Sjimon den Hollander
  • Personal
    • Introduction
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • My Journey to Judaism
    • Testimonials
  • JUDAISM
    • Judaism - Introduction
    • Jewish History and Texts >
      • Paleo Hebrew
      • The Pentateuch
      • Stories of Creation
      • Stories of the Flood
      • J and E compared
      • Priestly Writings
      • Prophets of Israel and Judah
      • Biblical Poetry
      • Hellenism and the Septuagint
      • Flavius Josephus
      • The Dead Sea Scrolls
      • Midrash
      • Oral Torah and Talmud
      • Origins of Christian Anti-Jewish Attitudes
      • Byzantine Jews Before the Advent of Islam
      • Yannai
      • Jews Under Islam
      • Byzantine Jews After the Advent of Islam
      • Qara'ites
      • Saadia Gaon
      • Saadia Gaon's Poem Telóf Tèlef
      • Salmón ben Yeruḥám
      • Hasdai ibn Shaprut
      • Yoséf ibn Abiṭúr
      • Andalusian Poetry
      • Samuel haNagîd and Ibn Gabirol
      • Christian-Jewish Polemics
      • The Crusades and Maoz Tzur
      • Rashi
      • The Tosafists
      • Yehuda haLevi, Background and Thought
      • Yehuda haLevi, His Poetry and Journey
      • Ritual Murder and Blood Libel
      • The Ḥasidé Ashkenaz
      • Toledot Yeshu
      • Moses Maimonides, Philosopher
      • Moses Maimonides, Rabbi, Leader, Physician
      • Abraham Maimonides
      • Maimonidean Controversies
      • Host Desecration Libels
      • The Barcelona Disputation
      • Qabbala and the Zohar
      • The Cairo Geniza
      • The New Sephardi Identity
      • David Reubeni and Shelomo Molkho
      • Shabbatai Tzevi
      • Da Costa and Spinoza
      • Yiddish Texts
      • Ḥasidism
      • The Jewish Enlightenment
      • Modern Jewish Thinkers
      • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
    • Jewish Thought >
      • Blessings and Challenges of Modern Orthodoxy
      • Could Jews Accept the Prophets ​of Christianity and Islam?
      • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
      • Why do Jews not Accept Jesus as the Messiah?
      • Why do Jews not Believe ​in the Prophet Muhammad?
      • Do Jews Follow the Sunna of Moses?
      • Saadia Gaon’s Solution to Anthropomorphisms in His Tafsîr
    • Jewish Law >
      • A Mikwèh in Uganda
      • Shabbat Distance
  • Scripture
    • Torah - Pentateuch >
      • Genesis
      • Exodus
      • Leviticus
      • Numbers
      • Deuteronomy
    • Nebi'im - Prophets >
      • Joshua
      • 1 Samuel
      • Isaiah
      • Jeremiah
      • Jonah
      • Zekharyah
    • Ketubim - Further Scriptures >
      • Tehillim - Psalms
      • Ruth
      • Lamentations
      • Esther
  • Liturgy
    • Daily Prayers >
      • Morning Prayers
      • Afternoon Prayers
      • Evening Prayers
    • Shabbat >
      • Shabbat Eve Prayers
      • Shabbat Eve at Home
      • Shabbat Morning
      • Shabbat Afternoon
      • End of Shabbat (Saturday Evening)
    • Rosh Ḥodesh (New Moon)
    • Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh >
      • Eve of Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh
    • Shabbat Zakhor
    • Purim
    • Passover/Pesach >
      • Eve of Passover Prayers
      • Passover Night at Home
      • First Day of Passover
      • Second Day of Passover
      • Intermediate Days of Passover
      • Eve of Shabbat Hol haMo'ed Pesach
      • Seventh Day of Passover
      • Eighth Day of Passover
    • Omer Counting
    • Shabu'oth >
      • The Eve of Shabu'oth
      • First Day of Shabu'oth
      • Second Day of Shabu'oth
    • Tish'a beAbh Evening Service
    • The Month of Elul
    • Rosh haShana (New Year) >
      • Rosh haShana Eve in Synagogue
      • Rosh haShana Eve at Home
      • Morning Service First Day
      • Morning Service Second Day
    • Shabbat Teshubá
    • Yom Kippur
    • Sukkot (Festival of Booths) >
      • Prayers for the Eve of Sukkot
      • ​Meals and Festivities in the Sukka
      • First Day of Sukkot
      • Eve of Shabbat Ḥol haMo'ed Sukkot
    • Sheminí ʻAṣèreth
    • Simḥàt Torah
    • Ḥanukka >
      • Ḥanukka - History, Meaning, Customs
      • Eve of Shabbat Ḥanukka
      • Morning Service of Shabbat Ḥanukka
      • Eve of Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh Ṭébét
  • OTHER RELIGIONS
    • Christianity >
      • Christianity - Introduction
      • Jesus, the Jewish Messiah
      • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
      • Why do Jews not Accept Jesus as the Messiah?
