The Wonder in Counting

Immense waves of energy flood Earth twenty-four hours a day; they have done so without stop since the beginning of creation. Both the sun and moon have a constant, powerful influence on the entire earth – on every man, woman and child, and on every animal, plant and mineral – throughout the entire day.

All this pales, however, in comparison with the cosmic power of the Jew. In counting the Omer, the Jew is commanded and entrusted with the task to count 49 days, and in this way, to combine all their vital energy into one commandment of the Torah.

Even an isolated Jew in a remote corner of the globe – through his counting the Omer, he not only influences every inch of this world, but as we recite in the blessing after the counting, “G-d’s abundance is bestowed upon all worlds” – he draws Divine vitality into every realm of creation, both higher and lower.