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When you count the Omer during Maariv, you can say the blessing that precedes the count only if you have not missed a day of counting. If you missed a day, you can say Amen to the blessing said by others, but may not say it yourself. This is because of the way the commandment is phrased:

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. [Lev. 23:15-16]

Enforcing this rule may publicly embarrass those who missed a day, because it clearly identifies them. Embarrassing someone in public is a serious violation. Practically, how are these two conflicting concerns reconciled?

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    related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/38108/170 – msh210♦ Jun 2 '19 at 19:45
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    If someone is truly embarrassed they can pretend to say the bracha and then count, whats the big deal? – sam Jun 2 '19 at 19:55
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    I reject your premise. Anyone can choose to just say Amen to the Chazzan even if they haven't missed a night. There is no need to say it on your own. Some even recommend that practice for everyone, so it doesn't indicate anything – Double AA♦ Jun 2 '19 at 21:27
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    @user15464 Maybe it’s the same answer, maybe not. Perhaps the same way we’re concerned for the embarrassment for the Rabbi, we’re concerned for everyone else; perhaps we’re only concerned for the Rabbi because it’s a much larger embarrassment than a random congregant, who can much more easily hide that he missed a day. – DonielF Jun 2 '19 at 22:06
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    @Maurice no one said the leader is the only person whose feelings matters. He's just the only person who'd reasonably be embarrassed – Double AA♦ Jun 2 '19 at 22:23

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