Chasam Sofer on Sefiras HaOmer

Question

I heard a mind-blowing idea a couple of years back in the name of the Chasam Sofer, and I would really love to know the source....

It says in Vayikra 23:15 -

וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמָּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃

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:

Whilst these seven complete weeks are understood halachically that one needs to count the days consecutively without dropping a day (refer to Sefer HaChinuch 306:5 and Sefer HaMitzvos 162) they can also be seen as a qualitative measure, namely an auspicious time to work on oneself - a time for self improvement and an 'aliyah' (elevation) in ruchniyos (spiritual matters). We know that the Jewish people at the time of leaving Mitzrayim (Egypt) were on the 49th level of tumah (impurity) and with each subsequent day, ascended till they were on the requisite level of holiness to receive the Torah (e.g. see Kedushas Levi). Thus with each day of sefirah, we are gifted the opportunity to improve ourselves and grow closer to Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

Now here's the Chasam Sofer....

The Chasam Sofer wrote (somehere?!!) that a person can, during this 49 day period, achieve great heights, and on each individual day of Sefirah, can rectify that which would normally require two years of toil. As a result, 49 days of Sefirah (when used productively) can equate to 98 years worth of aliyah in ruchniyus!!!

Answer 1

Maybe you're thinking of Drashos Chasam Sofer II p. 280a (Sefiras HaOmer, halfway down the right column):

וזהו שאמר בפרשה זו (ויקרא כ"ה ח') "וספרת לך שבע שבתות שנים שבע שנים שבע פעמים והיו לך ימי שבע שבתות השנים תשע וארבעים שנה", סיפא דקרא הוא כפול. אבל הענין רומז על ימי הספירה, שבכל שנה ושנה שנקדש אותם, ונספור מלשון זכזוך וספירה, שיהיו ספורים ומזוככים אצלנו עד שיחשב יום לשנה יום לשנה כידוע, ויעלו לנו מ"ט יום למ"ט שנה, ועם יום החג יום מתן תורה יהיה נחשב לחמישים שנה בקדושה. והנה ידוע כי כל יום, יום כפול הוא, כי מנה של קדש כפול הוא (ב"ב צ' ע"ב), ונקרא ימי שמים וארץ, כימי השמים על הארץ (דברים י"א כ"א), לכן כתיב (במדבר י"ד ל"ד) יום לשנה יום לשנה, ב' פעמים. ולכן אם תהיינה זה שבתות אלו תמימות בקדושה, אזי יחשבו חמישים ימים למאה שנה, סוד מאה ברכות, מאה אדנים במקדש כידוע.

This is what it says in this parsha, "You shall count for yourselves seven Sabbaths of years, seven years seven times. They days of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be for you 49 years" (Leviticus 25:8). The end of this verse is redundant. Rather, the matter is a hint to the days of Sefirah. That is, every year that we sanctify them, and counting is a language of purification, that these days should be purified with respect to ourselves, until the days become equal to years (as is known). These 49 days would [then] become equivalent to 49 years, and including Shavuos, the festival of the giving of the Torah, this would be equivalent to 50 years in holiness. Behold, it is known that every day is really a double day, as the portion of holiness is double (Bava Basra 90b), and is called the days of heaven and earth, like the days of the heavens on the earth (Deuteronomy 11:21). Therefore it is written, "a year for a day, a year for a day" (Numbers 14:34), two times. Therefore, if these weeks will be perfect in holiness, then these 50 days will be considered 100 years. This is the secret of 100 blessings [every day], and the 100 sockets in the Temple, as is known.