A fundamental question regarding the Omer count is whether the mitzvah is Biblical or Rabbinic ever since the Holy Temple was destroyed.\u00a0 The verse says, You shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the \u201cSabbath\u201d \u2013 from the day you bring the Omer of waving \u2013 seven weeks; they shall be complete. <\/i>(VaYikra<\/i> 23:15).<\/p>\n
According to the Rosh, Ran, and many other Rishonim<\/i>, the Biblical command to count the Omer is in effect only when we offer the Omer of waving on the sixteenth of Nissan, in the Temple.\u00a0 Today, however, when we do not bring this offering, the mitzvah is only Rabbinically ordained.\u00a0 The Rabbis enacted it in commemoration of the Omer count that took place when the Temple stood.\u00a0 This is why we are accustomed to praying for the rebuilding of the Temple after we finish counting.\u00a0 After all, when the Temple is rebuilt, we will [once again] perform the mitzvah on a Biblical level, and not just as a Rabbinic decree.<\/p>\n
The Rambam and the Ra\u2019avyah believe that the Omer offering is mentioned [in the verse] only to teach us the date on which the Omer count begins.\u00a0 It is not a necessary condition [for the fulfillment of the mitzvah].\u00a0 Therefore, we are commanded from the Torah to count the Omer even today when the Temple is in ruins and we are unable to bring the Omer offering.<\/p>\n
The practical implication of this halachah<\/i> concerns situations of doubt. \u00a0For example, if one counts during the twilight period \u2013 that is, between sunset and the emergence of [three medium-sized] stars \u2013 it is questionable whether he fulfills the mitzvah of counting.\u00a0 If we consider twilight day, he does not fulfill his obligation, because the time for tomorrow\u2019s count did not yet arrive.\u00a0 If we consider it night, however, he fulfills his obligation.\u00a0 The Aruch HaShulchan (489:2) and the majority of poskim<\/i> hold that one who counts during twilight fulfills his obligation, because, in their opinion, the Omer count is a Rabbinic mitzvah nowadays, and we rule leniently when a doubt arises [regarding Rabbinic laws].\u00a0 However, many Acharonim<\/i> write that it is proper to act strictly and recount, without a blessing, after the emergence of the stars, in order to fulfill the mitzvah even according to those who hold that the Omer count is a Biblical mitzvah nowadays, which requires one to act strictly in cases of doubt (Eliyah Rabbah<\/i>; M.B.<\/i> 489:15; B.H.<\/i> 489:1, s.v. lispor ha\u2019omer<\/i>).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A fundamental question regarding the Omer count is whether the mitzvah is Biblical or Rabbinic ever since the Holy Temple was destroyed.\u00a0 The verse says, You shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the \u201cSabbath\u201d \u2013 from the day you bring the Omer of waving \u2013 seven weeks; they shall be complete. (VaYikra 23:15). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-05-02"],"yoast_head":"\n