A Revolutionary Way to Understand the Mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer

This Torah class is brought to you by torahanytime.com. Um today we're going to do something we have a special shear on a very important topic. Um and that is we're going to discuss a certain question and by giving the answer to this question we're going to have a new understanding a revolutionary understanding of the whole concept of Sefiras HaOmer and um perhaps and and as Hashem certainly deepen our understanding of the days of Sefiras HaOmer. The question we're going to discuss is we know that whenever we do a mitzvah the first time we do the mitzvah we make a Shehecheyanu. And surprisingly the first time we count Sefiras HaOmer which is on the second day of Pesach we just go get right to it. We say Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha'olam asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al Sefiras HaOmer hayom yom echad la'Omer and we don't make a Shehecheyanu. Why don't we make a Shehecheyanu on Sefiras HaOmer? We make a Shehecheyanu first time we light the Nerot Chanukah even on Purim we make Shehecheyanu on on every Yom Tov whether it's Shavuot whether it's Pesach whether it's Sukkot we make Shehecheyanu on the first time we take the Lulav and Etrog. Why don't we make a Shehecheyanu the first time we count Sefiras HaOmer? You never thought of that before right? Why don't we make a Shehecheyanu? And what I would like to um expose everyone to is a number of new Rishonim not new they've been around but maybe new to us. Some of the names we might not be so familiar with but these Rishonim make up the backbone of what our halacha is. And we begin with the Sefer HaYashar. The Sefer HaYashar was written by Rabbeinu Yitzchak ben Rabbeinu Avraham Mari. Now I want you to pay attention to where these Rishonim lived. Okay? The Sefer HaYashar Rabbeinu Yitzchak was born in 1122 in Provence. It's in France. And he passed away in 1193 in Marseilles which is also France. Okay? Now if you're going to Europe today don't go to either of those places probably. I don't know how safe they are. But um but in the 12th century most of the Baalei Tosafot lived in France. France was the major haven of the Baalei Tosafot. Now pay attention the Baalei Tosafot was born in France and he died in France in 1193. And he asks look at number one. Um my high time I'm not working in the month for this reason we don't make a Shehecheyanu. Shehecheyanu is called the month of Zman. Ela b'davar she'eish ba'ah na'ah v'simcha. Only on a mitzvah that has pleasure and happiness. K'ga'in netilas lulav. Like taking the lulav. Right? The Torah says when you take the lulav usmachtem you rejoice. It makes you happy when you see the different colors and you see the fruits and you shake it it makes you happy. You only make a Shehecheyanu on a mitzvah that has simcha. Or Megillas Esther the mitzvah of Megillas Esther has simcha. Or pidyon haben. When you have a firstborn son and he makes it out of 30 days so you know the kid is not a nafel you know he's a viable child you make a Shehecheyanu. Aval l'Sefirah ein ba'ah zecher l'shem ha'na'ah. There's no benefit you get out of making counting Sefirah. It's not a it's not a mitzvah that elicits joy. It's not a mitzvah that elicits happiness so you don't make a Shehecheyanu. Shehecheyanu is blessed are you God that you brought me to this occasion. Well nothing really that happy about 1 2 3 4 5. And therefore you do not make a Shehecheyanu. As I said this morning I would like to share with you about 10 answers to this question. Okay? That's answer number one. You do not make a Shehecheyanu when you count Sefirah because there is no hana'ah on the Sefiras HaOmer. Okay? That's the answer of the Baalei Tosafot. Comes along the Baalei Tosafot. The Baalei Tosafot is a commentary on the Rif. And in the very last comment on Maseches Pesachim the Baalei Tosafot brings down the question why don't we make a Shehecheyanu on Sefiras HaOmer? And he wants to know why don't on during the days of Sefiras HaOmer do we not count al tzei ko d'yoma? So let's say last night was what? 36 right? Last night we should have counted tonight is 36 tonight is 37 and tonight we should count tonight is 37 tonight is 38. After all the second day of Pesach why do we not do melacha? Maybe it's the first day of Pesach sfei ko d'yoma. Why in chutz ha'aretz do we have eight days of Pesach in Eretz Yisrael they only have seven days? Well because of sfei ko d'yoma. So if there's a concept of sfei ko d'yoma of we're in doubt exactly what the date is why not every night of