Counting the omer is a sacred practice in the Jewish tradition with roots in the Hebrew bible. It has evolved from its ancient agricultural origins into an opportunity for spiritual self-assessment and growth.

And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to THE ETERNAL. (Leviticus 23:15-16)

Shavuot, along with Passover and Sukkot — the great pilgrimage festivals in the Hebrew calendar — has roots in the agricultural cycles of the land of Israel. On Shavuot, the Torah commands that an offering of new grain be brought to the the place of centralized worship, eventually the Temple in Jerusalem.

After the destruction of the second Temple in 70 CE, and the dispersion of Jews away from Jerusalem and the land of Israel, each of these agriculturally-based festival was re-invented. For Shavuot, the sages of the Talmud took a close reading of the Exodus story and counted the days of the journey of the Children of Israel as they left Egypt, crossed the sea, arrived at Mount Sinai, and added the days that Moses spent on the mountain. They then deduced that the revelation at Sinai, the giving of the ten commandments, occurred on the 50th day after the liberation. Thus a new context for an old agricultural festival was born.

Judaism is always stretching and reinventing itself, speaking to new situations with ancient wisdom.

Together, we walk the path between Pesach (the liberation) and Shavuot (revelation). Our steps synchronize as awareness builds that we are together, in time. What songs might we sing along the way? What can we do to keep ourselves focused and aligned as we prepare to accept the responsibilities of freedom and open ourselves to new understandings?

Embark on this spiritual pilgrimage, counting the days between Passover and Shavuot, from liberation to revelation. Bring your gifts and your creativity! Subscribe HERE to receive daily count.

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