      • The Barcelona Disputation
    • Islam >
      • Islam - Introduction
      • Islamic Dietary Laws
      • Torah and Qur'an >
        • Tafsîr Al-Tabarî
        • Tafsîr Al-Qurtubî
        • Tafsîr Al-Mîzān
      • Why do Jews not Believe ​in the Prophet Muhammad?
      • Do Jews Follow the Sunna of Moses?
    • Interreligious Dialogue
  • (DIS)COURSES
    • Biblical Hebrew
    • Medieval Jewish Literature >
      • Syllabus
      • Course Classes
      • Prep Readers
      • Paragraph Assignment >
        • Assignment Explanation
        • Original Text
        • Guidelines for your Paragraph Assignments
      • Essay Assignment
      • Glossary
    • The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom >
      • Introduction
      • Chapter 1. Prior Legacies >
        • 1A. The Muslim Legacy
        • 1B. The Christian Legacy
        • 1C. The Jewish Legacy
      • Chapter 2. The Roman Catholic Church >
        • 2A. Theological Doctrine
        • 2B. Ecclesiastical Policies
        • 2C. Imagery of the Jews
        • 2D. Cultural Creativity
        • 2E. Looking Ahead
      • Chapter 3. The Older Jewries of the South >
        • 3A. Southern France
        • 3B. Christian Spain
        • 3C. Italy and Sicily
      • Chapter 4. Newer Jewries of the North . I >
        • 4A. Northern France
        • 4B. England
      • Chapter 5. Germany and Eastern Europe >
        • 5A. Germany
        • 5B. Eastern Europe
    • Judeo-Arabic Philosophers
    • Sermons >
      • Rosh haShana >
        • Hardships That Generate Inspiration (2019)
        • Rosh haShana Meditation (2018)
        • Abraham’s Struggles and What We Can Learn From It (2014)
        • The Blessings of Monotheism (2013)
        • Rejecting Human Sacrifice (2012)
      • Yom Kippur >
        • Confession: Guilt Trip, or Acknowledgement? (2019)
        • Yom Kippur and Being Connected (2015)
        • Changing Your Brain (2014)
        • Grow Up and Become a Better Person (2012)
    • Other Presentations >
      • 370 Years Portuguese Jewry
      • Holocaust Commemoration
  • OTHER LANGUAGES
    • עברית ישראלית עכשווית
    • عربي
    • فارسي
    • Bahasa Indonesia >
      • Pembacaan Kitab Suci
      • Liturgi Yahudi
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    • Español >
      • Sagrada Escritura
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      • Écriture
      • Liturgie
    • Igbo
    • Italiano
    • Kiswahili
    • Luganda
    • Nederlands >
      • Tanach (Bijbel) >
        • Thora >
          • Genesis
          • Exodus
        • Profeten
        • Geschriften >
          • Psalmen
          • Ruth
          • Klaagliederen
          • Esther
      • Liturgie >
        • Daily Prayers
        • Sjabbat Avonddienst
        • Sjabbatavond Thuis
        • Sjabbat Ochtenddienst
        • Sjabbatochtend
        • Poeriem
        • Pesach
        • Omertelling
        • Sjaboe'ot
        • Tisj'a be-Ab
        • Rosj haSjana Avonddienst
        • Rosj haSjana Ochtenddienst
        • Kipoer
        • Soekot
        • Chanoeka
      • Joodse Geschiedenis
    • Português >
      • Sagrada Escritura
      • Liturgia
      • História e Literatura Judaica >
        • Textos Paleo-Hebraicos
        • O Pentateuco
        • Histórias da Criação
        • Histórias do Dilúvio
        • J e E Comparados
        • Profetas de Israel e Judá
        • Escritos Sacerdotais
        • Poesia Bíblica
        • Helenismo e a Septuaginta
  • UGANDA
    • Pesach in Uganda
  • Contact

Omer Counting
​

Starting from the evening after the (first) Haggada, we count the days that lead up to the holiday of Shabu'oth. This counting is called "the Counting of the Omer", and is named after an event that took place in ancient times when the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, was still standing. The word Omer is a certain amount of grain (in this case barley) which would be offered to God in the sanctuary as a so-called "moving sacrifice" right after the start of the barley harvesting season. The offering of the 'Omer' was also the beginning of the count, and ever since, up to this day, we count: "Today is the first day from the Omer"; Today is the second day from the Omer", etc. Not only do we count the days, but also the weeks, seven in total, leading up to Shabu'oth. So, from the seventh day on, we count: "Today is the seventh day from the Omer, which is one week"; "Today is the either day from the Omer, which is one week and one day", and so on. After we have counted seven complete weeks, the Omer counting is complete, and the very next evening is the start of Shabu'oth. The name of the holiday get its name from this count, as it literally means 'Weeks', while the Hebrew week for week literally means 'in seven'.

