This week's Parsha relates the mitzva of sefiras haomer. There is a lengthy discussion whether the mitzva of counting is a mitzva mid’oraysa or d’rabbanan however as Rav Daniel Frisch in his beautiful Sefer Usfartem Lachem points out the avoda of sefiras haomer meaning working on our middos and purification is just the same.
What is the avoda of this special time period called sefirah? The Aruch Hashulchan writes that since the omer was brought from barley and the korban on Shavuos is brought from wheat it teaches us that during this time period we need to transform ourselves from animals (barley is animal food) to humans.
I think there is another aspect hidden here in this mitzva. Over Pesach I mentioned that the korban of omer is unique in that instead of the standard formula of one tenth of an eifa of flour that usually comes with a sheep, the requirement is two tenths of an eifa. Rashi just says that it’s doubled but doesn’t give us any more info as to why it’s different.
I thought that perhaps the dual amount of flour represents the dual aspect of the avoda of sefirah. This avoda is also explained beautifully by the Bnai Yissachar in regard to the special nature of the month of Iyar. The month of Iyar is a time that is mesugal for physical cleansing, especially getting rid of the toxins in the stomach. This month is when the special manna bread fell down from heaven and it’s also when the well of water that traveled with the Jewish people was given to the Jews for their travels. As the Bnai Yissachar explains. The cleansing during the month of Iyar is the preparation for the month of Sivan, which is when the Torah was given, and when we will again receive it on the holiday of Shavuos. So we can say that the omer represents two parts of our avoda: the physical and the spiritual. Physical includes cleansing and healthy eating. Spiritual includes working on our middos and building within us a yearning and excitement to receive the Torah again.
There is another dual aspect that I mentioned on Pesach which connects to the custom of laining Shir Hashirim. In Shir Hashirim, one of the main themes is אני לדודי ודודי לי — I’m to my beloved and my beloved is to me. In fact, the midrash says regarding the omer that Hashem gave us omer of manna and we need to give him omer back. I think what this reflects is the healthy, deep, and real relationship that Hashem wants us to gain and develop during these weeks, so that we can merit to marry, so to speak, Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
May we be zoche to true connection to Hashem.
by Rabbi Daniel Coren
