English translation — חה"ש

Festival of Weeks

1.

"And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Sabbath, from the day you bring the sheaf of the waving, seven complete Sabbaths shall there be."

And behold, in the explanation of the verse "Temimot Tihyena",

we find several ways:

a)

that a person's counting must be in a manner of "temimot",

and in two matters:

(a)

that the counting is at night,

because "it is impossible<sup>2</sup>

to begin the counting on the day of his bringing it exactly..

as it is said, Temimot Tihyena,

and you do not find temimot except when one begins to count in the evening..

and the same applies to the counting of the rest of the days, which is only at night<sup>3</sup>,

for presumably the counting of all the days is equal",

(b)

that "if<sup>4</sup>

he forgot to count on one night..

he loses the mitzvah of counting the omer entirely when he misses one day from it,

as it is said, Temimot Tihyena".

b)

that the weeks

(weeks)

themselves are complete,

according to the exposition of R. Yochanan b. Zakkai

(in the sugya⁵

regarding the modes of study that "the morrow of the Sabbath" means "the morrow of the Festival"⁶)

: "One verse says, 'You shall count fifty days'⁷

(implying days and not weeks),

and one verse says, 'Seven complete weeks shall there be'

(weeks⁸,

and 'weeks' are only called those that begin on Sunday and end on Saturday),

how so?

Here, when the Festival falls on Shabbat

('Seven complete weeks shall there be' is fulfilled,

seven complete weeks in their order),

here, when the Festival falls in the middle of the week"

(fifty days and not complete weeks,

for we do not require seven complete weeks from Sunday to Saturday,

but merely fifty,

on whatever day they are completed)

— that "Seven complete weeks shall there be" is fulfilled when Pesach falls on Shabbat,

for then the weeks are in their order

(from Sunday to Saturday).

[And it stands to reason,

that the exposition of R. Yochanan b. Zakkai

("Here, when the Festival falls on Shabbat",

"'Seven complete weeks shall there be' is fulfilled")

is not merely an evasion that he said to the Boethusian,

like the things he said to him initially in a manner of "evasion<pg>8</pg>

Bealma"&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

— for after the Boethusian did not accept the "mere postponement",

by saying "Rabbi, with this you are exempting me",

Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai answered him "Let not our complete Torah

(to push off&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

a person with a reed and a stick&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;)

be like your idle talk"

(for we have a proof and you have no proof),

and he said to him the proof from the Torah "one verse says etc.",

that is,

study according to its truth&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;

of Torah&lt;sup&gt;12&lt;/sup&gt;].

And so it is explained in the Midrash&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;

: "Rabbi Chiya taught: It is written 'seven complete weeks shall there be',

when are they complete,

at a time when there is no Yeshua and his neighbor between them".

And as explained in the commentators&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;,

that "at a time when there is no Yeshua and his neighbor between them" is a sign regarding the determination "that Rosh Chodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat and Pesach falls on Shabbat and they begin to count on Motzaei Shabbat,

and then the weeks will be complete,

for the Shab­&lt;pg&gt;9&lt;/pg&gt;

If it will be on Sunday,

and it will be from Sunday of the 16th

(of Nisan)

that they began to count until Sunday of the holiday of Shavuot, seven complete weeks.

(that begin on Sunday and end on Shabbat,

like the days of Creation).

3)

"Complete" refers to the time when the Holy Temple exists.

As it is stated in the Midrash: "It was taught&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

Rabbi Chiya: 'Seven complete weeks shall there be,

when are they complete?

At the time when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent.'"

That "at the time when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent,"

that is, at the time when the Holy Temple exists&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;,

and they offer the Omer and the Two Loaves,

and only then is the Counting of the Omer in a manner of "completeness."

And the reason of the matter,

because the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer depends on the offering of the Omer on Pesach and the Two Loaves on Shavuos¹⁷

(as it is said¹⁸

"And you shall count for yourselves etc. from the day you bring the Omer of waving etc. until the morrow of the seventh week etc. and you shall offer etc. a bread of waving, two etc."),

therefore,

its fulfillment in completeness

("When are they complete")

is only at a time when the Beis HaMikdash exists,

but not so at a time when the Beis HaMikdash does not exist,

and there is no offering of the Omer and the Two Loaves,

there is no fulfillment of the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer in its completeness,

and beyond this,

according to many opinions its fulfillment in this time is only a rabbinic enactment,

"a remembrance of the Temple"¹⁹.

