Beginning from half an hour before shekiah, do not start a meal until you have counted sefirah.
It is customary for both men and women to refrain from doing work from shekiah until after counting.
Sefiras HaOmer should be recited standing.
When saying the berachah, have in mind: (1) the sefirah of that night; (2) the word of Ana Bechoach corresponding to that day; (3) the appropriate word of Lamnatzei’ach Binginos; and (4) the appropriate letter of the possuk Yismichu.
If you did not recite Sefiras HaOmer after Maariv, you can recite it with a berachah later as well, until alos hashachar.
If you forgot to count at night, count during the day without a berachah. During the subsequent nights, continue to count with a berachah.
If you didn’t count during the day either, count during the subsequent nights without a berachah.
If you are in doubt whether you counted at night, even if you did not count during the day, continue counting during the subsequent nights with a berachah.
From shekiah and onward, if you are asked for the number of that night’s sefirah, respond, “Yesterday was so-and-so.” If you responded by simply saying the number of that night’s sefirah, you may still recite a berachah before counting later. However, if you responded, “Tonight is so-and-so,” do not make a berachah when counting later.
It is best to refrain from saying “Tonight is so-and-so” from plag haminchah (1.25 halachic hours before shekiah) and onward. However, if you did say so during that time (but before shekiah), you may still recite a berachah before counting later.
If you overhear someone counting sefirah before you have counted, have in mind not to be yotzei.
