Counting the Omer -- what?

[otrrl]

“The omer refers to the 49-day period between the second night of Passover (Pesach) and the holiday of Shavuot. This period marks the beginning of the barley harvest when, in ancient times, Jews would bring the first sheaves to the Temple as a means of thanking God for the harvest. The word omer literally means “sheaf” and refers to these early offerings.”

–from How to Count the Omer | My Jewish Learning

As Catholics we count the days from Easter to the Ascension, and then the days to Pentecost. Actually, Jews reckon Shavuot as Pentecost, celebrating the giving of the Torah, as a special holy day in itself.

 

[jericho777]

There is so much to learn that deepens and enriches our faith in Yeshua HaMashiach.

 

[Seagull]

I count - my lucky blessings

 

[meltzerboy2]

Thanks for mentioning this important Jewish ceremony. Shavuot begins tonight and is regarded as one of the major Jewish Holy Days since the giving of the Torah represents a sanctification of the Jewish people. Our mission is to repair the world and lead all to holiness (without the necessity of conversion to Judaism). Too many Jews are not even aware of this holy day and the customs that accompany it.

 

[Evenshlomo]

Counting the Omer is huge for me. It means doing two mitzvot d’oraita every day, and since we don’t have that many each day, I treassure the counting. Counting the Omer can take up to half an hour for me, the preparation, the actual counting with emphasizing every letter while remembering how we got this mitzvah… it’s a huge thing for me.