2.

And behold, these three explanations in "Temimos Tihyena" are three different modes in the definition of "Temimos":

a)

Wholeness in their count — that the "wholeness" is in the act of counting,

that the action of man in counting the "seven Sabbaths"

(forty-nine days)

is in completeness without missing a single day;

b)

Wholeness like the days of creation — that the definition of "wholeness" is in the Sabbaths

(weeks)

themselves,

that begin on Sunday and end on Shabbat,

like the days of creation

(something that is not dependent on man's counting)

;

3)

Innocence at the time when the Holy Temple existed — that the definition of "innocence" does not belong to the counting of the weeks in itself

(as in the innocence in their counting),

and all the more so and certainly it does not belong to the weeks themselves

(as in the innocence of the days of creation),

but specifically to the counting of the Omer.

And it may be said,

that they are three levels in "innocence",

one above the other:

a)

"Temimus" is indispensable — temimus in their count — that it must be and exists every year.

b)

Shel-<pg>10</pg>

Additional death²⁰

In "Temimus"

("Temimus within temimus")

That is not a halachic category²¹

— Temimus like the days of creation — when Pesach falls on Shabbos²²

(And both apply also in the present time).

c)

The ultimate perfection of "Temimus" — which depends on the offering of the Omer

(And the two loaves)

At the time when the Beis HaMikdash exists.

3.

And we must explain the connection of these three categories of "temimut" (completeness/integrity) to the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer in general — that this corresponds to the definition of the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer according to halachah.

And with the preface of what was said elsewhere²³

regarding the reason for the opinions²⁴

that "if⁴

one forgot to count on one night...

he loses the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer entirely when he misses one day from it,

as it is said 'they shall be complete (temimot),'"

that the intention in their words is not that all 49 days are one mitzvah²⁵

and consequently when one misses one day the mitzvah is nullified — for each and every day is a mitzvah in itself

(therefore one recites a blessing each and every night)²⁶

— rather, that when one missed one day,

the concept of "they shall be complete (temimot)" is lacking,

for his count is not in completeness.

That is to say: the intention of "they shall be complete (temimot)" is,

that a person's counting must be with "temimut" (completeness) and in wholeness

(therefore one must begin "to count in the evening"),

therefore,

one who forgot and did not count on the night of the ninth

(for example),

cannot count the next day "today is ten days of the Omer,"

because there does not exist for him

(in his counting)

the reality of counting the tenth day if the reality of counting nine days did not precede it.

And behold, according to the above,

that the necessity of completeness in their counting

(that if one forgot to count one night he cannot continue and count with a blessing)

is not because he omitted a detail of the commandment,

but rather because of the lack in the reality of the counting of the coming days

(that if he did not count nine for example,

then it is impossible for him to count today ten days)

— one must say,

apparently,

that even a slave who was freed in the middle of the days of counting and in his slavery counted all the days before this,

can count with a blessing²⁷,

even though in his slavery he was not obligated in counting

(and there is no<pg>11</pg>

in his counting fulfillment of a commandment),

since the reality of the counting of the previous days is not lacking by him.

But it must be said that it is not so.

For the concept of the counting in itself

(aside from the commandment)

has no existence,

for even aside from the act of counting of the person, each day is a day in a specific number

(for example day one)

from the day of the bringing of the omer,

and the counting of the person changes nothing in this,

and thus the act of counting in itself has no existence,

and only the commandment to count the time, it is that makes the counting into an existence,

in the manner of "I consider them as commandments"²⁸.

And since this is so,

a slave who was freed in the middle of the days of the counting cannot count with a blessing

(even though he counted all the days before this),

for since the existence of the counting is only by virtue of the commandment,

behold the counting that he counted before this

(which is not by virtue of the command of the Torah)

has no existence at all,

and how shall he bless and count "today is ten days to the omer" when there was no existence of a counting of nine days before this.