Sefiras HaOmer why don't we count tonight is one tonight is two tonight is two tonight is three tonight is three tonight is four tonight is four sfei ko d'yoma? Says the Baalei Tosafot. You know why? He says u'chlala shel davar on the fifth line ein lanu l'hachmir b'Sefiras HaOmer. You don't have to be machmir by Sefirah she'eino ela l'zecher ba'alma. Sefiras HaOmer is only a remembrance. After all according to most Rishonim and the Baalei Tosafot included b'zman Sefiras HaOmer is only a mitzvah d'Rabbanan. It was only d'Oraisa when you brought the korban omer. Nowadays we don't bring the korban omer so Sefirah is only d'Rabbanan but it's less than d'Rabbanan. It's only a remembrance of what took place b'zman she'Beis HaMikdash haya kayam. It only is a remembrance of what took place when the Beis HaMikdash was standing. Uh and we make brachot on a zecher. You can make a bracha. The halacha as sign of the doctor of Menachot that the Amora'im said you count days and you don't count weeks zecher l'Mikdash. But to make a Shehecheyanu on a mitzvah which is only a remembrance you don't make a Shehecheyanu on a mitzvah which is only a zecher. Sukkot is a actual mitzvah you make a Shehecheyanu. Yom Tov is an actual mitzvah you make a Shehecheyanu. Even Megillas Esther or even Hadlakas Nerot Chanukah they are mitzvot d'Rabbanan. Sefirah is less than d'Rabbanan. Sefirah is only a zecher to what took place when the Beis HaMikdash was standing and therefore it does not require a Shehecheyanu. And that's why you don't count sfei ko d'yoma one tonight is one two tonight is two three tonight is three four. You only make sfei ko d'yoma on a real mitzvah. A mitzvah which is only a zecher you don't have sfei ko d'yoma. But by by by by Chanukah or what Purim it's it's only d'Rabbanan. Okay. But nowadays the Torah only says to count triggered by bringing a korban but if you don't bring a korban then you don't have to count. Okay? So this is the second answer. The answer of the Baalei Tosafot. And that is that Sefiras HaOmer is only a zecher and on a zecher you don't say a Shehecheyanu. And then the Baalei Tosafot says a third answer. And the third answer is the same answer as the Baalei Tosafot. And that is you do not say a Shehecheyanu unless it's a mitzvah that elicits happiness. So he asks well what about Tekias Shofar? Tekias Shofar how does that elicit happiness? He says well it does because it creates a zikaron in between you and the Ribbono shel Olam. It allows you to have a good year and therefore you make a Shehecheyanu. But Sefiras HaOmer is just uh Shehecheyanu on on Lag BaOmer. There's no mitzvah Lag BaOmer. No but if it's it's a simcha. It's a simcha you know people are b'simcha when their team wins it doesn't mean you make a Shehecheyanu on it. It has to be a simcha that's found in the Torah. Right? It's like Lag BaOmer the the Meforshim struggle that there's no source in the Torah for Lag BaOmer. So you're not going to make a Shehecheyanu on Lag BaOmer. Rabbeinu Sa'adia The Baalei Tosafot's second answer he adds one nekudah which makes it different than the Baalei Tosafot. And that is like this. Not only like the Baalei Tosafot says you only make Shehecheyanu on a mitzvah that elicits simcha. Not only like he said in his first answer that Sefiras HaOmer is only a zecher and you don't make a Shehecheyanu on a zecher. He adds a factor. He says on the last line u'l'Sefiras HaOmer ein ba'ah zecher l'shem ha'na'ah. Sefiras HaOmer does not does not involve any pleasure. Just the opposite. Sefiras HaOmer is a source of agony. It's a source of tza'ar. Why? Ein ba'ah zecher l'shem ha'na'ah ela l'agmas nafshainu l'churban Beis HaMikdash v'Yom Tov. Means like this. When you count Sefirah you say ah tonight is the 36th night of the Omer. And then you say Ribbono shel Olam I know I'm not really doing the full mitzvah now because I can't bring the korban omer now. Harachaman hu yachzir lanu avodas Beis HaMikdash l'makomo. So you say Ribbono shel Olam please restore the service of the Temple so that I'll be able to fulfill the mitzvah properly. And then you say oy vey nebach we don't have a Mikdash anymore. We don't have the real mitzvah. So every time you count Sefirah it causes sadness. So you know why you can't make a Shehecheyanu? Because Shehecheyanu is thank you Hashem for the happiness. Sefiras HaOmer elicits sadness. So it's even taking the first answer a little bit further. It's not only Sefiras HaOmer is not a source of happiness just the opposite. Sefiras HaOmer is a source of tza'ar that we don't have the Beis HaMikdash. Okay? So that is answer number three. And