מִצְוַת סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר – לִסְפֹּר תִּשְׁעָה וְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם מִיּוֹם הֲבָאַת הָעֹמֶר שֶׁהוּא יוֹם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג טו) וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם אֶת עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה. וְהַמִּנְיָן הַזֶּה חוֹבָה, וְעָלִינוּ לִמְנוֹת בּוֹ הַיָּמִים יוֹם יוֹם, וְכֵן הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת, שֶׁהַכָּתוּב אָמַר תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם. וְאָמַר גַּם כֵּן (דברים טז ט) שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעֹת תִּסְפָּר לָךְ, וּבְפֵרוּשׁ אָמַר אַבַּיֵּי בַּגְּמָרָא בִּמְנָחוֹת (סו, א) מִצְוָה לְמִמְנֵי יוֹמֵי וּמִצְוָה לְמִמְנֵי שָׁבוּעֵי (עי' סהמ"צ להרמב"ם עשין קסא). וְיֵשׁ מִן הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (עי' סוף ר"ן פסחים), שֶׁהָיָה דַּעְתָּם, כִּי כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב לִמְנוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת דַּוְקָא כְּשֶׁהֵן שְׁלֵמִים, אֲבָל לְהַזְכִּיר בְּכָל יוֹם וְלוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם כָּךְ וְכָךְ יָמִים וְכָךְ וְכָךְ שָׁבוּעוֹת אֵין צֹרֶךְ. וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁאָמְרוּ (רא"ש בתשובה כלל כד סי' יג), כִּי הַדֶּרֶךְ הַנִּבְחָר לְהַזְכִּיר מִנְיַן הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת עִם הַיָּמִים תָּמִיד בְּכָל יוֹם וִירֵא שָׁמַיִם יִבְחַר דַּרְכָּם לְהוֹצִיא מִכָּל סָפֵק, וְלֹא יָחוּשׁ לְתִפְאֶרֶת הַמִּלּוֹת, וְכֵן נָהֲגוּ הַיּוֹם בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁשָּׁמַעְנוּ. The commandment of counting the omer: To count forty-nine days from the bringing of the omer which is on the sixteenth day of Nissan, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:15), “And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbat from the day of your bringing the omer of waving.” And this tallying is an obligation, and it is upon us to count the days on each day and, likewise, the weeks. As Scripture said to count fifty days and also said (Deuteronomy 16:9), “Seven weeks shall you count for yourself.” And in explanation, Abbaye said in the Gemara in Menachot 66a, “It is a commandment to tally the days and it is a commandment to tally the weeks.” (See Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 161.) And there are some of the commentators (see the end of Ran on Pesachim) who opine that the intention of the verse is to tally the weeks specifically when they are full, but there is no need to mention [them] every day and say that they are such-and-such days and such-and-such weeks. And there are some that say (Rosh in his Responsa 24:13) that the [proper] way is to mention the tally of weeks with the days always on every day. And one who fears the Heavens will choose their way to remove [himself] from any doubt, and not be concerned about the elegance of the words. And so have they practiced today in all places of which we have heard.
וְכָתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (סהמ"צ שם) וְאַל יַטְעֶה אוֹתְךָ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה מִצְוָה לְמִמְנֵי יוֹמֵי וּמִצְוָה לְמִמְנֵי שָׁבוּעֵי. וְתַחְשֹׁב שֶׁהֵם שְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת, שֶׁאֵין הַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מִצְוָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, אֲבָל הוּא חֵלֶק מֵחֶלְקֵי הַמִּצְוָה. וְאָמְנָם הָיוּ שְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת, אִלּוּ אָמְרוּ מִנְיַן הַיָּמִים מִצְוָה וּמִנַּיִן הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת מִצְוָה, וְזֶה מָה שֶׁלֹּא נֶעְלַם מִמִּי שֶׁיְּדַקְדֵּק בַּדָּבָר וִיבָאֲרֵהוּ, שֶׁאַתָּה כְּשֶׁתֹּאמַר יִתְחַיֵּב שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כָּךְ וְכָךְ, לֹא יִתְחַיֵּב מִן הַמַּאֲמָר הַזֶּה שֶׁהָעִנְיָן הַהוּא מִצְוָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, וְהָרְאָיָה הַמְּבֹאֶרֶת עַל זֶה, הֱיוֹתֵנוּ מוֹנִין הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּכָל לַיְלָה בְּאָמְרֵנוּ שֶׁהֵם כָּךְ וְכָךְ שָׁבוּעוֹת וְכָךְ וְכָךְ יָמִים, וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת מִצְוָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, לֹא סִדְרוּ מִנְיָנָם אֶלָּא בְּלֵילֵי הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת בִּלְבַד, וְהָיוּ לָהֶן שְׁתֵּי בְּרָכוֹת אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת יְמֵי הָעֹמֶר, וְעַל סְפִירַת שָׁבוּעֵי הָעֹמֶר, וְאֵין הַדָּבָר כֵּן, אֲבָל הַמִּצְוָה הִיא סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר יָמָיו וְשָׁבוּעוֹתָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, עַד כָּאן. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 161), “And do not be misled by their, may their memory be blessed, saying [that] it is a commandment to tally days and it is a commandment to tally weeks, and think that they are two commandments. As the intention of this is not to say that it be a commandment on its own, but [rather] it is a part of the [different] parts of the commandment. However, it would have been two commandments had they said, ‘The tally of the days is a commandment and the tally of the weeks is a commandment.’ And this is what will not be hidden from one who is exact in the thing and elucidates it — that when you say, ‘It is obligated that he do such and such,’ it is not obligatory from this statement that this matter be a commandment on its own. And the proof that elucidates this is our tallying the weeks as well on each night, in our saying that they are such-and-such weeks and such-and-such days. And if the weeks were a commandment on their own, their tally would have only been arranged on the nights of the [ends of] the weeks alone. And they would have had two blessings: ‘and commanded us about the counting of the days of the omer’; and ‘about the counting of the weeks of the omer’ — but the matter is not like this. [Rather] the commandment of the counting of the omer is its days and its weeks, as we have written.” To here [are his words].
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. עַל צַד הַפְּשָׁט, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל עִקָּרָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִפְּנֵי הַתּוֹרָה נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ירמיהו לג כה) אִם לֹא בְּרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה וְגוֹ', וְהִיא הָעִקָּר וְהַסִּבָּה שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ וְיָצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה בְּסִינַי וִיקַיְּמוּהָ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַשֵּׁם לְמֹשֶׁה (שמות ג יב) וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת כִּי אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ אֶת הָעָם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה. וּפֵרוּשׁ הַפָּסוּק הוֹצִיאֲךָ אוֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, יִהְיֶה לְךָ אוֹת שֶׁתַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא הָעִקָּר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה הֵם נִגְאָלִים וְהִיא תַּכְלִית הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְעִנְיַן גָּדוֹל הוּא לָהֶם יוֹתֵר מִן הַחֵרוּת מֵעַבְדוּת, וְלָכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה הַשֵּׁם לְמֹשֶׁה אוֹת בְּצֵאתָם מֵעַבְדוּת לְקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי הַטָּפֵל עוֹשִׂין אוֹתוֹ אוֹת לְעוֹלָם אֶל הָעִקָּר. It is from the roots of the commandment from the angle of the simple understanding [that it is] since the entire essence of Israel is only the Torah, and because of the Torah were the heavens and earth created, and as it is stated (Jeremiah 33:25), “Were it not for my covenant day and night, etc.” And it is the essence and the reason that they were redeemed and left from Egypt — in order that they receive the Torah at Sinai, and fulfill it. And [it is] like God said to Moshe (Exodus 3:12), “And this will be the sign for you that I have sent you; when you take out the people from Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” And the understanding of the verse is [that] your taking them out from Egypt is a sign for you that you shall worship God on this mountain — meaning that you shall receive the Torah, which is the great principle for which they were redeemed and it is their ultimate good. And it is a great matter for them, more than freedom from slavery. And hence God made a sign of their leaving Egypt for the receiving of the Torah; as we always make what is secondary into a sign for what is the essence.