And likewise there is room for discussion regarding a minor who became an adult — that even in his minority he fulfilled the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer rabbinically

(from the law of chinuch),

and "his mitzvos"

(even rabbinically)

are considered" regarding the reality of counting days,

nevertheless,

since the rabbinic obligations

(according to several opinions&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;)

are only upon the "person",

and not upon the "object",

there is room to say that the obligation of counting

(mitzvah)

rabbinically is not sufficient to consider the counting of days regarding Torah obligations&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;,

and he cannot recite a blessing&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;,

since in relation to the obligation that was renewed when he became an adult,

there does not exist for him a reality of counting days beforehand.

And one may add,

that there is a practical difference also regarding adults — when Moshiach Tzidkeinu comes

(that "I await him every day that he will come"&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;)

in the middle of the days of the counting,

and he will build the Beis HaMikdash and we will fulfill the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer properly&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;

from the Torah,

whether the continuation of Sefiras HaOmer can be

(with a blessing&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;)

from&lt;pg&gt;12&lt;/pg&gt;

The Torah³⁵

In continuation of the reality of counting the days from the aspect of the obligation rabbinically in this time

(According to most opinions that Sefirat HaOmer in this time is rabbinic).

D.

However, it seems more correct to say,

that the explanation of "My commandments I counted"

(And in our subject,

that the commandment makes the counting into a significant reality)

is,

that the Torah's command regarding counting the days makes the counting into a reality in the world even when the counter is not commanded to count

(As will be explained below).

And based on this, one can say,

that anyone who became obligated in the counting of the Omer in the middle of the days of the counting can count with a blessing,

because,

the counting of the days that he counted before the time of obligation,

even though it is not a commandment,

it is a reality in the world

(since there is a commandment in the Torah regarding the counting of the days),

and therefore he can certainly bless and count "today is ten days of the Omer",

because the reality of his counting of nine days

(even though it is not a counting of a commandment),

enables the fulfillment of the commandment of counting the Omer from the tenth day onward³⁶.

Explanation of the matter:

Mitzvah

(not only its actual fulfillment,

but also the command itself)

— compels an existence of an object

(for example: "You shall eat matzot"³⁷

— necessarily there is in the world an object of "matzot"),

and not just an ordinary object,

but an object of importance — that is not a mere object found in the world,

but an object whose existence is compelled by the command of the Torah,

an object to which the Torah relates

[and more deeply: an object that is considered an "existence" also in the world of the mitzvah,

unlike without the command,

there is no importance to the existence<pg>13</pg>

of creations in relation to the existence of the Creator³⁸],

even if in actuality the mitzvah will not be fulfilled with the object.

That is to say: in addition to the fulfillment of the commandment changing the object in the world to be an object of holiness,

behold,

the commandment of the Torah by itself

(even without the fulfillment of the commandment)

makes the object in the world³⁹

into an existence

(in relation to other matters of the world),

even if the commandment is not fulfilled in it,

that it will not be an object of holiness,

but an object in the world.

And similarly it can be said regarding the "counting" that its entire existence

(not only greater importance in an existence that exists without this,

as in other commandments of the Torah)

is brought about by virtue of the commandment,

that is,

that the commandment of the Torah regarding the counting of the days makes the counting of the days

(in the first place)

into an existence in general

(for counting by itself is not an existence),

and even into an existence of importance that the Torah relates to it

(an existence also in the world of the one commanded)

— that the existence of the counting of the days

(which is brought about by the commandment of the Torah)

exists even if the commandment of counting is not fulfilled in it

(if one who is not obligated counts them)⁴⁰.

5.

And it is found,

that in the mitzvah of counting the Omer there are three matters:

a)

the existence of counting the days — a reality in the world that is made from the side of the command of counting the days

(unlike if not for the command, the counting is not considered a reality).

b)

An important reality of the counting of the days — not a simple reality in the world,

but an object that the Torah relates to it

(as in all the mitzvos whose reality of their object becomes a reality necessitated by the command of the Torah).

And in more detail: the counting — all its reality is from the command

(without the command it is not a reality at all),

and the days — they are a reality even without this,

and through the command to count the days the days become an important reality

(in addition to their reality in the world that exists without this)

— an object that is necessitated by the command of the Torah.

