Rabbi Sherman is on sabbatical. Please enjoy an Honorable Mensch-Ion from our Rabbinic Intern, Moe Howard

Today marks the thirtieth day of the Omer, the forty-nine day period between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot—or, should I say, the seven-week period? The Torah itself seems undecided:

“From the day after the sabbath, on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering, you shall count off seven complete weeks. Count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to GOD.” (Leviticus 23:15–16)

So, which is it? Do we count by days until forty-nine, or by weeks until seven? Like any rabbinic compromise, the answer is both: first we count by days (today is day thirty), and then by weeks (which is four weeks and two days).

Behind this peculiarity of Jewish law is a profound insight into the dual nature of Jewish time. One perspective is as Shammai taught: from the first day of the week, one should prepare for Shabbat; “begin with the end in mind,” to quote Stephen Covey. The other approach is as Hillel said: “Blessed be the Lord day by day.” Each day is an opportunity to be lived anew.

Shammai represents what Rabbi Jonathan Sacks calls prophetic time, of purpose and progress. Hillel represents priestly time, of presence and precept.

To live Jewishly is to be conscious of both simultaneously—aggadah (narrative) and halachah (law), history and eternity, “the word of God for this time, and the word of God for all time.”

May we count the weeks to Shavuot, commemorating the gift of the Torah, with anticipation; and may we count the days with appreciation for the gift that is each one. Shabbat Shalom