this answer is also um expressed by the Tzafnat Paneach in number in Mar'eh Makom number three. The Torah Mar was written by Rabbi Avraham Saba. Rabbi Avraham Saba was who? One of the Gerush Sefarad. He was exiled from Spain in 1492. And he also offers the same reason as the second answer of the Baal Hamar. And that is Sefirat Omer is a remembrance of the Korban and therefore it's not appropriate to say Shehecheyanu. But it in the Torah clearly says the reason why we're counting is is because of the Omer is coming in and we should show gratitude uh at the end of at the end of the uh counting. So it's it's really I'm going to contradict you. No, the Torah the Torah just says Sefirat Omer Mimacharat Hashabbat Umin Hayom Havi'achem Et Omer Hatnufah. Shabbat Shabbatot It says from the day you bring the Korban you have to count seven weeks. Doesn't say it's an expression of gratitude for the harvest or for the crop. It's almost like uh It's like a Kodesh Kodashim. Shavuot is Hag Hakatzir. But you don't count start counting Sefirah on Shavuot. Sefirah is not from Shavuot until Tisha B'Av. It's from Pesach till Shavuot. Okay, so that's answer number three. Answer number four. Answer number four. The Meiri wants to know why we don't make Shehecheyanu on Biur Chametz. Yeah, when you burn your Chametz. When you threw your Chametz into the fire, did you make a Shehecheyanu? No. Why not? He says Also, there's no Simcha. Why are you Simcha that you have to burn your Chametz? People are sad. People throw their pizza into the fire. Oy vey! For the next seven days I'm going to have to eat macaroons. Oy! It's like a velos. So people are people are are sad when they burn their Chametz. Now they have to eat ladyfingers. It's mamash it's tzaar gadol. Right? So people are sad. But what about Sefirah? He says like this. You know why you don't make a Shehecheyanu on Sefirah? Because the Shehecheyanu that you make on Pesach covers Sefirah. You want to ask them to stop? Yeah. The the Shehecheyanu that you make on Pesach covers Sefirah. Now here's the problem. The Shehecheyanu you make on Pesach you make the first day of Pesach. Sefirat Omer you make the second day. So you say oh it's okay because on Chol Hamoed you're making Shehecheyanu the second day also. But in Eretz Yisrael they don't in Eretz Yisrael they don't say well since we make it on the first day so we're going to make another Shehecheyanu on Sefirah. They don't do that. So what does he mean that the Shehecheyanu of Pesach covers it? And why would the Shehecheyanu of Pesach cover Sefirat Omer? Everybody knows that if you have two reasons to make a Shehecheyanu you make Shehecheyanu twice. Let's say Rosh Hashanah. The first night of Rosh Hashanah. You make Shehecheyanu in Kiddush on the Yom Tov and you make Shehecheyanu if you have a new fruit on the new fruit and you don't say let's kill two birds with one stone. You only do that the second night because the Shehecheyanu in Kiddush is a safek. But if you have a real reason to make Shehecheyanu so you make it twice. Why would the Shehecheyanu A, so we have two problems. Number one the Shehecheyanu you're making the first night so it's a day before. And number two if you have a reason to make a Shehecheyanu so you make two Shehecheyanus. So it's hard to understand. The Meiri says Sefirat Omer Nifter Bizman Shel Yom Tov. The Sefirat Omer of Pesach covers it. Why would that be? Says the Shibolei Haleket. Shibolei Haleket was one of the Rishonim. He was a doctor by the way. Also it's brought down in the Sefer Mateh Moshe of Rabbi Moshe Matz, a student of the Maharshal. Maharshal was the Rabbi in Krakow. Yeah? The So they both say the following answer. The Mitzvah of Sefirat Omer is triggered by which Yom Tov? Pesach. Usfartem Lachem Mimacharat Hashabbat. Count from the day after Shabbat. Which Which Shabbat is it referring to? Pesach. So that means since Sefirat Omer is triggered by Pesach it's a Pesach dik Yom Tov uh Mitzvah. It's a Pesach dik a Mitzvah. Do you make a Shehecheyanu on Sipur Yetziat Mitzrayim? No, it's covered with the Shehecheyanu on the Yom Tov of Pesach. Do you make a Shehecheyanu on on um not uh let's leave it at that. You make Shehecheyanu on on uh Sipur Yetziat Mitzrayim? No. Maybe the Shehecheyanu on Pesach covers it. Well so too the Shehecheyanu on of Pesach covers Sefirah. But what do you mean? Sefirah was yesterday. Excuse me, Shehecheyanu was the first day of Pesach. Sefirah is the second day. It doesn't matter. The Mitzvah of Sefirah is connected to the first day of Pesach. It's the Mitzvah that you do the day after the first day of