3)

The commandment of counting the Omer

(its fulfillment in actuality)

— not just a mere existence in the world,

and not just an existence necessitated by the Torah's command,

but a real commandment — that the counting of the days

[namely the counting

(the action),

and the days

(the object acted upon)]

becomes an object of holiness.

6.

And based on this, it can be said,

that the three definitions of "temimut" in the commandment of counting the Omer

(as above, section 1-2),

correspond to these three matters in the commandment of counting the Omer —

(a)

the existence of the counting that is brought about by the command,

(b)

the important existence of

(the counting and)

the days in addition to the existence that existed beforehand,

(c)

the object of holiness,

through the actual fulfillment of the commandment of counting:

a)

The reality of the counting of days that

(in its own essence is not a reality,

and)

is made through the mitzvah — is emphasized in the explanation of completeness in their count — that the perfection is

(only)

in the counting that is through the &lt;pg&gt;14&lt;/pg&gt;

blood,

even when it does not correspond to the count of the days of the week

(from the first day of the week until Shabbat),

the reality of counting days that is only from the aspect of the mitzvah.

b)

the great importance that the commandment adds to the reality that exists before this,

which is

(also⁴¹)

in the days that are counted

(that the reality of the days exists even without the commandment,

and through the commandment to count the days,

they become an important reality)

— is emphasized

(mainly)

in the interpretation of "perfect like the days of creation" — when the counting of the person

(which in itself is not a reality)

corresponds to the counting that comes from creation,

the counting of seven weeks⁴²

that begin on the first day of the week and end on the Sabbath,

like the days of creation,

since the counting of the days of creation is a reality that exists even without the commandment of counting the omer,

and through the commandment of counting the omer, it acquires great importance.

c)

An object of holiness — since it is made through the actual performance of the commandment

(unlike the reality of the counting,

and the important reality of the days,

which come about from the commandment itself,

even without the actual performance),

this depends on the performance of the commandment in its proper manner.

And this matter is emphasized in the interpretation of "perfect" at the time when the Temple stood — since the performance of the commandment in its proper manner depends on the offering of the omer in the Temple.

7.

Based on this, one will understand more deeply the connection and the relationship between the content of the mitzvah of counting the Omer and the holiday of Shavuot,

the time of the giving of our Torah:

In the root of the mitzvah of counting the Omer, the Chinuch writes⁴³

: "Because the entire essence of Israel is only the Torah, and for the sake of the Torah were created heaven and earth and Israel,

and as it is said⁴⁴

If not for My covenant day and night etc.,

and it is the main thing and the reason that they were redeemed and left Egypt in order that they should receive the Torah..

We were commanded to count from the day after the festival of Passover until the day of the giving of the Torah, to show in our souls the great desire for the honored day..

and he should always count when the longed-for time will come..

for counting shows in a person that all his salvation and all his desire is to arrive at that time".

And they lengthen his tongue "Because of the Torah were created heaven and earth..

And as it is said, "If not for My covenant day and night etc." it implies,

that the preparation for receiving the Torah through the counting of the Omer is not only regarding the person

(the children of Israel),

"For the entire essence of Israel is nothing but the Torah..

to show in our soul the great desire etc.",

but also regarding the object of the world in which they fulfill the Torah.

And according to the above, one can say the explanation in this:

The uniqueness of the mitzvah of counting the Omer from the rest of the mitzvos of the Torah — in two:

(a)

The mitzvah makes the object of the counting of the days into a reality,

namely,

that the action of the mitzvah is not only adding greater importance to the object that exists in the world beforehand,

but in its very existence,

that the mitzvah creates the existence of the object in the world,

(b)

The mitzvah is in the time itself — counting

(the days and weeks)

the time⁴⁵

(unlike in the rest of<pg>15</pg>

the mitzvos — even in mitzvos that are time-dependent,

the time only causes the obligation of the mitzvah,

but the mitzvah itself is an action in another thing

(eating matzah,

sitting in the sukkah and the like)

that is done in this time)⁴⁶.

