![counting the omer 2015 counting the omer 2015](http://www.emethatorah.com/sites/default/files/Counting-the-Omer-2017_0.jpg)
“And you shall count from the day after the day of rest, from they day that you bring the omer ha’tenufa, seven complete weeks. That’s exactly what counting the Omer is–only when we count the Omer, we count up, instead of down. When a bride and groom are looking forward to their wedding, they often count the days left until the big day. The betrothal, or engagement, is an initial commitment that takes place before the eternal commitment of a marriage, right? So if the Exodus was the “betrothal”, the giving of the Torah–the seal of the eternal bond between us and God–is the “wedding”. Remember how we mentioned that the Exodus was basically the birthday of the nation of Israel? Sometimes it is also compared to the “betrothal” between God and the Israelites. But it also lent its name to something we call “the counting of the Omer” ( sefirat ha’omer). What is the Omer? Well, the word itself refers to a certain offering that was brought to the Temple at this time of year ( omer ha’tenufah, “the sheaf of waving”). But before we get into that, let’s back up a minute and talk about the Omer. The next one coming up is Lag B’Omer, which is pretty much the most obscure holiday we have.
#COUNTING THE OMER 2015 FULL#
It is my hope that Omer Harvest will offer support, encouragement and inspiration to individuals and communities drawn to explore new ways of embodying and beautifying the practice of Counting the Omer.This part of the year is chock full of notable events on the Jewish calendar.
![counting the omer 2015 counting the omer 2015](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4c/8e/19/4c8e1993ed6f6b55e378866a122c4551--community-art-jewish-art.jpg)
In addition to many new insightful books and comprehensive guides, people have been using beads, painting, quilting, poetry, chanting, yoga and so much more to fully embody and beautify their journeys through the Omer period. Over the last years, there has been growing interest in exploring creative ways to count the Omer. Omer Harvest is my offering to celebrate the practice of Hiddur Sefirat Ha’Omer–beautifying the counting of the Omer! Embellishing and adorning ritual objects (such as challah coverings, kiddish cups, seder plates, menorahs, etc.) can enhance and beautify our experience of ritual, and beauty itself then takes on a spiritual dimension.
![counting the omer 2015 counting the omer 2015](https://songeveryday.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/journeyomer.jpg)
In Hebrew, ‘hiddur’ means to make beautiful and there is a longstanding tradition of hiddur mitzvah (beautifying a mitzvah) going beyond what is required to perform a mitzvah by infusing our spiritual practice with beauty. In this way, there are 49 different combinations of qualities over the seven-week Omer period, offering great encouragement for deep personal introspection and exploration.
![counting the omer 2015 counting the omer 2015](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1d/1b/cf/1d1bcfc8df3d796a2bb56c168ba5b284.jpg)
In both traditions, each of these qualities correlates with each week of the Omer period, as well as with each day of the week.