Pesach. So since it's triggered by Pesach therefore the Shehecheyanu of Pesach covers Sefirat Omer. By the way, this would uh give us a new insight. You know there's a big question that uh the Ramban says that women should count Sefirah. Now nowadays um we don't necessarily follow that. Many Rishonim say it's a Mitzvah She Hazman Grama. But the opinion of the Ramban is that women should count. And everybody struggles why should women count Sefirat Omer? It's a Mitzvah that's governed by time. So the Avnei Nezer writes in a Teshuvah yeah it's governed by time. But the time that it's governed by is a time that women are Mechuyavot in. It's governed by the first day of Pesach. Well the first day of Pesach women have to eat Matzah. They can't eat Chametz. According to the Sefer Hachinuch and Sipur Yetziat Mitzrayim. So since it's governed by Pesach and Pesach is a Zman that women are Mechuyavot in so therefore Sefirah which is governed by Pesach they should also count. Okay? So that was answer number four. Why do we make Sefirah on Shehecheyanu? We do. When? The first night of Pesach. Answer number five. Look at number Look at Malmacam number seven. The Maharram Metz. You know why you can't make Sefirat Omer You know why you can't say Shehecheyanu on Sefirah? Shema Yishkach Yom Echad. Maybe you're going to forget a day. And if you're going to forget a day of Sefirah then what's going to happen? What's going to happen is your whole Bracha will be a Bracha Levatalah. The whole Bracha is going to be a Bracha Levatalah. So now you can't count Sefirah. So now this answer is very hard to understand. Because if you can't make a Shehecheyanu because maybe you're going to forget a night then how could you make a Bracha on Sefirah any night? Maybe you're going to forget a night. I mean how do you explain this Rishon? Saying you can't make a Shehecheyanu on Sefirah maybe you're going to forget a night. But I have a question for you. How do you make a Bracha on Sefirah the first night? Maybe you can forget the second night. Maybe you can forget the third night. Maybe you can forget the fourth night. Maybe you can do it the first night. So you have to say according to the Rishonim that each night is a separate Mitzvah. So even if you forget you got the Mitzvah of that night. Well if each night is a separate Mitzvah why can't you make a Shehecheyanu the first night? It's still I can still make a Shehecheyanu. And then then you should be able to count on the Bracha later if you forget a night in the middle. Okay, but I mean how do you split the fact that you can't make a Shehecheyanu but you could make a Bracha every night? What are you going to say? That even if every even if it's one long Mitzvah and you can make a Bracha every night because it's a Chelek of the Mitzvah but Shehecheyanu you can't make because Shehecheyanu has to be going on all the various Mitzvot and if you're missing one of them then the Shehecheyanu would be invalid. I don't know. I'm not clear. You're still you still have to make a Bracha even if you forget the next day you have to start down without a Bracha. So you're still in the board game. No, but but why are we worried about forgetting regarding Shehecheyanu and we're not worried about forgetting regarding the Bracha of every night? Okay. I'm saying it's because because you you can count because of the other Bracha on that. You're still in the board game. But being that counting with a Bracha. So why is it regarding Shehecheyanu we're worried Shema Yishkach and regarding all the other nights all the nights of the year we're not worried Shema Yishkach? Anybody have an explanation? All right, I didn't I don't really understand. Okay, answer number six. Okay, and this is really why uh I wanted to do this topic. I think this is a reason that most people never heard before. Okay? This answer is found in Rabbeinu Yerucham. Rabbeinu Yerucham was uh one of the great Rishonim. He was born in Provence in 1280. And pay attention. He He passed away in Toledo in 1350. Now Toledo. Where's Toledo? Holy Toledo. Where's Holy Toledo? In Ohio. No. Right? In Spain. In Spain. So it's interesting. He didn't stay in France. He didn't stay in France. So you have the Baal Haturim. He's He was born 1122. He passed away 1193. He makes it through France. Rabbeinu Yerucham, he doesn't stick it through. You know why? It's important to know. In 1306 every last Jew was exiled from France. None of the Rishonim. Most of the Baalei Tosafot in the 12th century lived in France. The only thing is comes the beginning of um the 14th century and they're all exiled. Every last one. So any of the Baalei Tosafot that lived in France 1306 they're out of there. They go to Spain. Okay, now Rabbeinu Yerucham wrote a Sefer. um They were exiled from Spain. They went to They're They're No. No, no, no, They're exiled from France in 1306. They went to Spain. 