With Passover behind us, the Hebrew calendar immediately gives us another mitzvah to fulfill. Judaism teaches us to count the days between Passover and Shavuot in what we call the ‘Counting of the Omer’ or Sefirat ha-Omer. This memorializes the Omer -a measure of grain- that was brought daily to the Great Temple in Jerusalem at this time of the year from the new barley crop. On a symbolic level, the counting expresses our eagerness to invest our freedom (attained and celebrated in Passover) with our commitment to use it in worthy ways, as commanded in the Torah (which according to tradition was given on Shavuot). Our eagerness is shown by the counting of each day, much like a bride or groom counts the hours until the arrival of their beloved, or like a prisoner counts each day until the much awaited-for release.

During the period of Sefirat ha-Omer, according to the Talmud, the students of Rabbi Akiva suffered from a “plague” in which thousands died. The scholarly consensus today is that the "plague" was the students' suppression because of their revolutionary activities against the Roman Empire. Nevertheless, the traditional explanation given for this plague is that it was a divine punishment for the fact that the students did not behave with respect towards each other. For this reason, the period Sefirat ha-Omer is one during which many people traditionally observe various mourning practices, such as not having parties or weddings and not shaving during some part of the Omer count. On this period it is very appropriate for us to learn from Rabbi Akiva's students' mistakes and dedicate our efforts to improve the quality of our interpersonal relations. We should engage in doing good deeds and helping other people. We should be mindful of our words and make sure to use our voices in a positive way, to express appreciation and respect for others. These ideas are put into practice throughout the school, and in particular in the third grade, where our students are asked to fill a Mitzvah log each day of the Omer count.

May we live our lives being aware of the precious, unique and fleeting nature of every single moment. May we inspire our daily lives with the spirit of the Torah and the performance of Mitzvoth. Counting the days, as in the Counting of the Omer, can lead us to meaningful action and bring blessings and wisdom into our lives, as the psalmist said:

“Teach us to count our days that we may attain a heart of wisdom...” (Psalms 90:12 )

Rabbi Claudio J. Kupchik

EMHDS School Rabbi