Before the Omer counting, a blessing is said: 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצוֹתָיו
​וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Master of the Universe, Who sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us concerning the counting of the 'Omer.
​
After the counting, it is a wide-spread Sephardi custom to sing Psalm 67.
The seven lines of Psalm 67 are written according to a unique 'Menorah' structure. The middle line (the stem) is longer than the other six, which are flanking it in a mirrored fashion. The number of words of each line (besides the title line) is: 7-6-6-10-6-6-7. Listen and see how this video shows the Hebrew words of the psalm unfold into an actual seven-branched candelabra.
​


​Click on the image below to view the video:
Picture

  • Personal
    • Introduction
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • My Journey to Judaism
    • Testimonials
  • JUDAISM
    • Judaism - Introduction
    • Jewish History and Texts >
      • Paleo Hebrew
      • The Pentateuch
      • Stories of Creation
      • Stories of the Flood
      • J and E compared
      • Priestly Writings
      • Prophets of Israel and Judah
      • Biblical Poetry
      • Hellenism and the Septuagint
      • Flavius Josephus
      • The Dead Sea Scrolls
      • Midrash
      • Oral Torah and Talmud
      • Origins of Christian Anti-Jewish Attitudes
      • Byzantine Jews Before the Advent of Islam
      • Yannai
      • Jews Under Islam
      • Byzantine Jews After the Advent of Islam
      • Qara'ites
      • Saadia Gaon
      • Saadia Gaon's Poem Telóf Tèlef
      • Salmón ben Yeruḥám
      • Hasdai ibn Shaprut
      • Yoséf ibn Abiṭúr
      • Andalusian Poetry
      • Samuel haNagîd and Ibn Gabirol
      • Christian-Jewish Polemics
      • The Crusades and Maoz Tzur
      • Rashi
      • The Tosafists
      • Yehuda haLevi, Background and Thought
      • Yehuda haLevi, His Poetry and Journey
      • Ritual Murder and Blood Libel
      • The Ḥasidé Ashkenaz
      • Toledot Yeshu
      • Moses Maimonides, Philosopher
      • Moses Maimonides, Rabbi, Leader, Physician
      • Abraham Maimonides
      • Maimonidean Controversies
      • Host Desecration Libels
      • The Barcelona Disputation
      • Qabbala and the Zohar
      • The Cairo Geniza
      • The New Sephardi Identity
      • David Reubeni and Shelomo Molkho
      • Shabbatai Tzevi
      • Da Costa and Spinoza
      • Yiddish Texts
      • Ḥasidism
      • The Jewish Enlightenment
      • Modern Jewish Thinkers
      • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
    • Jewish Thought >
      • Blessings and Challenges of Modern Orthodoxy
      • Could Jews Accept the Prophets ​of Christianity and Islam?
      • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
      • Why do Jews not Accept Jesus as the Messiah?
      • Why do Jews not Believe ​in the Prophet Muhammad?
      • Do Jews Follow the Sunna of Moses?
      • Saadia Gaon’s Solution to Anthropomorphisms in His Tafsîr
    • Jewish Law >
      • A Mikwèh in Uganda
      • Shabbat Distance
  • Scripture
    • Torah - Pentateuch >
      • Genesis
      • Exodus
      • Leviticus
      • Numbers
      • Deuteronomy
    • Nebi'im - Prophets >
      • Joshua
      • 1 Samuel
      • Isaiah
      • Jeremiah
      • Jonah
      • Zekharyah
    • Ketubim - Further Scriptures >
      • Tehillim - Psalms
      • Ruth
      • Lamentations
      • Esther
  • Liturgy
    • Daily Prayers >
      • Morning Prayers
      • Afternoon Prayers
      • Evening Prayers
    • Shabbat >
      • Shabbat Eve Prayers
      • Shabbat Eve at Home
      • Shabbat Morning
      • Shabbat Afternoon
      • End of Shabbat (Saturday Evening)
    • Rosh Ḥodesh (New Moon)
    • Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh >
      • Eve of Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh
    • Shabbat Zakhor
    • Purim
    • Passover/Pesach >
      • Eve of Passover Prayers
      • Passover Night at Home
      • First Day of Passover
      • Second Day of Passover
      • Intermediate Days of Passover
      • Eve of Shabbat Hol haMo'ed Pesach
      • Seventh Day of Passover
      • Eighth Day of Passover
    • Omer Counting
    • Shabu'oth >
      • The Eve of Shabu'oth
      • First Day of Shabu'oth
      • Second Day of Shabu'oth
    • Tish'a beAbh Evening Service
    • The Month of Elul
    • Rosh haShana (New Year) >
      • Rosh haShana Eve in Synagogue
      • Rosh haShana Eve at Home
      • Morning Service First Day
      • Morning Service Second Day
    • Shabbat Teshubá
    • Yom Kippur
    • Sukkot (Festival of Booths) >
      • Prayers for the Eve of Sukkot
      • ​Meals and Festivities in the Sukka
      • First Day of Sukkot
      • Eve of Shabbat Ḥol haMo'ed Sukkot
    • Sheminí ʻAṣèreth
    • Simḥàt Torah
    • Ḥanukka >
      • Ḥanukka - History, Meaning, Customs
      • Eve of Shabbat Ḥanukka
      • Morning Service of Shabbat Ḥanukka
      • Eve of Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh Ṭébét
  • OTHER RELIGIONS
    • Christianity >
      • Christianity - Introduction
      • Jesus, the Jewish Messiah
      • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
      • Why do Jews not Accept Jesus as the Messiah?