וּמִפְּנֵי כֵן, כִּי הִיא כָּל עִקָּרָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבַעֲבוּרָהּ נִגְאֲלוּ וְעָלוּ לְכָל הַגְּדֻלָּה שֶׁעָלוּ אֵלֶיהָ, נִצְטַוִּינוּ לִמְנוֹת מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב שֶׁל פֶּסַח עַד יוֹם נְתִינַת הַתּוֹרָה לְהַרְאוֹת בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ הַחֵפֶץ הַגָּדוֹל אֶל הַיּוֹם הַנִּכְבָּד הַנִּכְסָף לְלִבֵּנוּ כְּעֶבֶד יִשְׁאַף צֵל, וְיִמְנֶה תָּמִיד מָתַי יָבוֹא הָעֵת הַנִּכְסָף אֵלָיו שֶׁיֵּצֵא לְחֵרוּת, כִּי הַמִּנְיָן מַרְאֶה לְאָדָם כִּי כָל יִשְׁעוֹ וְכָל חֶפְצוֹ לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הַזְּמַן הַהוּא. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מוֹנִין לָעֹמֶר, כְּלוֹמַר, כָּךְ וְכָךְ יָמִים עָבְרוּ מִן הַמִּנְיָן וְאֵין אָנוּ מוֹנִין כָּךְ וְכָךְ יָמִים יֵשׁ לָנוּ לַזְּמַן, כִּי כָּל זֶה מַרְאֶה לָנוּ הָרָצוֹן הֶחָזָק לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הַזְּמַן, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא נִרְצֶה לְהַזְכִּיר בִּתְחִלַּת חֶשְׁבּוֹנֵנוּ רִבּוּי הַיָּמִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ לְהַגִּיעַ לְקָרְבַּן שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם שֶׁל עֲצֶרֶת. וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ לוֹמַר אִם כֵּן אַחַר שֶׁעָבְרוּ רֹב הַיָּמִים שֶׁל שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת אֵלּוּ, לָמָּה לֹא נַזְכִּיר מִעוּט הַיָּמִים הַנִּשְׁאָרִים? לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לְשַׁנּוֹת מַטְבֵּעַ הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן בְּאֶמְצָעוֹ. וְאִם תִּשְׁאַל אִם כֵּן לָמָּה אָנוּ מַתְחִילִין אוֹתוֹ מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, וְלֹא מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן? הַתְּשׁוּבָה כִּי הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן נִתְיַחֵד כֻּלּוֹ לְהַזְכָּרַת הַנֵּס הַגָּדוֹל, וְהוּא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהוּא אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת בְּחִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם וּבְהַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם, וְאֵין לָנוּ לְעָרֵב בְּשִׂמְחָתוֹ וּלְהַזְכִּיר עִמּוֹ שׁוּם דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְעַל כֵּן נִתְקַן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן מִיּוֹם שֵׁנִי מִיָּד. וְאֵין לוֹמַר הַיּוֹם כָּךְ וְכָךְ יָמִים לְיוֹם שֵׁנִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה חֶשְׁבּוֹן רָאוּי לוֹמַר לְיוֹם שֵׁנִי, וְעַל כֵּן הַתְקֵן לִמְנוֹת הַמִּנְיָן מִמָּה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ, וְהוּא קָרְבַּן הָעֹמֶר, שֶׁהוּא קָרְבָּן נִכְבָּד, שֶׁבּוֹ זֵכֶר שֶׁאָנוּ מַאֲמִינִים, כִּי הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם רוֹצֶה לְהַחֲיוֹתָם וּמְחַדֵּשׁ לָהֶם בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה זֶרַע תְּבוּאוֹת לִחְיוֹת בּוֹ. And because of this — that it is [the] essence of Israel, and because of it were they redeemed and went up to all of the greatness to which they rose — we were commanded to tally from the morrow of the holiday of Pesach until the day of the giving of the Torah; to show about ourselves the great desire [we have] for the honored day, which our hearts yearn [for] like “a slave seeks shade” and always tallies when will come the yearned-for time that he goes out to freedom. As the tally shows about a man that all of his deliverance and all of his desire is to reach that time. And that which we count to the omer, meaning, “Such-and-such days have passed from the tally,” and we do not tally “Such-and-such days do we have to the time,” is because all of this shows us the great desire to reach the time [of Shavuot]. Therefore, we do not want to mention at the beginning of our counting the large number of days that we have to reach the offering of the two breads of [Shavuot]. And let it not be difficult for you, to say, “If so, after most of the days of these seven weeks have passed, why do we not mention the minority of the remaining days?” [It is] as one should not change the nature of the counting in the middle. And if you shall ask, “If so, why do we begin counting from the day after [Pesach] and not from the first day?” The answer [is that] it is because the first day is entirely dedicated to remembering the great miracle, which is the exodus from Egypt, that is a sign and a proof of the world having been created and of God’s — may He be blessed — providence over people. And we may not mix [something else into] its joy and mention anything else with it. And as such, the counting begins immediately from the second day. And we should not say, “Today is such-and-such days from the second day of Pesach” — as the count would not be fitting to say, “From the second day.” And therefore it was ordained to count the tally from that which is done on it — and this is the omer-offering, which is a significant sacrifice. As through it is the remembrance that we believe that God, blessed be He, wants — through His providence over people — to sustain them and [so] renews for them the seed of the grains in each and every year, to live through them.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות סו, א), שֶׁמִּצְוָה לִמְנוֹתָן מִבָּעֶרֶב כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ תְּמִימוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב תְּמִימוֹת תִּהְיֶינָה. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, אֵימָתַי הֵן תְּמִימוֹת בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּתְחִיל מִבָּעֶרֶב. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם פֵּרְשׁוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (תוס' מנחות שם בד"ה זכר בשם בה"ג) שֶׁאִם שָׁכַח וְלֹא מָנָה מִבָּעֶרֶב מוֹנֶה לְמָחָר כָּל הַיּוֹם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שָׁם, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁשָּׁכַח וְלֹא מָנָה יוֹם אֶחָד שֶׁאֵין יָכוֹל לִמְנוֹת עוֹד בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה, לְפִי שֶׁכֻּלָּן מִצְוָה אַחַת הֵם. וּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁכַח מֵהֶן יוֹם אֶחָד, הֲרֵי כָּל הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן בָּטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלֹא הוֹדוּ מוֹרֵינוּ שֶׁבְּדוֹרֵנוּ לִסְבָרָא זוֹ, אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח יוֹם אֶחָד יֹאמַר אֶמֶשׁ הָיוּ כָּךְ בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה, וּמוֹנֶה הָאֲחֵרִים עִם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמִצְוָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר (רמב"ם תמידין ומוספין ז כג) לִמְנוֹת מְעֻמָּד, וּמְבָרֵךְ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ וכו'. וּמִי שֶׁמָּנָה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה יָצָא, וְאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לַחְזֹר וְלִמְנוֹת בִּבְרָכָה (שם הכ"ה). וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, בְּמַסֶּכֶת מְנָחוֹת [או"ח סימן תעט]. From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 66a) that it is a commandment to tally them from the evening so that they be complete. As the verse stated, “complete shall they be” — and they, may their memory be blessed, said, “From when are they complete? From when he begins from the evening.” And nonetheless, the commentators (Tosafot in the name of Behag on Menachot, s.v. zecher) explained that if he forgot and did not tally from the evening, he [may] tally on the morrow the whole day. And some say there that one who forgot and did not tally one day may not tally again that year, since they are all one commandment; and since he forgot one day from them, the entire count is negated for him. And our teacher in our generation did not concede to this reasoning. Rather, one who forgot a day should say, “Yesterday was such,” without a blessing; and tally the other [days] with all of Israel. And it is a choice [fulfillment] of the commandment to tally [while] standing (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 7:23). And he recites the blessing, “Who has sanctified us, etc.” And one who has tallied without a blessing has fulfilled [the commandment], and [hence] he is not permitted to return and tally with a blessing (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 7:25). And the rest of its details are in Tractate Menachot. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 479.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוַת סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר מִדְּאוֹרַיְתָא בְּכָל מָקוֹם בִּזְכָרִים [בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם עֹמֶר וּמִדְּרַבָּנָן בְּכָל מָקוֹם וַאֲפִלּוּ שֶׁאֵין עֹמֶר קָרֵב], וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא סָפַר יָמִים אֵלּוּ בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה. And this commandment of counting the omer is practiced from Torah writ in every place by males at the time of the [Temple], such that the omer is there; and rabbinically in all places, even when the omer is not offered. And one who transgresses it and does not count these days has violated a positive commandment.