1492, they're out of Spain, also. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, right. Right, right. That's what the cycle held, right. Okay, so listen to this answer of Rabbeinu Yerucham. Rabbeinu Yerucham, by the way, his sefer has two parts. The name of Rabbeinu Yerucham's sefer is Sefer Adam v'Chava. Adam talks about all the halachos of man from birth until marriage. That's Adam. The second half is Chava. That's from marriage until death. Right? Adam is birth until marriage. That's Adam. And then Chava is marriage till misah. Okay. And Rabbeinu Yerucham says a very interesting thing. Rabbeinu Yerucham says, like a sod, a secret. He says, why don't you make shehechiyanu on Sefiras HaOmer? He says, she'ein kan hana'ah v'lo simcha. He says, v'zeh me'ora din. L'yodin. For those who know, the days of Sefirah are days of din. Ki haOmer ba me'has'orim. The korban Omer comes from barley. K'mashehu kibbel Chazal min haKosev, she'omar, v'im takrivu minchas bikurim laShem, and it's referring to the korban Omer. And this im is not discretionary. It's not optional. It's mandatory. And this korban haOmer is a korban of barley, similar to the korban of the saitah. And the word se'orim, says Rabbeinu Yerucham, is a lashon of se'arah, a windstorm, a hurricane. And therefore, you don't get married during Sefirah. And therefore, you have to let your beard grow. So listen carefully. Rabbeinu Yerucham does not say that the days of Sefirah you may din because of the students of Rabbi Akiva. Doesn't say a word about that. The days of Sefirah are just plain and simple days of din, as indicated by the quality of the korban Omer. It's barley. The word se'orim somehow is a lashon of se'arah, a windstorm. And these days are days of din. By the way, the Eliyahu Zuta, which is a commentary on the Levush, he quotes Rabbeinu Yerucham, and he says, according to Rabbeinu Yerucham, that has nothing to do with talmidei Rabbi Akiva. You don't shave all 49 days, even Lag B'Omer. And then he says, it could be we do it, the minhag is to do it. So the million-dollar question is, what's the man talking about? That's not what they taught me in yeshiva. When I went to cheder, they said, Rabbi Akiva had 24,000 students, and they died, and therefore, you don't listen to music, and therefore, you don't shave. And what I'm here to tell you today is that's what they told you, and that's not the real reason. That's after the fact. That's The students of Rabbi Akiva died because the yemei haOmer are yemei din. It's not that they're yemei din because the students of Rabbi Akiva died. They're yemei din going back to the Torah of their yemei din. They're yemei din as indicated by the korban se'orim, which is a lashon of se'arah. And the question is, why are the yemei Sefirah yemei din? I never heard this before. That's what you come here for. So now, that's what we want to explain. Why are the yemei Sefirah yemei din? Everyone I always thought, talmidei Rabbi Akiva, and then Lag B'Omer, you shoot bows and arrows, and they stopped dying, and you go play baseball. That's not That's not the real reason. The Tzur HaMar, again, the Tzur HaMar was the um Rabbi Avraham Saba, who wrote an amazing comment commentary on the Chumash. It's come out from the Rishonim, but it was a little bit later than the Rishonim. He was again from the Gerush Sefarad 1492. His granddaughter, I believe, married a man by the name of Rabbi Yosef Caro. And the Tzur HaMar, he tells us, why do you count Sefiras HaOmer at night? He says, because the dinim begin in the nighttime. The night is more yemei din, is more a zman of din. And we count the Sefirah, he says, l'hashkif koach hadin of the Omer, which is sholeit at night. And how do we, so to speak, sweeten the dinim? He says, the koach mitzvas Sefirah. That's why the Remah says, usfartem lachem, you count for yourselves. In other words, lachem, l'hana'aschem, for your own benefit, for your own pleasure. Like Hashem says to Avraham, lech lecha, l'hana'ascha, go for your own benefit. It's for our benefit. Ay! V'af al pi she'amru l'fi shemisu talmidei Rabbi Akiva, zeh l'fi hanigleh. That's That's on That's the revealed reason. Ki ya'atam nistar hu, if you want to know the secret reason, l'fi shehaOmer hu hadin. The korban Omer represents a zman of din. That's why you can't shave. K'dei l'har'os itzavon, to show