Sunday, April 29, 2018

Counting the Omer--Shabbat Shalom! Omer Blessing

The Castle is made of light!! So when it appears bright and illuminated as the sky turns to night,  I read a blessing and count the day of the omer!!

And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering---the day after the sabbath--you shall count off seven weeks.  They must be complete:  you must count until the day after the seventh week--fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord.  You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation offering;      --Leviticus 23:15~17a

The days counting up from Passover to Shavuot are very exciting.
The commandment to count the Omer comes in the reading portion we are in this week!
In the counting, it is so wonderful to realize the living cycle of God's calendar and feasts, and  honor and marvel in His exquisite timing and eternal plan. 
The count each day and the blessing are made when the sun goes down, just at night fall or any time after night fall.

In our city there is a castle made of light that goes on at night,
It's perfect, so when the lights of the Castle go on,  we can count and make the blessing...

Today is 30 days, which is four weeks and two days of the Omer!
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

May the LORD be gracious to us and and bless us.  May He make His countenance shine upon us forever, that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.  The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You.  The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on  earth forever.  The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol you, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us.  God will bless us; and all , from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.
 Accept our supplication and hear our cry.  You who knows secret thoughts.

Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

(exerpted from the blessings and counting of the Omer,and Psalm 67) 



Related posts on this blog for Counting the Omer, HERE
Related posts on this blog for Shavout, HERE



6 comments:

  1. I have not heard of the Omer. What does it signify? I guess I'm asking what is the elevation offering? Enjoy your week ahead. xx

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  2. Hi Joyful, Good question, I actually drafted a lot of versions of this post to explain about it, but at last I left out the explanation!! I didn't quite know where to start! Also the version of the verse I posted has "elevation offering" which is a "wave offering" , of sheaves of grain to be waved to the LORD. The Omer refers to the amount of the grain, and the significance of the count , called counting the Omer, is that these days between Passover and Shavuot are the days counting up from the deliverance of the people to the actual receiving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. This same period of 50 days from the Passover are also the same days which include the 40 days when Yeshua returned to be with the disciples after His Resurrection, and they too counted up to the 50th day of Shavout. It was on God's appointed feast day of Shavuot when the Holy Spirit was poured out in the upper room. ( the first chapter of the book of Acts.) (also known as Pentecost). This period is also a time of praying and seeking a personal revelation with God in anticiapation from the day of Passover to the Shavuot so it is an exciting time in a personal anticipation as well as being the commandment. Well that is a Shayndel{s nut shell!! THere is lots more, and probably better explanations!! but will leave it at that for now!! I will see if I can put a link somewhere here or in the post if you or anyone might be interested, there are still a few weeks of the count! Be blessed! Enjoy your week ahead too xxo

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    1. Thank you Shayndel. This is very helpful. Thanks too for the link which I will check out when I have a bit more time. Blessed week ahead to you!

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  3. PS this is a link about the counting of the Omer and Shavuot. hope it might be helpful! http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Sefirat_HaOmer/sefirat_haomer.html

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  4. Counting of the Omer is ok with me, but the Lag B'Omer festivity (on the 33 day of the Omer counting) - not. I don't like the lighting of the bonfires; it's just too dangerous despite precautions taken.

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  5. HI Duta, I can understand that. I didn`t know much about the Lag B`Omer festivity. I pray that it will be a safe time and a peaceful holiday on Lag B`Omer.

    Blessings and Shalom♡

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