Here, citing a shiur which he heard from Rabbi Kimche, Rabbi Paul Bloom tells of a transformative path that leads from Pesach to Shavuot, via the counting of the days of the Omer.
In Psalm 90, Moshe Rabbeinu beseeches
God: "Limnot yameinu kein hoda,
v'navi l'vav chochma" – “Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain
a heart of wisdom.” There is profound depth in this seemingly simple
request. What does it truly mean to "number our days"? Why is it
considered the path to wisdom?
One mitzvah in particular embodies this
principle: Sefirat HaOmer, the
counting of the Omer. Spanning from Pesach to Shavuot, these 49 days are far
more than a calendar transition. They represent a spiritual journey—an ascent
from redemption to revelation, from physical freedom to spiritual fulfillment.
This transformative path is echoed in one
of Judaism’s most ancient mystical texts, the Sefer Yetzirah. Older even than the Zohar, this enigmatic work is traditionally attributed to Avraham
Avinu and is referenced in the Zohar
itself. Though deeply cryptic in its language, Sefer Yetzirah opens with a powerful conceptual triad that
illuminates the Omer journey: Sefer
(book), Sippur (story), and Sefirah (counting)—all rooted in the same
Hebrew letters.
Sefer – The Book
The Torah is not only a legal or
spiritual code; it is a book, a sefer, in the deepest sense. It is the
foundational narrative of the Jewish people. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l so
eloquently described in A Letter in the
Scroll, every Jew is a letter in that sacred book. We are not isolated
individuals but part of an eternal story—one that began at Bereishit and continues through each
of us. The sefer gives us identity
and continuity. It anchors us to our people and our purpose.
Sippur – The Story
From Sefer
emerges Sippur—the telling of the
story. This is especially evident on Leil
HaSeder, when we recount the Exodus in vivid detail. Telling the story
isn’t just educational; it is existential. When we tell our story, we realize
we are in the story. The narrative of
Am Yisrael is our own narrative. It
gives our lives context, dignity, and direction.
Sefirah – The Counting
Next comes Sefirah, the act of counting. The Omer count is not a mere tally of
days. It reflects a growth mindset, a structure of spiritual development. The
process transforms us. Unlike those who wander through life aimlessly—like
slaves who cannot distinguish one day from the next—those who count their days
live with intention. They know they are moving somewhere.
Each of the 49 days corresponds to a
particular spiritual attribute (midah)
in the Kabbalistic system: from chesed
(kindness) to gevurah (strength), tiferet (beauty), and beyond. The count
is a ladder of refinement, preparing us for the ultimate gift: Kabbalat HaTorah.
Sapir – The Sapphire
Here lies the symmetry: from sippur to sefirah to sapir. The sefer gives us our story, the sippur allows us to own it, the sefirah guides our daily growth, and the
sapir is the sublime presence of God
revealed at Sinai.
Conclusion
To count our days is to give them
meaning. To live in time is to live with purpose. From the story of our past,
through the structure of our days, to the divine radiance of revelation—we
journey through Sippur, Sefirah, and ultimately Sapir.
As we count the Omer, let us remember: we
are letters in the book, voices in the story, and seekers of the Sapphire.