sadness. And then he brings a remez that until Lag B'Omer is tokeif hadin, is the is the harshness of the din. And if you want to remember that, there's a pasuk he says, Eid HaGal, the Eid, the witnesses, Gal, the 33rd day. And he goes on to explain how somehow Lag B'Omer sweetens the dinim. And you know, want to know why you can't make shehechiyanu on Sefirah? Cuz it's yemei din. Shehechiyanu is, thank you, Ribono shel Olam, that you allowed me to reach this zman. That's if it's a happy zman. But Sefiras HaOmer is not a happy zman. It's a zman of din, and therefore, it's not appropriate to count. Yom Kippur is a happy time. Ein l'cha, right? Amar Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, ein lanu yamim tovים l'Yisrael k'chamishah asar b'Av u'k'Yom HaKippurim. It's a happy zman. But not the yemei Sefirah. The yemei Sefirah are yemei din. Now, the question is, why are they yemei din? So the Tzur HaMar continues. I'm not sure I know exactly what he's saying. But again, these are words of Kadmonim. And he says, the way I understand it, v'l'fi shehaTorah eish dos, the Torah is a fire. It's a fiery law. D'chol d'varav k'eish, every word of Torah is like fire. U'n'sinasah b'eish, it was given in a fire. Amar R' Tanchuma, Sefirah, it says, harvest from the se'orim, from barley. L'har'os al midas hadin shel eish hakashah, to indicate that this is fire, and fire is din. In other words, we always think, yeah, learning Torah, it's so sweet. It's like cotton candy. It's like marshmallows. It makes us feel so fuzzy and cozy. And let's put our arms around of each other, and let's have the warm feelings. Yeah, it's true. Torah is sweet, and Torah is delicious, and Torah is gishmak, and Torah is pikudei Hashem yesharim mesamchei lev. But Torah is also fire. It's fire. When the Tanna'im learned Torah, fire came down. K'nissinasah b'Har Sinai. The Torah is a fiery law. There's an element There's an aspect of Torah that's that's eish, that's din. You can't tamper with the Torah. It's not there for your coziness. It's a fiery law. And because it's a fiery law, and we're anticipating receiving an eish dos, that creates a certain din during this zman. What about talmidei Rabbi Akiva? Yeah, that's also true. That's al pi nigleh. But on a deeper level, the fact that we're about to receive an eish dos, a fiery Torah, that creates a certain din, and the mitzvah of Sefirah, which is specifically at nighttime, night is the zman din, the mitzvah of Sefirah is given somehow to mitigate the dinim, to temper the dinim. Okay, so I think this is a new understanding of the yemei Sefirah. It's not just, you know, in a way, it's it's very odd. Because here, while we're counting Sefirah I in anticipation of Kabbalas HaTorah, and it just so happens to be that the talmidei Rabbi Akiva happened to die in this time. So, you know, it's like, what do talmidei Rabbi Akiva dying now have to do with Kabbalas HaTorah? It's just like two things that happened to come out at the same time. No. It's one It's all part of Kabbalas HaTorah. Don't forget about the dimension of Kabbalas HaTorah that Torah is eish, Torah is an eish dos, and as we're anticipating it, there's a certain din, and perhaps that's why talmidei Rabbi Akiva died during this time. It's a zman din. Okay, I'll explain. That is answer number six. Answer number seven is from Maharam Klausner, which is one of the Rishonim quoted in the Matan Moshe, and he says, well, what is the Gemara haMitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer? The completion of the mitzvah is Shavuos. We're trying to get to Shavuos. So, the first day of counting is merely preparing ourselves for the completion of the mitzvah. Well, he says, you don't make a shehechiyanu on a hechsher mitzvah, on a preparing on a preparation for mitzvah. You only make a shehechiyanu on a mitzvah that the fulfillment of that mitzvah is at that time, as opposed to Sefirah, the full fulfillment is not complete until it's over. You said before that it's triggered by Pesach. It's primarily a mitzvah Right. It's triggered by Pesach, but the completion is not over until Shavuos. And therefore, all the days of counting are merely preparatory until Shavuos. So, you don't make a shehechiyanu on a hechsher mitzvah. You can only make a shehechiyanu this shita, you only make a shehechiyanu on what? On a mitzvah that the you get a kiyum at that time. But if the kiyum is only a preparation for something else, you don't make a shehechiyanu. The Orchos Chaim Orchos Chaim was written by Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel. So, he's born in Narbonne in