And one could say,

that in these two matters the totality of the action of the Giving of the Torah is emphasized:

a)

In the existence of the object

(of the counting of the time)

in the world that is effected by the commandment — it is emphasized that the existence of the object in the world is only from the aspect of

(for the sake of)

the Torah,

since without the command there is no existence of counting;

And this is the preparation for the action of the giving of the Torah in the object of the entirety of the world — that it should be recognizable that all of its existence is only "for the sake of the Torah,"

And in the language of the Gemara in the sugya of the giving of the Torah⁴⁷

: "What is that which is written⁴⁸

And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day,

An extra heh, why is it needed for me?

It teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, made a condition with the act of creation and said to them: If Israel accepts the Torah, you will endure,

And if not, I will return you to chaos and void"

("The sixth implies the sixth that is special...

The sixth of Sivan on which the Torah was given"⁴⁹),

That is,

That the acceptance of the Torah

("Israel accepts the Torah")

Makes the reality of "the act of creation,"

And about this it is said⁵⁰

"The earth feared and was quiet...

At first fear and afterward quiet."

b)

And in the commandment that is in the time itself

(The counting of the time)

— Since time is

(Not a particular object in the world,

But rather)

The definition of the world,

As is known that the creation of time

(That it too is "created"⁵¹)

Was together with

(And a part of)

The creation of the world,

Like place,

For the definition of the world is place and time⁵²,

<pg>16</pg>

Thus,

the effect of the mitzvah of counting the time⁵³

is

(not regarding a particular object in the world,

but)

regarding the category of the world

(the reality of time)

;

And this is the preparation and the qualification and the empowerment for the effect of the other mitzvos — that the effect of each mitzvah on the particular object in the world that belongs to this mitzvah is after and in continuation of the effect on the category of the world

(time)

by the mitzvah of counting the Omer.

8.

And behold, based on all the above, one may add further,

that the three explanations of "temimut" are

(not different definitions,

but rather)

one definition and concept — completeness

(temimut)

in the preparation of the world for the giving of the Torah through the commandment of counting the time

(the definition of the world),

except that in this matter there are three stages: two stages through the commandment itself

(before the fulfillment of the commandment)

— that the commandment makes

(a)

the reality of the counting,

(b)

additional importance in the days being counted⁵⁴,

and an additional stage

(the main one)

through the fulfillment of the commandment — that the definition of the world becomes an object of holiness.

And based on this, it is understood with additional explanation the content of the completeness in the commandment of counting the omer when the weeks are complete like the days of creation — for at first glance: the commandment of counting the omer is the counting of man,

whereas the completeness achieved through this that the weeks

(that are counted for the omer)

are

(from the first of the week until the Sabbath)

like the days of creation,

is not dependent on the counting of man but on the determination of the days — rather, since the content of the commandment of the extension of holiness in the counting of time is regarding the definition of the world

(time),

this is in additional completeness when the reality of the counting of time by man corresponds to the counting of time also from the aspect of the definitions of the world,

completeness like the days of creation.

And may it be His will that the prayer be fulfilled that is prayed immediately after the Sefiras HaOmer: "The Merciful One, may He return to us the service of the Holy Temple to its place speedily in our days, Amen Selah" — "Because now we count only as a remembrance of the Temple..

Therefore we pray that the Holy Temple be built and we fulfill the commandment in its proper manner"³³.

And according to what was said, that the counting of the days is a reality in the world even when there is no commandment to count the days⁵⁵

— "we fulfill the commandment in its proper manner" even when our righteous Mashiach will come in the middle of the days of the counting

(and in any case before the last day of Sefiras HaOmer),

since the reality of the counting of the days that preceded this,

enables the continuation and completion of the counting of the days in a manner that we fulfill the commandment of Sefiras HaOmer in its proper manner,

from the Torah⁵⁶.

<pg>17</pg>

And then will be the completeness of "temimut" in all three aforementioned interpretations: temimut in their number,

temimut as the days of Genesis,

and temimut through the offering of the omer — a threefold completeness⁵⁷,

in the third redemption and in the third Holy Temple,

"speedily in our days, Amen, Selah"⁵⁸.

(From the talk of the last day of Passover 5751)