From the second night of Pesach until the holiday of Shavuos, a duration of 49 days, we are given a unique mitzvah: the Counting of the Omer. We count every one of these 49 days.

Our Rabbis explain that the counting commemorates the yearning of the Jewish people after the exodus from Egypt. They had been promised that they would be given the Torah on Mount Sinai following the exodus. Like a schoolboy ticking off the days until vacation, they counted the days until the Torah would be given.

But it’s more than a recollection of history. Counting days helps us make the days themselves count. The mere ticking of a clock caninspire us to make full use of the time we have been granted. Realizing that every moment of life is a gift from G‑d, heightens our natural desire to utilize those moments in serving Him to the fullest.