Provence, and he passes away in Spain in 1325. Again, he doesn't make it through France. Why? 1306, Jews are exiled from France. Okay? By the way, the Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel writes that um at many times when people would ask him shailos, he did not he was not able to answer. He was so busy running, trying to find residence, he didn't have the yishuv hadaas to give to give proper answers. And he says that's why he wrote his sefer so that all the halachos could be compiled in one place. And he writes also a similar idea. Maybe there's a difference here. And that is no, Sefiras HaOmer is not a hechsher mitzvah, but the mitzvah has a machuvan. The mitzvah has a goal. And the goal is to get you until Shavuos. So, if the goal of the mitzvah has not been achieved yet, it's not that it's a hechsher mitzvah. Maybe it's not a hechsher mitzvah, it's a kiyum a mitzvah. But if the mitzvah has a certain machuvan, it has a certain goal, and the goal has not been fulfilled yet, you don't make a shehechiyanu because you haven't achieved the goal. Okay? Now, I want to answer number eight, nine, and 10. You ready? And then with this we'll conclude. Back to the Torah HaMar, back to Rabbeinu Avraham Saba. Saba says, again, very similar to the last two answers, but a a little bit of a different nuance. Again, the Maharach of Krems said Sefiras HaOmer is a hechsher mitzvah, and you don't make a shehechiyanu on a hechsher mitzvah. The Orchos Chaim said maybe it's not a hechsher mitzvah, but the mitzvah has a goal, and therefore if the goal has not been achieved, you can't make a shehechiyanu. Saba says a little bit differently, I believe. Why are you counting Sefirah? To get to which Yom Tov? Shavuos. So, I make a shehechiyanu on Shavuos. All right? The shehechiyanu on Shavuos is the shehechiyanu on Sefiras HaOmer. So, here you have two extremes. You have before the Shibbolei HaLeket and the Meiri, they say the shehechiyanu of Pesach is the shehechiyanu on Sefirah, because since it's triggered by Pesach, therefore you make a shehechiyanu the shehechiyanu of Pesach covers Sefirah. The Saba says no, the purpose of Sefirah is for Shavuos, it's the shehechiyanu of Shavuos that covers it. Not like we said in the last two answers, that since it's a hechsher mitzvah, you don't make a shehechiyanu then. He says you do make a shehechiyanu, it's just it's the shehechiyanu of Shavuos that's the shehechiyanu of what? The the shehechiyanu is generally only on the one particular mitzvah. You can't you know, have one mitzvah and you know? What do you mean? covers a few things. Well, sometimes The shehechiyanu covers one Well, sometimes we do that. Let's say the mitzvah of Sukkah. Right. It's l'shem mitzvah. The shehechiyanu of Sukkah on the kiddush, which is going on the Yom Tov, covers the mitzvah of Sukkah. Even though it does not cover the mitzvah of lulav and esrog, right? So, sometimes you do use the shehechiyanu of Yom Tov to cover cover other other things. Okay, and let me tell you the last dimension over here. And that is the reasoning of the Akeidas Yitzchak is brought in the Levush. It's brought in the sefer Minchas Chinuch, one of the Rishonim on Chumash. And this is also an added nuance. And that's the following. What's the purpose of Sefirah? Why do we count? And this is what I want to leave you I want to leave you with. Why do we count Sefiras HaOmer? Everybody has a calendar. You know, on your phone everyone certainly has a calendar. Even without before they invented phones, people knew count had calendars. People know when Shavuos is coming. What are you counting for? Why are you counting? Today is the first day. You look at the calendar. Why do you have to count? Answer is, counting demonstrates you're looking forward to that time. But it's more than that. The Akeidas Yitzchak writes that counting is indicates is yoirah al hatzar ha oiveid b'hei adrai about the pain and the agony that a person is experiencing by not having something. B'al hatainoch ham'kuveh b'havaya say. And on the joy that you're hoping for when that occurs. Meaning the following. When you're counting, you're saying, I I'm I'm not happy now that I'm not there yet. When someone counts to a happy occasion, uh I can't wait already. I I I'm I'm sitting on shpilkes. When when is that going to happen already? You're you're in agony. You're in pain that you're not there yet. You can't wait until you get there. So, the Akeidas Yitzchak writes that let's say a zav A zav is someone who experiences um tumah. He emits or she emits a certain kind of tumah. And it says yamim rabim. Why? Why