      • The Barcelona Disputation
    • Islam >
      • Islam - Introduction
      • Islamic Dietary Laws
      • Torah and Qur'an >
        • Tafsîr Al-Tabarî
        • Tafsîr Al-Qurtubî
        • Tafsîr Al-Mîzān
      • Why do Jews not Believe ​in the Prophet Muhammad?
      • Do Jews Follow the Sunna of Moses?
    • Interreligious Dialogue
  • (DIS)COURSES
    • Biblical Hebrew
    • Medieval Jewish Literature >
      • Syllabus
      • Course Classes
      • Prep Readers
      • Paragraph Assignment >
        • Assignment Explanation
        • Original Text
        • Guidelines for your Paragraph Assignments
      • Essay Assignment
      • Glossary
    • The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom >
      • Introduction
      • Chapter 1. Prior Legacies >
        • 1A. The Muslim Legacy
        • 1B. The Christian Legacy
        • 1C. The Jewish Legacy
      • Chapter 2. The Roman Catholic Church >
        • 2A. Theological Doctrine
        • 2B. Ecclesiastical Policies
        • 2C. Imagery of the Jews
        • 2D. Cultural Creativity
        • 2E. Looking Ahead
      • Chapter 3. The Older Jewries of the South >
        • 3A. Southern France
        • 3B. Christian Spain
        • 3C. Italy and Sicily
      • Chapter 4. Newer Jewries of the North . I >
        • 4A. Northern France
        • 4B. England
      • Chapter 5. Germany and Eastern Europe >
        • 5A. Germany
        • 5B. Eastern Europe
    • Judeo-Arabic Philosophers
    • Sermons >
      • Rosh haShana >
        • Hardships That Generate Inspiration (2019)
        • Rosh haShana Meditation (2018)
        • Abraham’s Struggles and What We Can Learn From It (2014)
        • The Blessings of Monotheism (2013)
        • Rejecting Human Sacrifice (2012)
      • Yom Kippur >
        • Confession: Guilt Trip, or Acknowledgement? (2019)
        • Yom Kippur and Being Connected (2015)
        • Changing Your Brain (2014)
        • Grow Up and Become a Better Person (2012)
    • Other Presentations >
      • 370 Years Portuguese Jewry
      • Holocaust Commemoration
  • OTHER LANGUAGES
    • עברית ישראלית עכשווית
    • عربي
    • فارسي
    • Bahasa Indonesia >
      • Pembacaan Kitab Suci
      • Liturgi Yahudi
    • Deutsch
    • Español >
      • Sagrada Escritura
      • Liturgia
    • Français >
      • Écriture
      • Liturgie
    • Igbo
    • Italiano
    • Kiswahili
    • Luganda
    • Nederlands >
      • Tanach (Bijbel) >
        • Thora >
          • Genesis
          • Exodus
        • Profeten
        • Geschriften >
          • Psalmen
          • Ruth
          • Klaagliederen
          • Esther
      • Liturgie >
        • Daily Prayers
        • Sjabbat Avonddienst
        • Sjabbatavond Thuis
        • Sjabbat Ochtenddienst
        • Sjabbatochtend
        • Poeriem
        • Pesach
        • Omertelling
        • Sjaboe'ot
        • Tisj'a be-Ab
        • Rosj haSjana Avonddienst
        • Rosj haSjana Ochtenddienst
        • Kipoer
        • Soekot
        • Chanoeka
      • Joodse Geschiedenis
    • Português >
      • Sagrada Escritura
      • Liturgia
      • História e Literatura Judaica >
        • Textos Paleo-Hebraicos
        • O Pentateuco
        • Histórias da Criação
        • Histórias do Dilúvio
        • J e E Comparados
        • Profetas de Israel e Judá
        • Escritos Sacerdotais
        • Poesia Bíblica
        • Helenismo e a Septuaginta
  • UGANDA
    • Pesach in Uganda
  • Contact