbi Akiva died. There was established, therefore, a time of mourning during this period every year.
2. There are differing customs as to when the 33 days of mourning take effect:
- 2^nd day of Passover until the 33^rd day of the Omer
- new month of ‘Iyar’ until the holiday of Shavuos
- some even mourn for the entire period
One should consult your Rabbi in determining which custom to follow (even if one needs to change their custom too)
3. It is prohibited for a Jew to get married, but getting engaged and having a party is allowed, provided there’s no music
4. Dancing, even for a significant occasion or celebration, is prohibited.
5. Haircuts and shaving are prohibited during this period. However, many authorities permit shaving if necessary for professional purposes. Consult your Rabbi to determine the applicability of this restriction. (women may shave their legs)
6. One should not listen to instrumental music – live or recorded. Singing without instruments is allowed.
7. One is allowed to buy new garments or new fruits and recite a Shehechiyanu blessing during the Omer period.

Exceptions
1. When the new month of ‘Iyar’ falls ON Shabbos, one may cut their hair and/or get married on the eve of Shabbos.
2. If the thirty-third day of the Omer (“Lag B’Omer”) falls on a Sunday, one may cut their hair and/or shave on the preceding Friday (i.e. the thirty-first day of the Omer).
3. One may cut their hair/shave on the day of/or preceding the circumcision (‘Bris Milah’) of a son, or if they are performing the circumcision itself, or if they are acting as ‘Sandek’ (the one that holds the baby while the bris is done)
4. A single girl of marriageable age may be allowed to cut her hair – contact your rabbi.