is it called yamim rabim? It's not really that long that they have to wait. They only have to wait seven days. The answer is because they're in a defiled state, and because they're tamei, they're in agony. So, every day seems like a million years. In other words, when you're not happy with the present situation, and you're looking forward to better days, every day seems like a million years. So, says the Akeidas Yitzchak, Klal Yisrael coming out of Mitzrayim, and they're defiled, they're b'tumah, they're still have upon them the tumah of Mitzrayim, the tumah of avodah zarah, and they're waiting for the Ribono shel Olam to cleanse them to be ready for the to hashra'as ha'Shechinah. So, says the Akeidas Yitzchak, if you have to wait seven clean days to purify yourselves from tumas zav, you should have to wait seven yovelim to purify yourself to be worthy to embrace and to encounter the Ribono shel Olam. But the Ribono shel Olam had rachmanus on us, we only have to wait seven weeks. But you're going to make a shehechiyanu on Sefirah? The whole purpose of Sefirah is to demonstrate tzar, I wish Shavuos was here already. I can't wait till Shavuos. I'm in pain. I'm in agony. I'm b'tzar that it's not the 50th day. You can't count Sefirah. You can't make a shehechiyanu on Sefirah. It's the whole it's an the antithesis to Sefirah. The purpose of Sefirah is to show pain that Shavuos is not here. So, you're going to say, "Thank you, Hashem, that you gave me the mitzvah of Sefirah." I'd rather not have the mitzvah. I'd rather be there already. It's like the exact opposite of the whole purpose of Sefirah. I want to read to you the words, and by the way, this is this is how the Rishonim express it in the Kedushas Levi, Rabbeinu Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev. He doesn't quote these Rishonim, but he says this very idea, and I want to read to you his his words. He says, "Nireh l'vayar b'nei Yisrael al kol mitzvah Yaak mitzvah is m'varech shehechiyanu. V'al mitzvas Sefiras HaOmer ein m'varech shehechiyanu. Why on all the mitzvos you make a shehechiyanu, and on Sefirah we don't make a shehechiyanu?" He says, "If you look in the Kisei HaRizal on the pasuk of ta'avdon es Elohim al ha'har ha'zeh, we know when Klal Yisrael were Mitzrayim, they were immersed, they were m'shukah in the 49 levels of tumah. And HaKadosh Baruch Hu in His infinite mercy redeemed us to bring us close to Him. And that's why we have to count zayin neki'im. And without counting these seven weeks, we would not be eligible for Hashem to bring us close. And the Rizal brings a remez, ta'avdon es Elohim. Ta'avod nun. You need to work on yourselves for 50 days. Right? B'hoitzi'acha Hashem Elohim mi'Mitzrayim, ta'avdon es Elohim. Ta'avdon. Ta'avod nun. So, says Rabbeinu Levi Yitzchak, and this is really the idea of the Akeidas Yitzchak and the Levush and the Minchas Chinuch. V'nimtza she'hayu mitztavim tamid masai ta'avor ha'mispar. Yeah. When's the when is the day going to be over already? V'she'yagi'a kirov v'tamid hayu rotzin l'chalos yamim. They were they would have loved the days of Sefirah to be over. V'hayah b'efshar l'chalos yamim b'rega echad v'teikaf miyad yatz'u kirov az im atoi. Let's say you could tell the the "You know what? Yeah, you have to count 49 days, but I have a shortcut. If you do such and such, if you stand on your head and spin golden nickels, and be toivel in a mikvah 50 times, you only have to count one day. Klal Yisrael would say, "Show me the money. Show me the mikvah. I'm I'm in. I don't want to count the Sefirah." So, the whole purpose of Sefirah is to show I wish it weren't Sefirah. I wish we got to Shavuos already. So, to make a Shehecheyanu on Sefirah would be indicating you don't even understand what Sefiras HaOmer is all about. Sefiras HaOmer is all about I wish we were there. So, you can make a Shehecheyanu baruch Hashem I'm not there. Shehecheyanu is thank you Hashem that you allowed me to reach this milestone. We don't want to be at this milestone. We want to be at Shavuos. So, therefore, says the Akeidas Yitzchak, since Sefirah the mitzvah of Shehecheyanu the bracha of Shehecheyanu indicates happiness, indicates joy, it would be inappropriate to make a Shehecheyanu on Sefirah cuz the whole purpose of Sefirah is to express our longing and our yearning for the Yom Tov of Shavuos, the Yom Tov of Kabbalas HaTorah. So, these are 10 reasons why we don't make a Shehecheyanu on the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer. Have a blessed and wonderful day. You've just experienced another Torah class brought to you by torahanytime.com.