Questions tagged [sefirat-ha-omer]
the mitzva (command) to count the forty-nine days from Pesach (Passover) to Shavuos (Pentecost)
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Is there any evidence that Rabbi Akiva's students fought alongside Bar Kochba?
Various sources say that "12,000 pairs" of Rabbi Akiva's students died between Pesach and Shavuos because they did not treat each other with respect. See Genesis Rabba 61:3, Ecclesiastes Rabba 11, ...
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Halakhic International Date Line issues
According to halakha, where is the international date line?
More specifically, I have heard that some people say you should observe Shabbat on Sunday in Japan & New Zealand and/or on Friday in ...
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Why not count 50 days of the omer instead of 49?
The verse in Vayikra (23:16) says:
עד ממחרת השבת השביעית תספרו חמישים יום
even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days (OJPS, emphasis added)
In my experience the omer ...
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Sefira Counting in Diaspora
Why don't we count two nights each night, if there was always a Safek (doubt) what the date is.
In other words: if we are not sure when the second night of Pesach is, why don't we carry that doubt ...
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Sefira Restrictions During Chol Hamoed Pesach
For those who hold sefira from the first day until the thirty-third, are the restrictions in effect during chol hamoed? While you are not allowed to cut your hair even during chol hamoed Succos, can ...
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Sefiras Haomer Counting Direction
When we count the Sefiras Haomer, why do we count up and not down?
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Why don't we count the omer with a bracha during the day?
Seem that the commandment is to count, why do we make a distinction between counting during the day and at night?
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Today is the square-root of 25th day of the omer
If you haven't counted sefirat haomer yet that night, you're not supposed to say the current day (for example, 'today is the 5th day') before making the bracha. But what about saying what today is in ...
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Bar Mitzva during S'fira
If someone has his bar mitzva during s'firas haomer and said the bracha every night so far, can he still make a bracha? (I will be asking a Rav for the actual P'sak Halacha)
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Counting the omer with doubt before the fixed calendar
Currently, according to a previous question on this site, we count the omer without doubt: "Today is the Xth day of the omer" because we have a fixed calendar, and because counting with doubt is ...
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Lag Baomer - why not Laomer?
Nusach Askenaz says Baomer, Nusach Sefard and Sefardim say Laomer - Why does everyone call it Lag Baomer - why not call it Lag Laomer?
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Shehecheyanu on sefiras haomer
Why don't we make a shehecheyanu blessing on counting the Omer? It is a mitzvah which we get to do after a very long break (more than 300 days)?
Some arguments I have heard:
In a similar situation ...
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Can you say "Lag Baomer" before counting Sefirah?
As is known, during Sefiras HaOmer, you should not say "today is x day of the Omer" (or similar) before counting sefirah in Maariv, as this would prevent you from counting with a bracha later (...
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Why should A Capella music be allowed during Sefirah/Three Weeks?
Background:
I'm not sure how I feel about: a)the custom to refrain from listening to recorded music during Sefirah or b)the assumption that recorded a cappella music is not considered instrumental (...
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Saying the right thing then saying the wrong thing toch kedai dibur
Someone counts the correct day of Sefiras HaOmer but then thinks he made a mistake, so he immediately "corrects" himself and counts the wrong day. Does his second (incorrect) counting, which was made ...
- 16k
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Counting Sefirah in a made up language
Can one fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer by counting in a language that only he/she understands? What if a few people understand? An entire goup?
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Connection between Yovel and Shavuos?
Both Yovel and Shavuos are the fiftieth after a cycle of 7 sets of 7 (7 Shmittas, each 7 years/ 7 weeks each 7 days) and both are after “Shabbos” - we start counting the Omer “after Shabbos”, so ...
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Changing from Base-10 to Base-7 in sefiras haomer
I saw years ago a fascinating idea regarding the counting of sefiras haomer.
The source was discussing the change in counting between the days and the weeks.
We first start counting in base-10:
"...
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Yemenite Sefira
What is the source for the custom that Yemenite Jews people count Sefira in Aramaic? and why do they do it?
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Dancing during kidush levana on sefiras haomer
After making kidush levana there is a custom to dance and sing a song "Tovim meorot...". Is it permissible to dance after kidush levana of the month of Iyar, as it falls during the mourning ...
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The Omer during Shmita
The original Omer was an offering of newly cut barley.
So what happened during the Shmitta year when there was no harvest? Presumably this offering was not brought?
Was there still a biblical ...
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How to fix incorrect omer count
Suppose someone accidentally counts the wrong day of the omer after making a bracha, and then realizes later that night what he had done. How should he rectify this? Should he count the correct day ...
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Live Vs. Recorded Music during the Omer
What are Halachik reasons that some Poskim allow recorded music during the Omer, but others forbid all music?
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Is counting the Omer considered one mitzvah or 49 individual ones?
The verse in Vayikra says that one must count 7 weeks until after the 7th week one would count up to 50 days (i.e., a total of 49 days).
Is each day counted considered its own separate mitzvah, or ...
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shiduch date haircut during sefira
Are you allowed to get a haircut during the Omer if you are going on a shiduch date?
Pink_Hatted_Machur
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If someone needs to shave during Sefirah or Three Weeks because of work, should he also shave before Shabbos?
If someone needs to shave during Sefirah or Three Weeks because of work, should he also shave before Shabbos?
