49 Weeks: The Mystery of the Omer by Meri Blye Kramer, Spring Festival Season, Omer, First Temple, Shavuot

Although “counting the omer” took on mystical significance after the destruction of the first Temple, it was originally simply a practice of counting a measure (omer) of barley during the spring festival season, culminating in the offering made during the festival of Shavuot (literally, “weeks”). Today, many Jews “count” the omer while associating each day with special attributes and spiritual energies, corresponding to the lower seven sefirot of kabbalistic literature. Counting began the second day of Pesach (Passover) and will culminate the evening before the festival of Shavuot. The counting lasts for 7 weeks. Each week brings a particular and powerful spiritual energy, and each day has a distinct subliminal energy, resulting in 49 different computations for receiving, giving and reflecting. Here are seven examples: