Count for this day in the evening of the date shown above.
Counting the Omer began the second night of Passover, which was on April 9, 2020. The last day of counting is May 27, 2020.
You can learn more about the practice and history of counting the Omer here.
day 48 of the Omer: qualities of focus
The seventh week of the Omer is focused on Divine Presence (Malkhut/Shekhina).
The sixth day of the week is focused on Foundation and Connection (Yesod).
The forty-eighth day is about Foundation, Connection, and Divine Presence in our lives.
the blessing for counting the Omer
It’s traditional to say a blessing each evening, followed by reciting which day it is in the Omer journey. Here’s the blessing in English, feminized Hebrew, and the traditional masculine Hebrew. Use whichever Hebrew and/or English versions work for you!
English version of the blessing
Blessed are you, Eternal One-ness, Source and Breath of All Life, that has made us holy with your mitzvot, and compels us to count the Omer.
If you prefer feminine God language in Hebrew:
בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בִּמְצַוְּתָהּ וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר
B’rukhah at Yah Eloheynu khay ha’olamim asher kideshatnu bemitzvoteha vetzivatnu al sefirat ha’omer.
If you prefer masculine God language, or just like the traditional way of saying the blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר
Baruch ata adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al sefirat ha-omer.
here’s today’s count, in Hebrew (transliterated), and English.
Ha-yom shmonah v’arba-im yom, shehem shishah shavuot v’shishah yamim la-omer.
Today is forty-eight days, which marks six weeks and six days of the Omer.
Let me know if you have any questions. I’ve never done this before via blog post, and need your help to make sure everything works.
prefer Hebrew script?
If you prefer to read the blessing and count using Hebrew text, check out this app.
Or look in your favorite siddur (prayer book). It can often be found at the end of the evening service.
today’s poetic meditation
I’m posting a poetic meditation for each day to enhance the journey. Each meditation is focused on the kabbalistic qualities (sefirot) associated with the day.
The kabbalists often used the image of gates to describe the portals of consciousness represented by the sefirot, and that’s reflected in the ending to each of the meditations.
The kabbalists also often referenced the Tree of Life, upon which the sefirot are represented by the trunk and branches.
Some people like to read the meditations when they say the blessing at night. Others like to contemplate them in the morning to provide spiritual nourishment for the day’s activities.
Experiment, and see what works for you!
Yesod b’Malkhut: foundation, connection, and Shekhina’s divine presence
Whether you have never put on tefillin, to say morning prayers, or you do it every day, consider its intimacy. We wrap the leather arm strap attentively, seven times, once for each day of creation, and then wind it around our middle finger, and say v’erastich li l’olam, I will betroth you to me forever, v’erastich li b’tzedek u’v’mishpat, I will betroth you to me in righteousness and justice u’v’chesed, u’v’rachamim, and loving-kindness and compassion v’erastich li b’emunah, v’yada-at et Yah, I will betroth you to me with faithfulness and in union with these essential qualities you will know Y-H-V-H, the Unfolding of Be-ing. How do we be, and how do we create, holy beloveds? How can we remember the holiness in difficult times, the love we know is possible? Walk through the 48th gate, and notice any answers that arise throughout the day.
Copyright Shifrah Tobacman, 2012.
prefer to hold a book in your hand?
You might be interested in Rabbi Shifrah’s collection Omer/Teshuvah: 49 Poetic Meditations for Counting the Omer or Turning Toward a New Year. Write to rabbishifrah@gmail.com to get a copy!
Reader Interactions