It seems strange to shave for M-F, but to go into Shabbos with stubble. On the other hand,...
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Bar Mitzva boy taking haircut in Sefira
If a boy becomes Bar Mitzva during Sefira, may he take a haircut for the Simcha - similar to a Bris where the father is allowed to take a haircut in Sefira?
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Why are the days of sefiras haomer counted at the beginning but the weeks at the end?
When counting sefiras haomer, we count the number of the day we are about to start but the number of the week we have most recently completed. For example, on the first day we say "today is one day" ...
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What are the limits of "music"?
During the Three Weeks, Sefira, and perhaps even year-round, listening to music is forbidden. What constitutes music varies in its definition, but for the past century or so artists have been ...
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Is there an obligation to Count the Omer without a Bracha?
If I forgot to count at night and during the day, I cannot continue to count with a bracha. This was formulated in my Dirshu Daf HaYomi B'Halacha email as follows:
The Mechaber writes that one who ...
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What is the halachic source for the minhagim of mourning during Sefira?
What is the earliest halachic source for the minhagim of mourning during sefira? Note that this does not mean the story of R' Akiva, I'm talking about halachic references to prohibitions such as not ...
- 1,952
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Ari Zal and Sefira
Many people do not take a hair cut until the end of Sefira (including Lag B'Omer) because of a position of the Ari Zal. Where is the Ari Zal? What is the source for this? Did the strigency of the Ari ...
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Advance notice of the day of the Omer?
If I say, "Tonight will be the X night of the Omer", why is that considered as I've already counted? If I say, "G-d is blessed for creating the fruit of the tree", don't I still need to make the ...
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Sefira Reminder
Does anyone know of a service that emails you a sefirah reminder,better yet a text ,for free?
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Correct Niqqud for ואטהר in Sefira Nusach
Context: In the Ashkenaz / Sefard (and possibly others) Nuschaos of Sefira, there is a prayer starting with the words "Ribbono Shel Olam [רבונו של עולם]" that is said. Towards the end of this prayer ...
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Haircuts on Friday when the 47th of the omer falls on Sunday
The Rema, commenting on the mourning of the first 33 days of the omer, allows haircuts on Friday, lichvod shabbos, when the 33rd falls on Sunday.
Does the same reasoning apply when the 47th falls on ...
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What does Rebbi Akiva's students not respecting each other mean?
The Gemara Yevamos (62b) records
שנים עשר אלף זוגים תלמידים היו לו לרבי עקיבא מגבת עד אנטיפרס וכולן מתו
בפרק אחד מפני שלא נהגו כבוד זה לזה - Rabbi Akiva had twelve thousand
pairs of students in an ...
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Counting sefirah in Welsh?
The Welsh word for "week" is wythnos, which means eight nights. This is because they count seven days, plus the six nights between them, and the one before and the one after.
Can someone who speaks ...
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Is davening a "late" mincha in contradiction with counting an "early" sefira?
According to what Halichipedia states:
According to most poskim, it is correct to wait until Tzet Hakochavim
in order to count sefirat haomer; however, one fulfills his obligation
by ...
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Vacation and travel during the 'Omer
Not including issues related to the International Dateline and the Halachic Dateline, are there issues of concern when traveling, especially when traveling for pleasure/vacation, during Sefirath Ha'...
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What's considered shaving?
During periods of mourning, such as Sefirat Haomer and the three weeks prior to Tisha B'av, shaving is prohibited.
What is considered shaving and what is allowed?
May you pluck out a few hairs here ...
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Counting the Omer non-verbally [duplicate]
If someone who is chayav in mitzvot does not have the ability to speak, (say, for example, he lost his tongue in a freak tennis accident,) can he count the Omer non-verbally, through sign language, ...
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Is typing or writing the same as "saying" for the sake of Sefirat Ha'Omer?
In an effort to ensure that we only count the Omer with a bracha properly, we are careful not to say what day it is until we have counted formally -- this is discussed and explored here.
But is ...
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Should a chazan who missed a day count the omer with a b'racha?
In general, someone who misses a complete day's counting the omer continues to count without preceding his count with the b'racha (benediction) normally recited for the mitzva of counting. (In fact ...
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May one shave/haircut on Friday, Rosh Chodesh Iyar
The Mishneh Berurah (493:5) rules that even those who have the custom not to cut hair or shave during the first half of the sefira are permitted to shave/have a haircut when Rosh Chodesh Iyar falls on ...
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May musicians practice their instruments during Sefirah?
Although one should not listen to music during Sefirah, may musicians practice their instruments during this time?
Would it matter if their livelihood is or is not dependent on their musical talent (...
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Music on lag baomer
Are you allowed to listen to music the night of lag baomer or do you have to wait untill the day?
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Counting Sefiras Haomer in the Bathroom
If one is (stuck) in a bathroom with a short amount of time left until sunset, and realizes that he has not yet counted Sefirah for that day, and will not be out of the bathroom before sunset, may he ...
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How do we know that ממחרת השבת means from the first day of Pesach and not the seventh?
How do we know that ממחרת השבת means from the first day of Pesach and not the seventh?
Don't they both deserve to be called שבת?
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Sefiras HaOmer - if you know that you will miss a day
Suppose someone knows that he will miss a day during Sefira (having surgery). Is it proper for him to count with a Bracha up until the day he will miss?
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