The Meaning of Sefirat HaOmer -
Lesson 4
Understanding the Rambam's Approach to Sefirat HaOmer
Rambam, in Hilkhot Temidin uMusafin, Chapter 7, states:
Several questions about this passage:
- Since the Mitzvah is to count from the bringing of the 'Omer offering, and we have no such offering in our time - most Rishonim feel that the Mitzvah is merely commemorative in our day. This is based on Amemar's statement (Menahot 66a) - Zekher l'Mikdash Hu. Why does Rambam rule that Sefirah is still "in full d'Orayta (Biblical) force" today?
- Most of the Rishonim (including the Tur and, subsequently, the Shulhan Arukh) present the laws of Sefirat ha'Omer with the laws of the Seder (or right after them). Why does Rambam list them in Hilhkot T'midin uMusafin instead of at the end of Hilkhot Hametz uMatza? (read through chs. 7-8 there and a few chapters of T'midin uMusafin to understand the themes of each.)
- Why is Sefirah ideally said standing up - but is still valid if said while seated? (Some Rishonim quote a Midrash on the word baKamah but Rambam doesn't cite this. Perhaps he has another reason)
Then, in Devarim [Deuteronomy] 16:9-10:
- There is no mention of counting days in the Devarim section; in Vayyikra, the seven weeks is modified/qualified by "fifty days".
- The counting in Devarim is not predicated on the bringing of an offering - it is begun at the onset of harvest season; in Vayyikra, it is specifically attached to the bringing of the 'omer hat'nufah. In addition, the mimohorat haShabbat (on the morrow of the Shabbat) requirement is unique to Vayyikra.
- The stated goal of counting in Devarim is only to get to the festival of Shavu'ot; in Vayyikra, it is primarily to "present an offering of new grain...".
- There is no requirement of temimot (complete/perfect) weeks in the Devarim selection.
There are three possible approaches to these differences:
b) to count seven weeks from the offering of the 'Omer - which is no longer applicable today.
1) Reverence for God - the object of this worship and
2) Reverence for the sanctity of the Mikdash.
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